U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service20060914Fort Worth, Texas U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service pa003http://SoilDataMart.nrcs.usda.gov/ftp://www.pasda.psu.edu/pub/pasda/soils/ This data set is a digital soil survey and generally is the most detailed level of soil geographic data developed by the National Cooperative Soil Survey. The information was prepared by digitizing maps, by compiling information onto a planimetric correct base and digitizing, or by revising digitized maps using remotely sensed and other information. This data set consists of georeferenced digital map data and computerized attribute data. The map data are in a soil survey area extent format and include a detailed, field verified inventory of soils and miscellaneous areas that normally occur in a repeatable pattern on the landscape and that can be cartographically shown at the scale mapped. A special soil features layer (point and line features) is optional. This layer displays the location of features too small to delineate at the mapping scale, but they are large enough and contrasting enough to significantly influence use and management. The soil map units are linked to attributes in the National Soil Information System relational database, which gives the proportionate extent of the component soils and their properties. SSURGO depicts information about the kinds and distribution of soils on the landscape. The soil map and data used in the SSURGO product were prepared by soil scientists as part of the National Cooperative Soil Survey. Digital versions of hydrography, cultural features, and other associated layers that are not part of the SSURGO data set may be available from the primary organization listed in the Point of Contact. 2006091420060914publication dateCompleteAs needed-80.361-79.68940.67440.194ISO 19115 Topic Categoriessoil surveysoilsSoil Survey GeographicSSURGObiotaenvironmentgeoscientificinformationUSGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS)PennsylvaniaAllegheny CountyAliquippa QuadrangleAmbridge QuadrangleBaden QuadrangleBraddock QuadrangleBridgeville QuadrangleCanonsburg QuadrangleClinton QuadrangleCurtisville QuadrangleDonora QuadrangleEmsworth QuadrangleFreeport QuadrangleGlassport QuadrangleGlenshaw QuadrangleMars QuadrangleMcKeesport QuadrangleMonongahela QuadrangleMurrysville QuadrangleNew Kensington East QuadrangleNew Kensington West QuadrangleOakdale QuadranglePittsburgh East QuadranglePittsburgh West QuadrangleValencia QuadrangleNone The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, should be acknowledged as the data source in products derived from these data. This data set is not designed for use as a primary regulatory tool in permitting or citing decisions, but may be used as a reference source. This is public information and may be interpreted by organizations, agencies, units of government, or others based on needs; however, they are responsible for the appropriate application. Federal, State, or local regulatory bodies are not to reassign to the Natural Resources Conservation Service any authority for the decisions that they make. The Natural Resources Conservation Service will not perform any evaluations of these maps for purposes related solely to State or local regulatory programs. Photographic or digital enlargement of these maps to scales greater than at which they were originally mapped can cause misinterpretation of the data. If enlarged, maps do not show the small areas of contrasting soils that could have been shown at a larger scale. The depicted soil boundaries, interpretations, and analysis derived from them do not eliminate the need for onsite sampling, testing, and detailed study of specific sites for intensive uses. Thus, these data and their interpretations are intended for planning purposes only. Digital data files are periodically updated. Files are dated, and users are responsible for obtaining the latest version of the data. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation ServiceState Soil Scientistmailing address

USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service

Pennsylvania State Office

One Credit Union Place, Suite 340

HarrisburgPA17110-2993717-237-2207(202) 720-2600ed.white@pa.usda.gov Attribute accuracy is tested by manual comparison of the source with hard copy plots and/or symbolized display of the map data on an interactive computer graphic system. Selected attributes that cannot be visually verified on plots or on screen are interactively queried and verified on screen. In addition, the attributes are tested against a master set of valid attributes. All attribute data conform to the attribute codes in the signed classification and correlation document and amendment(s). Certain node/geometry and topology GT- polygon/chain relationships are collected or generated to satisfy topological requirements (the GT-polygon corresponds to the soil delineation). Some of these requirements include: chains must begin and end at nodes, chains must connect to each other at nodes, chains do not extend through nodes, left and right GT-polygons are defined for each chain element and are consistent throughout, and the chains representing the limits of the file are free of gaps. The tests of logical consistency are performed using vendor software. All internal polygons are tested for closure with vendor software and are checked on hard copy plots. All data are checked for common soil lines (i.e., adjacent polygons with the same label). Edge locations generally do not deviate from centerline to centerline by more than 0.01 inch. The Soil Survey of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania is edge matched to the adjacent SSURGO (Soil SURvey GeOgraphic) certified Pennsylvania Soil Surveys of Beaver and Lawrence Counties, Greene and Washington Counties, Butler County, Armstrong County and Westmoreland County. The northeast corner of Allegheny County is joined to the southwest corner of Armstrong County. All of the feature edges for this soil survey match the feature edges in the Butler County Soil Survey. Most of the feature edges for this soil survey match the feature edges in the other adjacent soil surveys. Some of the labels for this soil survey match the labels in the adjacent soil surveys. The soil survey boundary for Allegheny County matches the soil survey boundaries of the adjacent certified soil surveys. A map unit is a collection of areas defined and named in terms of their soil components or miscellaneous areas or both. Each map unit differs in some respect from all others in a survey area and each map unit has a symbol that uniquely identifies the map unit on a soil map. Each individual area, point, or line so identified on the map is a delineation. Soil Scientists identify small areas of soils or miscellaneous areas that have properties and behavior significantly different than the named soils in the surrounding map unit. These minor components may be indicated as special features. If they have a minimal effect on use and management, or could not be precisely located, they may not be indicated on the map. A map unit has specified kinds of soils or miscellaneous areas (map unit components), each with a designated range in proportionate extent. Map units include one or more kinds of soil or miscellaneous area. Miscellaneous areas are areas that have little or no recognizable soil. Specific National Cooperative Soil Survey standards and procedures were used in the classification of soils, design and name of map units, and location of special soil features. These standards are outlined in Agricultural Handbook 18, Soil Survey Manual, 1993, USDA, NRCS; Agricultural Handbook 436, Soil Taxonomy, 1995, USDA, NRCS; and all Amendments; Keys to Soil Taxonomy, (current issue) USDA, NRCS; National Soil Survey Handbook, title 430-VI,(current issue) USDA, NRCS. The actual composition and interpretive purity of the map unit delineations were based on data collected by scientists during the course of preparing the soil maps. Adherence to National Cooperative Soil Survey standards and procedures is based on peer review, quality control, and quality assurance. Quality control is outlined in the memorandum of understanding for the soil survey area and in documents that reside with the Natural Resources Conservation Service state soil scientist. Four kinds of map units are used in soil surveys: consociations, complexes, associations, and undifferentiated groups. Consociations - Consociations are named for the dominant soil. In a consociation, delineated areas use a single name from the dominant component in the map unit. Dissimilar components are minor in extent. The soil component in a consociation may be identified at any taxonomic level. Soil series is the lowest taxonomic level. A consociation that is named as a miscellaneous area is dominantly that kind of area and minor components do not significantly affect the use of the map unit. The total amount of dissimilar inclusions of other components in a map unit generally does not exceed about 15 percent if limiting and 25 percent if nonlimiting. A single component of a dissimilar limiting inclusion generally does not exceed 10 percent if very contrasting. Complexes and associations - Complexes and associations consist of two or more dissimilar components that occur in a regularly repeating pattern. The total amount of other dissimilar components is minor extent. The following arbitrary rule determines whether complex or association is used in the name. The major components of an association can be separated at the scale of mapping. In either case, because the major components are sufficiently different in morphology or behavior, the map unit cannot be called a consociation. In each delineation of a complex or an association, each major component is normally present though their proportions may vary appreciably from one delineation to another. The total amount of inclusions in a map unit that are dissimilar to any of the major components does not exceed 15 percent if limiting and 25 percent if nonlimiting. A single kind of dissimilar limiting inclusion usually does not exceed 10 percent. Undifferentiated groups - Undifferentiated groups consist of two or more components that are not consistently associated geographically and, therefore, do not always occur together in the same map delineation. These components are included in the same named map unit because their use and management are the same or very similar for common uses. Generally they are grouped together because some common