            CANADA LAND INVENTORY LEVEL II UTM DIGITAL DATA

                    SOIL CAPABILITY FOR AGRICULTURE

1. Coverage Specifications

   Original Map Scale: 1:250,000, except for British Columbia
                       where the original scale was 1:125,000

   Resolution        : originally .00024412 of a degree which
                       corresponds to approximately 25 meters

   Map Projection    : Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM)

   Datum             : NAD27

   Spheroid          : Clarke 1866

   Units of Measure  : meters

2. CLI Level II UTM Digital Data Enhancements

  CLI Level II UTM digital data have undergone the following
  transformation from their original Level I representation:

  a) The data are fully integrated with the corresponding CLI
     shoreline layer, i.e. the CLI polygons are no longer
     extended into the water.

  b) The data are projected to UTM.

  c) Additional computed variables are included to facilitate
     user interpretation of the data.

  d) A secondary attribute Component Table (CMP.DBF) is
     included and compatible with the ArcView Component Table
     Extension developed by Agriculture Canada.

  Note(s):

     i) The CLI shoreline is based on older edition
        topographic base maps which may no longer be current.

    ii) Strict adherence to the 6-degree UTM zone convention
        has been made during the projection of the data to
        UTM, i.e.:

         Zone 22 - all maps East of 54 W. Longitude
         Zone 21 - all maps between 54 and 60 W. Longitude
         Zone 20 - all maps between 60 and 66 W. Longitude
         Zone 19 - all maps between 66 and 72 W. Longitude
         Zone 18 - all maps between 72 and 78 W. Longitude
         Zone 17 - all maps between 78 and 84 W. Longitude
         Zone 16 - all maps between 84 and 90 W. Longitude
         Zone 15 - all maps between 90 and 96 W. Longitude
         Zone 14 - all maps between 96 and 102 W. Longitude
         Zone 13 - all maps between 102 and 108 W. Longitude
         Zone 12 - all maps between 108 and 114 W. Longitude
         Zone 11 - all maps between 114 and 120 W. Longitude
         Zone 10 - all maps between 120 and 126 W. Longitude
         Zone 09 - all maps West of 126 W. Longitude

        DO NOT ATTEMPT TO PROCESS OR VIEW DATA ACROSS UTM
        ZONES.

   iii) In the process of integrating the CLI shoreline with
        these data, every attempt has been made to conserve
        the look and contents of the printed CLI maps. To
        this end, a restricted small area dissolve procedure
        has been applied to the overlay results. We apologize
        if any of these small areas persists, or if small
        areas have been eliminated as a result of this
        procedure.

    iv) To reduce file sizes and the time for download, a
        mild coordinate reduction has been applied to the
        original lat/lon data before projection to UTM.

3. Attribute Schema (Polygon Attribute Table - PAT.DBF)

 a) Standard ArcInfo Polygon Attribute Table (PAT) variables:

    AREA        Num 13,6    Area, in square meters
    PERIMETER   Num 13,6    Perimeter, in meters
    COVER_#     Num 11,0    Standard ArcInfo Polygon Number
    COVER_ID    Num 11,0    Standard ArcInfo User ID

 b) Computed User Variables:

    Prime_AGR   Num 3,0     The percentage (base 100) of the
                            polygon which is considered as
                            prime or arable agriculture land,
                            i.e. the percentage of the
                            polygon which is in classes 1-3.

    Marge_AGR   Num 3,0     The percentage (base 100) of the
                            polygon which is considered as
                            marginal agriculture lands, i.e.
                            the percentage of the polygon
                            which is in classes 4-5.

    Limit_AGR   Char 25    The major limitation which
                           prevents the polygon from being
                           classed in a higher rating, based
                           on subclass groupings (see
                           section 7 below).

 c) Component Table Extension Pointer

    CMP_Index   Char 10    Unique polygon identification code
                           for the secondary Component Table
                           (CMP.DBF).

 d) Original Digital Data Classification:

   For NON-IRRAGATED LANDS, at the time of the inventory

    Class_A     Char 1     The primary and/or dominant CLI
                           class

    Percent_A   Char 1     The proportion (% base 10) of the
                           polygon in Class_A (blank = 100%)

    Subclas_A1  Char 1     The primary limitation for the
                           proportion of the polygon in
                           Class_A

    Subclas_A2  Char 1     The secondary limitation for the
                           proportion of the polygon in
                           Class_A

    Class_B     Char 1     The secondary CLI class

    Percent_B   Char 1     The proportion (% base 10) of the
                           polygon in Class_B (blank = 0%)

    Subclas_B1  Char 1     The primary limitation for the
                           proportion of the polygon in
                           Class_B

    Subclas_B2  Char 1     The secondary limitation for the
                           proportion of the polygon in
                           Class_B

    Class_C     Char 1     The tertiary CLI class

    Percent_C   Char 1     The proportion (% base 10) of the
                           polygon in Class_C (blank = 0%)

    Subclas_C1  Char 1     The primary limitation for the
                           proportion of the polygon in
                           Class_C

