PANEL OF RESOURCE SOIL SCIENTISTS FROM THE FIELD: Case Studies in Typical Workloads

Ramiro Molina, Corpus Christi TX

1. 
   Soils Technical Specialist for Corpus Christi Zone (3) on the ASC-FO staff:
   

1. 
   Provide soils technical assistance to 48 offices in 21 Resource Teams dealing with programmatic issues i.e. CAFOs, CRP, ECP, WRP, etc.
   
2. 
   Maintain and Update FOTGs Section II (Prime, Hydric, Hel lists).
   
3. 
   Do request soil mapping for programs and Non-project County.
   
4. 
   Assist in training FO staffs on CSTK and Soil Data Viewer.
   
5. 
   Serve on Quality Assurance Review teams for zone and state levels.
   
6. 
   Provide soils training and Uses of soil surveys to FO staffs.
   
7. 
   Member of the Zone Technical team where the issue may involve multi-disciplines:
   

1. 
   Wetland Delineation and Determination team - soil scientist, biologist, & engineer (COE 1987 Manual Training for non-agriculture and some FSA assistance).
   
2. 
   Provide NASIS reports to the range specialists to use in updating Ecological Sites.
   
3. 
   Provide NASIS reports to other discipline specialist to update Section III of the FOTG.
   

8. 
   Represent the ASC-FO on Project Soil Surveys activities i.e. IFRs, PFRs, Technical Visits, Soils Sampling, and Soil mapping details.
   

2. 
   Provide Assistance to the State Soil Scientist:
   

1. 
   Responsible for NASIS Data Base Certification (50 Counties) for Customer Service Toolkit and Soil Data Viewer.
   
2. 
   Update STATSGO map for Texas
   
3. 
   Update Land Resource Regions and Major Land Resource Areas of the United States (Agriculture Handbook 296)
   
4. 
   Technical advisor for the SSURGO compilation team at Robstown, Texas.
   
5. 
   Participate in technical visits, field reviews, soil samplings, soils mapping details and other project soil activities.
   
6. 
   Assist with special projects:
   

1. 
   Soil moisture monitoring projects
   
2. 
   Soil temperature study
   

7. 
   Serve on Soils Technical Teams for the State -
   

1. 
   Work on Soil Business Plan for MLRAs 150 and 83.
   
2. 
   Work with other RSSs.
   

8. 
   Promote soil surveys in Zone 3.
   

3. 
   NRI Team Leader for the Corpus Christi Zone:
   

1. 
   Members - Biologist, Range Management Specialist, and Agronomist
   
2. 
   Make sure national and state training gets to team members.
   
3. 
   Secure necessary equipment, imagery, supplies, etc. from state to complete inventory.
   
4. 
   Get instruction manuals and procedures to team members and coordinate with everyone concerned.
   
5. 
   Keep inventory on schedule.
   
6. 
   Monitor quality and complete edits as needed.
   
7. 
   Report progress to ASC-FO and team members.
   
8. 
   Prepare for the next inventory.
   

4. 
   Zapata County Soil Survey Project Leader:
   

1. 
   Conduct Technical reviews and visits with SDQSs.
   
2. 
   Conduct soils mapping details.
   
3. 
   Conduct soils sampling.
   
4. 
   Conduct field quality check on fieldwork done.
   
5. 
   Update and maintain soil survey handbook.
   

5. 
   Cultural Resources Coordinator for the Zone. Texas does have a Cultural Resource Specialist.
   

1. 
   On-site work with FO staffs.
   
2. 
   Provide training to FO staffs as needed.
   

6. 
   Member of the Texas Development Team in testing Customer Toolkit when it first came out. Will assist Implementation Team with training to Field Offices as needed.
   

1. 
   Received training from State Office (ArcView and CST)
   
2. 
   Testing and evaluating of CST in the field.
   
3. 
   Assist Implementation team with training of FOCS
   

7. 
   QIP team member that work on the current Appraisal system to use as a management tool for awards and improvement opportunities.
   

1. 
   Worked with State Office and worked up procedure how to use.
   
2. 
   Assist with training FO staffs on how to use.
   

8. 
   Education, Public Information, and Outreach Activities:
   

1. 
   Teacher workshops and conventions
   
2. 
   School presentations - both primary and secondary schools
   
3. 
   Land Judging contests
   
4. 
   Career days at different universities.
   
5. 
   Fairs and stock shows
   

9. 
   Working with Partnerships:
   

1. 
   Universities:
   

1. 
   TAMUK -soil moisture monitoring sites.
   
2. 
   TXAMU, Baylor University, and University of Tennessee - Paleo-vertisols study.
   

2. 
   Agriculture Research Station - provide on-site evaluation of soil mapping and soil sampling for Precision Land Farming.
   
3. 
   Texas Agricultural Extension Service, SWCD, and Monsanto
   

1. 
   Farming for Excellence Demonstration (1 of 5 in the nation). Tillage System Demonstration (Reduced, No-till and Conventional). NRCS provides Infiltration tests and sample soils for Bulk density.
   
2. 
   Nueces County Crop Committee is looking at conventional tillage in Nueces County, Texas