Downloadable Layers: Major Land Resource Areas (MLRA)

Land resource areas used in the United States, Caribbean, and Pacific Basin Major Land Resource Areas (MLRA) Geographic Database serve as the geospatial expression of the map products presented and described in Agriculture Handbook 296 (2022). Land resource categories historically used at state and national levels are land resource units, major land resource areas, and land resource regions (National Soil Survey Handbook, Part 649; Land Resource Hierarchy). Although Agriculture Handbook 296 (AH 296) does not describe land resource units (LRUs) directly, they are the basic units from which major land resource areas are determined. They are also the basic units for state land resource maps. LRUs are commonly but not necessarily coextensive with state general soil map units. LRUs generally are several thousand acres in size. A unit can be one continuous area or several separate areas that are near each other. In 2005, these areas were designated as common resource areas (CRAs) within the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Like LRUs, common resource areas are not described in AH 296 and are not shown on the national mapbut are mentioned for historical purposes. Major land resource areas are geographically associated land resource units at a broader scale and higher hierarchical level than LRUs. Land resource regions (LRR) are a group of geographically associated major land resource areasat the highest hierarchical level shown at the continental scale. Identification of these large areas is important in statewide agricultural planning and has value in interstate, regional, and national planning.In AH 296, major land resource areas are generally designated by numbers and identified by a descriptive geographic name. Examples are MLRA 1 (Northern Pacific Coast Range, Foothills, and Valleys), MLRA 154 (South-Central Florida Ridge), and MLRA 230 (Yukon-Kuskokwim Highlands). Some MLRAs are designated by a letter in addition to a number because a previously established MLRA had been divided into smaller, more homogeneous areas, for example, MLRAs 102A, 102B, and 102C. Other MLRAs, especially smaller ones approaching the LRU scale, have been recombined. The use of numbers and letters to identify the newly created MLRAs requires fewer changes in existing information in records and in databases. A few MLRAs consist of two or more parts separated for short distances by other land resource areas. In some places one of the parts is widely separated from the main body of the MLRA and is in an adjoining LRR. The description of the respective MLRA also applies to these outlying parts. The spatial illustration of the MLRAs has been smoothed for the contiguous United States and Alaska to better reflect the scale at which the MLRA resource attributes (climate, soils, land use, vegetation, geology, and physiography) were aggregated for delineation.

The MLRA Geographic Database was prepared for Agriculture Handbook 296 re-publication and is used to support decisions about regional and national agricultural issues. The database and AH 296 help to identify the need for research and resource inventories. The handbook serves as the vehicle for extrapolating the results of research across political boundaries and is the basis for organizing and operating natural resource conservation programs. Today, USDA soil survey offices are organized to serve groups of the major land resource areas defined in this handbook. The handbook was first published in 1965 as an expansion of the 1950 map entitled “Problem Areas in Soil Conservation”, and was designed primarily for use by the Soil Conservation Service. The handbook was updated in 1978, and the second edition was printed in 1981. The third edition was published in 2006. The 2022 publication is the fourth edition.