feature, such as steepness, stoniness, or flooding, determines their use and management. If two or more additional map units would serve no useful purpose, they may be included in the same unit. Each delineation has at least one of the major components, and some may have all of them. The same principles regarding the proportion of minor components that apply to consociations also apply to undifferentiated groups. The same principles regarding proportion of inclusion apply to undifferentiated groups as to consociations. Minimum documentation consists of three complete soil profile descriptions that are collected for each soil added to the legend, one additional per 3,000 acres mapped; three 10 observation transects for each map unit, one additional 10 point transect per 3,000 acres. A defined standard or level of confidence in the interpretive purity of the map unit delineations is attained by adjusting the kind and intensity of field investigations. Field investigations and data collection are carried out in sufficient detail to name map units and to identify accurately and consistently areas of about 5 acres. The accuracy of these digital data is based upon their compilation to base maps that meet National Map Accuracy Standards at a scale of 1 inch equals 1,000 feet. The difference in positional accuracy between the soil boundaries and special soil features locations in the field and their digitized map locations is unknown. The locational accuracy of soil delineations on the ground varies with the transition between map units. For example, on long gently sloping landscapes the transition occurs gradually over many feet. Where landscapes change abruptly from steep to level, the transition will be very narrow. Soil delineation boundaries and special soil features generally were digitized within 0.01 inch of their locations on the digitizing source. The digital map elements are edge matched between data sets. The data along each quadrangle edge are matched against the data for the adjacent quadrangle. Edge locations generally do not deviate from centerline to centerline by more than 0.01 inch. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service 1981atlasWashington, D.C.U.S. Government Printing Office15840paper1981publication dateSCS1 basic reference material about soils and landscapes U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service unpublished materialmap15840stable-base material1981publication date of the soil surveyNRCS1 final publication negatives used to develop ratioed film positives U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service unpublished materialmap24000stable-base material1981publication date of the soil surveyNRCS2reference material for line placementU.S. Geological Survey1950-1998mapReston, VirginiaU.S. Geological Survey24000paper19501998publication dateUSGS1landscape shape, aspect, and slope referenceU.S. Geological Survey1992-1994remotely sensed imageReston, VirginiaU.S. Geological Survey24000stable-base material19921994publication dateUSGS2base maps for compilation U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service unpublished materialmap24000stable-base material19921999dates of recompilationNRCS3 stable-base compilation sheets containing soil delineations and special feature locations U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service unpublished materialmap24000paper2006download dateNRCS4 attribute information for soil map unit delineations, special feature locations, and data on soil properties U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service 2006vector digital dataUniversity Park, Pennsylvania U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Pennsylvania Map Compilation and Digitizing Center 24000online2006date of publicationNRCS5source for soil survey edits U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service 2006tabular digital dataFort Collins, Colorado U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Information Technology Center online2006export certification dateNRCS6 tabular soil property data linked to spatial soil data U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service 2006tabular digital dataFort Collins, Colorado U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service database20062006publication dateNASISattribute (tabular) information The Northeast Technical Service Center approved the Classification and Correlation of the Soils of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania in July, 1973. The Soil Survey of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania was published in 1981 at a scale of 1:15840. The published soil survey was considered to be an acceptable compilation source by the Pennsylvania Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) soil scientists. Ratioed film positives of the publication annotation overlays were produced at the scale of 1:24000. The soil boundaries were manually compiled on a stable-base film registered to a 7.5 minute quadrangle orthophotograph. Pennsylvania soil scientists used photographic interpretation of orthophotographs, topographic quadrangles and the ratioed film positives of the published soil survey as a reference for soil line placement. SCS1, NRCS1, NRCS2, NRCS3, USGS1 USGS2 1999 The annotated compilation overlays were raster scanned by Midwest Graphics Inc. at 300 dpi on a drum scanner. Four control points corresponding to the four corners of the quadrangle were used for registration during data collection. The soil scientists and cartographic technicians at the Pennsylvania NRCS Map Compilation and Digitizing Center used the LT4X software for soil data development, which included raster editing, map neatline development, vector conversion, labeling, edge matching and vector editing. The cleaned vector files were imported into the ARC/INFO Version 8 software for final plotting, edit checks, and error analysis. The quadrangle coverages were then joined together into a seamless county coverage. Polygon attributes were checked against the correlation legend. The limit of the soil survey was adjusted to match the DOQ imagery. The adjacent soil surveys in digital format were joined, edited and clipped out to provide a common county boundary among the soil surveys. The data were created and maintained in North American Datum 1983. Statistics on map unit acreages were generated and checked with the correlation legend and tabular data. The tables containing the soil attributes and interpretations were downloaded from the State Survey Database