    Subclas_C2  Char 1     The secondary limitation for the
                           proportion of the polygon in
                           Class_C

   For IRRIGATED LANDS, at the time of the inventory

    Class_D     Char 1     The primary and/or dominant CLI
                           class

    Percent_D   Char 1     The proportion (% base 10) of the
                           polygon in Class_D (blank = 100%)

    Subclas_D1  Char 1     The primary limitation for the
                           proportion of the polygon in
                           Class_D

    Subclas_D2  Char 1     The secondary limitation for the
                           proportion of the polygon in
                           Class_D

    Class_E     Char 1     The secondary CLI class

    Percent_E   Char 1     The proportion (% base 10) of the
                           polygon in Class_E (blank = 0%)

    Subclas_E1  Char 1     The primary limitation for the
                           proportion of the polygon in
                           Class_E

    Subclas_E2  Char 1     The secondary limitation for the
                           proportion of the polygon in
                           Class_E

    Class_F     Char 1     The tertiary CLI class class

    Percent_F   Char 1     The proportion (% base 10) of the
                           polygon in Class_F (blank = 0%)

    Subclas_F1  Char 1     The primary limitation for the
                           proportion of the polygon in
                           Class_F

    Subclas_F2  Char 1     The secondary limitation for the
                           proportion of the polygon in
                           Class_F

    Note(s):

    i)  To classify the data in a manner similar to the
        way the CLI paper maps were printed, use field
        Class_A.

   ii)  For a more meaningful interpretation of
        agricultural land potential, use fields Prime_AGR
        and Marge_AGR, or a combination of both with an
        incremental color palette.

  iii)  For a better understanding of what factor(s) limit
        the land for agriculture, use fields Limit_AGR or
        Subclas_A1.

   iv)  For the location of specific land unit types, use
        a combination of classes and limitation
        subclasses.

    v)  For maps in Alberta which have a combined
        non-irrigated/irrigated classification, and
        namely maps 72e,72l,82h and 82i, the percentages
        across all non-irrigated/irrigated classes add up
        to exactly 100%.

   vi)  For maps in British Columbia which have a combined
        non-irrigated/irrigated classification, and namely
        maps 82e,82g,82j,82k,92c,92f,92g,92h,92k,92o,92p,
        93a,93b,103i and 103p, the percentages across all
        non-irrigated/irrigated classes add up to 200%. In
        the computation of prime and marginal agricultural
        lands, a 50-50 percentage distribution has been
        assumed between irrigated and non-irrigated lands.

4. Component Table Attribute Schema (CMP.DBF)

    CMP_Index   Char 10    Polygon identification code

    CMP         Num 1,0    Component Number (1..6)

    Percent     Num 3,0    Percentage (base 100) of the
                           component

    Class       Char 1     CLI Class

    Subclass1   Char 1     Primary limitation subclass

    Subclass2   Char 1     Secondary limitation subclass

    Irrigated   Char 1     Irrigated land indicator
                             ("Y" = yes, "N" = no)

    Note(s):

    i)  This table creates a "many-to-one" relationship with
        the Polygon Attribute Table (PAT.DBF) and should not
        be utilized in ArcView without the Component Table
        Extension provided by Agriculture Canada.

   ii)  The Component Table Extension for ArcView can be
        obtained via FTP from:

		ftp://res.agr.ca/CANSIS/TOOLS/ct_map_1.3.avx

5. Valid CLI Classes

   1 .  No Significant Limitations
   2 .  Moderate Limitations; moderate conservation practices
        required.
   3 .  Moderately Severe Limitations; range of crops
        restricted or special conservation practices
        required.
   4 .  Severe Limitations.
   5 .  Forage Crops - Improvement practices feasible
   6 .  Forage Crops - Improvement practices not feasible
   7 .  No Capability for arable culture or permanent pasture
   0 .  Organic Soils
   8 .  Unclassified areas; see note below
   W .  Water

   Note: Unclassified areas (Class_A=8) make use of the
         Subclas_A1 field to indicate why the area was not
         classified, as follows:

         Class_A=8, Subclas_A1= BLANK - Unmapped Area
         Class_A=8, Subclas_A1= Z - Water Area
         Class_A=8, Subclas_A1= T - Forest Reserves
         Class_A=8, Subclas_A1= O - National Parks
         Class_A=8, Subclas_A1= B - Urban Areas
         Class_A=8, Subclas_A1= W - Provincial Parks
         Class_A=8, Subclas_A1= I - Irrigated Rating Only

6. Valid Limitation Subclasses

   C .  Adverse climate
   D .  Undesirable soil structure and/or low permeability
   E .  Erosion
   F .  Low fertility
   I .  Inundation by streams or lakes
   M .  Moisture limitation
   N .  Salinity
   P .  Stoniness
   R .  Consolidated bedrock
   S .  Cumulative adverse soil characteristics
   T .  Topography limitation
   W .  Excess water
   X .  Cumulative minor adverse characteristics

7. Limitation Subclass Groupings (LIMIT_AGR)

   C          . Climate
   D,F,M,N,S  . Soil Limitations
   E,W,I      . Erosion/Inundation
   P,R        . Stoniness/Bedrock
   T          . Topography
   X          . Cumulative

8. Narrative Description of CLI Classification

    In this classification the mineral soils were grouped
    into 7 classes on the basis of soil survey information.
    Soils classed as 1,2,3 or 4 were considered capable of
    sustained use for cultivated field crops;those in classes
    2 and 6 for perennial forage crops; those in class 7 for
    neither.

