The location auto-refresh feature allows users to access soil maps and data real-time even as they travel about their property. Location accuracy settings allow users to select between standard accuracy (less accurate and uses less battery power) and high accuracy (more accurate but may use more battery power). Although soil survey information can be used for general farm, local, and wider area planning, a professional onsite evaluation is needed to supplement this information in some cases. Knowledge of soil is also important to home gardeners and landscapers. The agricultural real estate industry, farmland owners, and farmers interested in renting or purchasing land commonly need information about soil productivity and land capability.

The information can inform insurers about flooding frequency and builders about if the location could be suitable for roads, basements, or septic tanks. A soil sample with a sharp shooter can provide a real life visual of the soil profile image detailed in the SoilWeb app.

The app presents the data in mobile form, helping users make better-informed decisions about the location they are researching. The app gives users greater accessibility to NRCS’ soil survey information that has been collected across the United States since the late 1890s. With its embedded GPS system, SoilWeb provides convenient, instantaneous soil information from the exact soil the user is standing on. The app was created through a partnership between NRCS and UC Davis. The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and the University of California at Davis recently announced that the SoilWeb app, version 2.0, is available as a free download from Google Play (Android) and the Apple app store (iOS). Thanks to an innovative mobile app, the world’s largest soil survey data base is available on the go. Have you ever wondered about the soil you are standing on, at any given spot in the United States? Curious about what soil type it is? How about if the soil is easy to dig? If the soil is ideal for supporting the weight of a house or a barn? Or simply, if it will help you grow better tomatoes? SoilWeb brings multiple soil data sources together to provide key soil-related information on the go.

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