or the National Soil Information System (NASIS) database where appropriate. The soil scientists and cartographic technicians at the Pennsylvania NRCS Map Compilation Center did a 100 percent quality review of the digitized product. The MLRA Region 13 Office Team Leader in Morgantown, West Virginia certified the digitizing on March 8, 2006. The ARCGIS geodatabase for the Allegheny County Soil Survey was posted on the Pennsylvania NRCS Map Compilation and Digitizing Center website. NRCS3, NRCS4, NRCS5, USGS22006 The National Soil Information System (NASIS) database was developed by NRCS soil scientists according to national standards. The MIDU staff provided the Pennsylvania State Soil Scientist with the map unit symbols and acreages from the spatial data. Amendment 2 was drafted to add 10 soil mapping units and 3 miscellaneous land types. Amendment 3 was drafted to correct the slope phase of a soil mapping unit. The soil scientists used the map unit acreages from the digital soil survey as a guide to populate the NASIS database. NRCS62006 The MIDU staff downloaded the ARCGIS geodatabase for the Allegheny County Soil Survey from the Pennsylvania NRCS Map Compilation and Digitizing Center website. The soils and special soil features (point and linear) in the geodatabase were converted to ARC/INFO coverages. The MIDU staff checked the soil survey coverages with a set of ARC Macro Language (AML) programs developed by NCGC. The soil survey coverages were processed using the January 2006 SSURGO Certification AML programs for seamless projects. These ARC/INFO programs identified areas within the coverages that needed revision. The data were edited. The Pennsylvania NRCS soil scientists supplied the SSURGO download from NASIS. The minor codes in the soils coverages were replaced with the map unit key codes to link the map units in the spatial data to the NASIS database. Upon successful completion of the SSURGO Evaluation, the area symbol was added to each feature in the soil survey coverages with the att_check.aml program. The county coverages and the metadata were electronically transferred to the NRCS Staging Server to be joined with the tabular data. NRCS5, NRCS62006 The Natural Resources Conservation Service State Soil Scientist or delegate, upon completion of data quality verification, determined that the tabular data should be released for official use. A selected set of map units and components in the soil survey legend was copied to a staging database, and rating values for selected interpretations were generated. The list of selected interpretations is stored in the database table named sainterp. NASIS20060914 The Natural Resources Conservation Service State Soil Scientist or delegate verified that the labels on the digitized soil map units link to map units in the tabular database, and certified the joined data sets for release to the Soil Data Warehouse. A system assigned version number and date stamp were added and the data were copied to the data warehouse. The tabular data for the map units and components were extracted from the data warehouse and reformatted into the soil data delivery data model, then stored in the Soil Data Mart. The spatial data were copied to the Soil Data Mart without change. NASIS20060914The tabular data were extracted from the data mart without change. The spatial data's coordinate system was transformed to UTM Zone 17, Northern Hemisphere (NAD 83) using ESRI ArcObjects 8.3 "ConvertFeatureClass" and exported to an ESRI shapefile. NASIS20061101VectorUniversal Transverse Mercator170.999600-81.0000000.000000500000.0000000.000000coordinate pairmeters0.0001280.000128North American Datum of 1983Geodetic Reference System 806378137.000000298.257222Special Soil Features Special Soil Features represent soil, miscellaneous area, or landform features that are too small to be digitized as soil delineations (area features). Agricultural Handbook 18, Soil Survey Manual, 1993, USDA, SCS.Special Soil Features Codes Special Soil Features labels represent specific Special Soil Features. These features are identified with a descriptive label. The label is assigned to the point or line assigned to represent the feature on maps. Agricultural Handbook 18, Soil Survey Manual, 1993, USDA, SCS; National Soil Survey Handbook, Title 430-VI, part 647 (current issue), USDA, NRCS. Classification and Correlation of the Soils of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service Map Unit Delineations are closed polygons that may be dominated by a single soil or miscellaneous area component plus allowable similar or dissimilar soils, or they can be geographic mixtures of groups of soils or soils and miscellaneous areas. The map unit symbol uniquely identifies each closed map unit delineation. Each symbol corresponds to a map unit name. The map unit key is used to link to information in the National Soil Information System tables. Map Unit Delineations are described by the National Soil Information System database. This attribute database gives the proportionate extent of the component soils and the properties for each soil. The database contains both estimated and measured data on the physical and chemical soil properties and soil interpretations for engineering, water management, recreation, agronomic, woodland, range, and wildlife uses of the soil. The National Soil Information System database contains static metadata. It documents the data structure and includes such information as what tables, columns, indexes, and relationships are defined as well as a variety of attributes of each of these database objects. Attributes include table and column descriptions and detailed domain information. The National Soil Information System database also contains a distribution metadata. It records the criteria used for selecting map units and components for inclusion in the set of distributed data. Special features are described in the feature table. It includes an area symbol, feature label, feature name, and feature description for each special and ad hoc feature in the survey area. Soil Taxonomy: A basic system of soil classification for making and interpreting soil surveys. Agricultural Handbook 436, 1999, USDA, SCS. Keys to Soil Taxonomy (current issue), USDA, SCS. National Soil Survey Handbook, Title 430-VI, part 647 (current issue), USDA, NRCS. Agricultural Handbook 18, Soil Survey Manual, 1993, USDA, SCS. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, National Cartography and Geospatial Center mailing and physical address

