MLRA Reorganization of the U.S. NATIONAL Cooperative SOIL Survey PROGRAM.

In 1995, NRCS reorganized the National Cooperative Soil Survey program to a Major Land Resource Area (MLRA) basis in order to develop a seamless, high quality digital soil survey of the U.S.  The 1995 reorganization divided the nation into 18 MLRA Soil Survey Regions and transferred the quality assurance function from the National Soil Survey Center (NSSC) to the 18 MLRA offices located in conjunction with State Offices.  Also at this time, the quality control function was transferred from the State Office to the Soil Survey Offices (SSO).

Beginning in 2006 and concluding in 2010, the final phases, including functions, structure and staffing of the reorganization will be completed. 

The MLRA Soil Survey Offices are responsible for conducting soil survey operations for their assigned areas.  The national average for the soil survey areas are about 15 million acres.  These offices will be responsible for leading a technical team which could include state or multi-state staff, cooperators, NRCS field staff, resource soil scientists and others to establish priorities and coordinate technical activities, including quality control.  The number of permanent offices that will cover the U.S. is 144.

The MLRA Regional Offices are responsible for quality assurance, providing technical standards review and training to support soil survey quality control which includes reviewing data and developing and maintaining a seamless national soil geographic database.

The MLRA office (Soil Survey and MO Regional) structure covers all land in the U.S. including territories and possessions.  The National Cooperative Soil Survey program is poised to provide soil survey information across all lands irrespective of ownership.