The United States, Caribbean and Pacific Basin Major Land Resource Areas (MLRA) Geographic Database serves as the geospatial expression of the map products presented and described in Agricultural Handbook 296 (2006). Land resource categories historically used at State and national levels are land resource units, land resource areas, and land resource regions. Land resource units (LRUs) are the basic units from which major land resource areas (MLRAs) are determined. They are also the basic units for State land resource maps. LRUs are typically coextensive with State general soil map units, but some general soil map units are subdivided into LRUs because of significant geographic differences in soils, climate, water resources, or land use. LRUs generally are several thousand acres in size. A unit can be one continuous area or several separate areas that are near each other. In 2005, these areas were designated as common resource areas (CRAs) within the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). CRAs are created by subdividing MLRAs by topography, other landscape features, hydrologic units, resource concerns, resource uses, and human considerations affecting use and soil and water conservation treatment needs. Common resource areas, or land resource units, are not described in this handbook and are not shown on the national map. Major land resource areas are geographically associated land resource units. Land resource regions are a group of geographically associated major land resource areas. Identification of these large areas is important in statewide agricultural planning and has value in interstate, regional, and national planning. In order to make this handbook more useful to other Federal agencies and private parties using ecological regions for planning or evaluation of natural resources programs and policies, Appendix I (Agriculture Handbook 296, 2006) cross-references MLRAs with Environmental Protection Agency Level III Ecoregions (USEPA, 2003; Omernik, 1987) and U.S. Forest Service ecological sections (Cleland and others, 2005; McNab and others, 2005). In this handbook, major land resource areas are generally designated by Arabic numbers and identified by a descriptive geographic name. Examples are MLRA 1 (Northern Pacific Coast Range, Foothills, and Valleys); MLRA 154 (South-Central Florida Ridge); and MLRA 230 (Yukon-Kuskokwim Highlands). Some MLRAs are designated by an Arabic number and a letter because previously established MLRAs have been divided into smaller, more homogeneous areas, for example, MLRAs 102A, 102B, and 102C. The use of numbers and letters to identify the newly created MLRAs requires fewer changes in existing information in records and in databases. A few MLRAs consist of two or more parts separated for short distances by other land resource areas. In places one of these parts is widely separated from the main body of the MLRA and is in an adjoining LRR. The description of the respective MLRA also applies to these outlying parts.The original MLRA dataset was subsetted to only include the agricultual areas of the inland Northwest with the addition of the Latah CRA. This region is considered the study area for the REACCH project.

The web-service associated with this dataset is no longer active, please contact original data creator if you need to access these data.

A CRA map delineation is defined as a geographical area where resource concerns, problems, or treatment needs are similar. It is considered a subdivision of an existing Major Land Resource Area (MLRA) map delineation or polygon. Landscape conditions, soil, climate, human considerations, and other natural resource information are used to determine the geographic boundaries of a Common Resource Area.View Dataset on the Gateway

A CRA map delineation is defined as a geographical area where resource concerns, problems, or treatment needs are similar. It is considered a subdivision of an existing Major Land Resource Area (MLRA) map delineation or polygon. Landscape conditions, soil, climate, human considerations, and other natural resource information are used to determine the geographic boundaries of a Common Resource Area (GM450 C401.21). The database for the Digital General Soil Map of the U.S. (formerly STATSGO) is considered useful in subdividing the MLRA. The naming convention for CRAs is the MLRA symbol, followed by a dot and a numeric code (e.g., 102C.3 or 72.6).

The Soil Data Warehouse and Data Mart provide the authoritative pathway for distributing current official soil survey data to service centers and to the public. Interactive maps and dynamic reports available include Dynamic Maps

Query by Location Query by Location and Connect to Web Soil Survey Prototype Soil (Beta Version) MLRA Explorer

Lists of Hydric Soils

Query by State Query by Soil Survey Area Query by State Map Unit Rating Query by Soil Survey Area Map Unit Rating

Map Unit Description (Brief, Generated)

Query by Soil Survey Area and Map Unit (All Components) Query by Soil Survey Area (Major Components)

Ecological Site Extent

Query by MLRA and Ecological Site

Legend & Prime Farmland

Query by Soil Survey Area

Wisconsin Soil Moisture Regime Site Assessment Guide

Query by Soil Survey Area

Wisconsin Forage Suitability Group Guide

Query by Soil Survey Area

RUSLE2 Related Attributes

Query by Soil Survey Area Resources in this dataset:Resource Title: Soil Data Mart. File Name: Web Page, url: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/wi/soils/?cid=nrcseprd1326315 Links pull information and hits from the official soils database live. Interactive maps and dynamic reports are available.

A CRA map delineation is defined as a geographical area where resource concerns, problems, or treatment needs are similar. It is considered a subdivision of an existing Major Land Resource Area (MLRA) map delineation or polygon. Landscape conditions, soil, climate, human considerations, and other natural resource information are used to determine the geographic boundaries of a Common Resource Area (GM450 C401.21).