501 West Felix Street, Building 23, P.O. Box 6567

Fort WorthTexas76115800 672 5559202 720 2600817 509 3469Allegheny County, Pennsylvania SSURGO Although these data have been processed successfully on a computer system at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, no warranty expressed or implied is made by the Agency regarding the utility of the data on any other system, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty. The U.S. Department of Agriculture will warrant the delivery of this product in computer readable format, and will offer appropriate adjustment of credit when the product is determined unreadable by correctly adjusted computer input peripherals, or when the physical medium is delivered in damaged condition. Request for adjustment of credit must be made within 90 days from the date of this shipment from the ordering site. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, nor any of its agencies are liable for misuse of the data, for damage, for transmission of viruses, or for computer contamination through the distribution of these data sets. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) ArcView shapefilespatialWinZip or equivalent25.6 URL:http://SoilDataMart.nrcs.usda.gov/Select desired survey area at above Internet Web site. An email address is required for receipt of instructions on retrieval via anonymous FTP. Anticipate a delay between submission of request at Web site and receipt of email message.ARC/INFO coveragespatialWinZip or equivalent25.6 URL:http://SoilDataMart.nrcs.usda.gov/Select desired survey area at above Internet Web site. An email address is required for receipt of instructions on retrieval via anonymous FTP. Anticipate a delay between submission of request at Web site and receipt of email message.ARC/INFO interchange filespatialWinZip or equivalent25.6 URL:http://SoilDataMart.nrcs.usda.gov/Select desired survey area at above Internet Web site. An email address is required for receipt of instructions on retrieval via anonymous FTP. Anticipate a delay between submission of request at Web site and receipt of email message.ASCIIkeys and attributesWinZip or equivalent15.9URL:http://SoilDataMart.nrcs.usda.gov/Select desired survey area at above Internet Web site. An email address is required for receipt of instructions on retrieval via anonymous FTP. Anticipate a delay between submission of request at Web site and receipt of email message.There is currently no direct charge for requesting data or for retrieval via FTP.Visit the above mentioned Internet Web Site, select state or territory, then select individual soil survey area of interest. Spatial line data and locations of special feature symbols are in ESRI ArcGIS (ArcView,ArcInfo) shapefile, coverage and interchange (i.e., export) formats. The National Soil Information System attribute soil data are available in variable length, pipe delimited, ASCII file format.Typically within four hours20061101U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation ServiceState Soil Scientistmailing address

USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service

Pennsylvania State Office

One Credit Union Place, Suite 340

HarrisburgPA17110-2993717-237-2207(202) 720-2600ed.white@pa.usda.govContent Standard for Digital Geospatial MetadataFGDC-STD-001-1998200806111015590020080611