Comparison app displaying MLRA lines from 2006 and updated in 2022.Also, displaying data from 1965 and 1981. USDA-NRCS Land Resource Areas Map

Downloadable Layers: SPSD Office Locations 2024SPSD MLRA Soil Survey Office Area's 2024SPSD Region Polygons 2024Major Land Resource Areas (MLRA)

A soil temperature and soil moisture simulation model developed in 2011 in response to a USDA-NRCS need to better understand soil climate in soil survey, the Java Newhall Simulation Model or jNSM is an update to a traditional soil climate simulation model called Newhall Simulation Model (NSM) by Franklin Newhall. The jNSM application takes batch run input in the form of a CSV file (easily created from standard spreadsheets), and also allows interactive input of data comprising a single model run. Output products are displayed on screen and can be saved and printed in PDF format. Output reports include soil moisture and temperature regime classification, biological window calendars and precipitation/potential evapo-transpiration climographs, plus a summary of model inputs and user information. The jNSM software is a mesoscale model that is appropriate for use in regional geospatial analyses that support the MLRA update of published digital soil geographic databases (SSURGO/STATSGO2). This software can be used with monthly, serially complete records from weather stations, Soil Climate Analysis Network (SCAN) stations, and local soil climate monitoring sensors. Such data sources can be used with jNSM to refine soil moisture and temperature regime boundaries to assist in correlation, map soil and temperature regimes with existing vegetation, study orographic and "rain shadow" effects in the soil landscape, and study the change of soil climate through time to help formulate climate change adaptive strategies. The jNSM version 1.5.1 application is a product of the National Cooperative Soil Survey partnership of the Pennsylvania State University (Center for Environmental Informatics) and the USDA-NRCS (National Soil Survey Center - Geospatial Research Unit). Resources in this dataset:Resource Title: Java Newhall Simulation Model (jNSM). File Name: Web Page, url: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/soils/survey/class/?cid=nrcs142p2_053559 A soil temperature and soil moisture simulation model developed in 2011. User Guide; Download; Sample Input Weather Station Datasets (xlsx, CSV); Sample output(XML); Link to Useful Climate Data and Information Sources.

The United States, Caribbean and Pacific Basin Major Land Resource Areas (MLRA) Geographic Database serves as the geospatial expression of the map products presented and described in Agricultural Handbook 296 (2006). Land resource categories historically used at State and national levels are land resource units, land resource areas, and land resource regions. Land resource units (LRUs) are the basic units from which major land resource areas (MLRAs) are determined. They are also the basic units for State land resource maps. LRUs are typically coextensive with State general soil map units, but some general soil map units are subdivided into LRUs because of significant geographic differences in soils, climate, water resources, or land use. LRUs generally are several thousand acres in size. A unit can be one continuous area or several separate areas that are near each other. In 2005, these areas were designated as common resource areas (CRAs) within the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). CRAs are created by subdividing MLRAs by topography, other landscape features, hydrologic units, resource concerns, resource uses, and human considerations affecting use and soil and water conservation treatment needs. Common resource areas, or land resource units, are not described in this handbook and are not shown on the national map. Major land resource areas are geographically associated land resource units. Land resource regions are a group of geographically associated major land resource areas. Identification of these large areas is important in statewide agricultural planning and has value in interstate, regional, and national planning. In order to make this handbook more useful to other Federal agencies and private parties using ecological regions for planning or evaluation of natural resources programs and policies, Appendix I (Agriculture Handbook 296, 2006) cross-references MLRAs with Environmental Protection Agency Level III Ecoregions (USEPA, 2003; Omernik, 1987) and U.S. Forest Service ecological sections (Cleland and others, 2005; McNab and others, 2005). In this handbook, major land resource areas are generally designated by Arabic numbers and identified by a descriptive geographic name. Examples are MLRA 1 (Northern Pacific Coast Range, Foothills, and Valleys); MLRA 154 (South-Central Florida Ridge); and MLRA 230 (Yukon-Kuskokwim Highlands). Some MLRAs are designated by an Arabic number and a letter because previously established MLRAs have been divided into smaller, more homogeneous areas, for example, MLRAs 102A, 102B, and 102C. The use of numbers and letters to identify the newly created MLRAs requires fewer changes in existing information in records and in databases. A few MLRAs consist of two or more parts separated for short distances by other land resource areas. In places one of these parts is widely separated from the main body of the MLRA and is in an adjoining LRR. The description of the respective MLRA also applies to these outlying parts.

The CEAP-Grazing Lands (CEAP-GL) team needed a spatial and tabular means of displaying soil characteristics that typically indicate potential changes in ecological sites, and to both discretize and aggregate heterogenous landscapes for modeling purposes. In the absence of an application to do this, the team partnered with Stone Environmental, Inc to provide that utility in this online, map-based application.This query tool allows users to choose desired soil characteristics from current SSURGO and 30m gSSURGO data. CEAP-GL team members identified the most useful soil characteristics that influence vegetation and water dynamics needed for grazing land modeling and other project work. Data is displayed by MLRA, in which the user can select different soil moisture and temperature regimes, then query all soil components for specific physical and chemical characteristics (derived from specified depths or thicknesses in the profile) for all mapped components. The output soil map unit component data will allow users to more efficiently display or create ecological site concepts, group soil components for modeling, and aid NRCS planners, ranchers and other agencies to develop conservation and monitoring plans.The full Kansas geospatial catalog is administered by the Kansas Data Access & Support Center (DASC) and can be found at the following URL: https://hub.kansasgis.org/Jason Nemecek, National Soil Data Application Scientist for USDA-NRCS's Soil and Plant Science Division, wrote the SQL script to extract the desired data from Soil Data Access.

This map app can be used to add in SPSD Data. Major Land Resource Areas (MLRA) SPSD Region Polygons 2024 SPSD Office Location 2024 MLRA Soil Survey Office Area"s 2024 Soil Survey Geographic Database (SSURGO) U.S. General Soil Map (STATSGO2) Soil Landscape Block Diagram

Region and subregion information for USACE Automated Wetland Determination Data Sheets (ADS) field data collection. Region and subregion boundaries are depicted as sharp lines, however, climatic conditions and the physical and biological characteristics of landscapes do not change abruptly at the boundaries. In reality, regions and subregions often grade into one another in broad transition zones. In transitional areas, the investigator must use experience and good judgment to select the supplement and indicators that are appropriate to the site based on its physical and biological characteristics. If in doubt about which supplement to use in a transitional area, apply both supplements and compare the results. For additional guidance, contact the appropriate Corps of Engineers District Regulatory Office.

The Conservation Effects Assessment Project – Grazing Lands (CEAP-GL) team at the National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) needed a spatial and tabular means of displaying soil characteristics that typically indicate potential changes in ecological sites, and to both discretize and aggregate heterogenous landscapes for modeling purposes. The team partnered with Stone to create an online, map-based application that provides management-pertinent soils data for more efficient conservation planning, links research-scale data to soils data, helps users identify soil/ecological site concepts and groups landscapes for modeling purposes.The intended users are soil scientists or conservationists, rangeland/pastureland management specialists, agronomists, foresters, ecological site specialists, and anyone wanting to query specific soil properties or characteristics at the MLRA (major land resource area) scale from current soil survey geographic information (SSURGO). The query tool allows users to choose desired soil characteristics from current SSURGO and 30m gSSURGO data. CEAP-GL team members identified the most useful soil characteristics that influence vegetation and water dynamics needed for grazing land modeling and other project work. Data is displayed by MLRA, in which the user can select different soil moisture and temperature regimes, then query all soil components for specific physical and chemical characteristics (derived from specified depths or thicknesses in the profile) for all mapped components. The output soil map unit component data will allow users to more efficiently display or create ecological site concepts, group soil components for modeling, and aid NRCS planners, ranchers and other agencies in developing conservation and monitoring plans.SSURGO-Query Tool