    Some of the important factors on which the classification
    was based are:

     The soils would be well managed and cropped, under a
     largely mechanized system.

     Land requiring improvements, including clearing, that
     could be made economically by the farmer himself, was
     classed according to its limitations or hazards in use
     after the improvements had been made. Land requiring
     improvements beyond the means of the farmer himself
     was classed according to its present condition at the
     time of the inventory.

    The following were not considered: distances to market,
    kind of roads,location,size of farms,type of ownership,
    cultural patterns, skill or resources of individual
    operators, and hazard of crop damage by storms.

    The classification  did not include capability of soils
    for trees, tree fruits, small fruits, ornamental plants,
    recreation or wildlife.

    The classes were based on intensity, rather than kind, of
    their limitations for agriculture. Each class included
    many kinds of soil, and many of the soils in any class
    required unlike management and treatment.

    For provinces other than Saskatchewan, Alberta and
    British Columbia, only Class A to C fields are coded,
    with no distinction made between irrigated and
    non-irrigated land.

    In Saskatchewan and Alberta, land was again classified
    according to its use at the time of the inventory, but a
    further differentiation was provided for irrigated and
    non-irrigated land. If a land unit was entirely
    non-irrigated, the classification for this land was coded
    in Classes A to C. If a land unit was completely irrigated
    the classification for the land was coded in Classes D to
    F.  If a land unit was comprised of both irrigated and
    non-irrigated land, then a complex classification was
    required to represent the area. The portion of the
    classification that applied to the non-irrigated area in
    the land unit was coded in classes A to C while the
    portion pertaining to the irrigated land was coded in
    Classes D to F. Up to three of the Classes A to F may have
    been coded for such land unit and the percentages add up
    to a total of 10.

    Land given a capability classification of 6 or 7 did not
    warrant irrigation since the benefits derived from
    irrigation would have been negligible. For this reason,
    capability classes 6 and 7 always appeared in the
    non-irrigated portion (classes A to C) of a land unit
    classification.

    On the Canada Land Inventory paper maps, the symbols
    pertaining to an irrigated land area was printed in red.


9. CLI Agriculture Class Descriptions

    Class 1 Soils in this class have no significant
            limitations in use for crops. The soils are deep,
            are well to imperfectly drained, hold moisture
            well, and in the virgin state were well supplied
            with plant nutrients. They can be managed and
            cropped without difficulty.  Under good
            management they are moderately high to high in
            productivity for a wide range of field crops.

    Class 2 Soils in this class have moderate limitations
            which restrict the range of crops or require
            moderate conservation practices. The soils are
            deep and hold moisture well. The limitations are
            moderate and the soils can be managed and cropped
            with little difficulty.  Under good management
            they are moderately high to high in productivity
            for a fairly wide range of crops.

    Class 3 Soils in this class have moderately severe
            limitations which restrict the range of crops, or
            require special conservation practices. The
            limitations are more severe than for Class 2
            soils.  They affect one or more of the following
            practices: timing and ease of tillage, planting
            and harvesting, choice of crops, and method of
            conservation. Under good management they are fair
            to moderately high in productivity for a fair
            range of crops.

    Class 4 Soils in this class have severe limitations which
            restrict the range of crops, or require special
            conservation practices, or both. The limitations
            seriously affect one or more of the following
            practices: timing and ease of tillage, planting
            and harvesting, choice of crops, and method of
            conservation. The soils are low to fair in
            productivity for a fair range of crops but may
            have high productivity for a specially adapted
            crop.

    Class 5 Soils in this class have very severe limitations
            which restrict their capability to producing
            perennial forage crops, and improvement practices
            are feasible. The limitations are so severe that
            soils are not capable of use for sustained
            production of annual field crops. The soils are
            capable of producing native or tame species of
            perennial forage plants, and may be improved by
            use of farm machinery. The improvement practices
            may include clearing of bush, cultivation,
            seeding, fertilizing or water control.


    Class 6 Soils in this class are capable only of producing
            perennial forage crops, and improvement practices
            are not feasible.The soils provide some sustained
            grazing for farm animals, but the limitations are
            so severe that improvement by use of farm
            machinery is impractical, terrain may be
            unsuitable for use of farm machinery, the soils
            may not respond to improvement, or the grazing
            season may be very short.


    Class 7 Soils in this class have no capability for arable
            culture or permanent pasture. This class also
            includes rock land, other non-soil areas and
            bodies of water too small to show on maps at
            mapping scale.


    Class 0 Organic soils.(Not placed in capability classes).


10. CLI Subclass Descriptions

   'C' Adverse climate - This subclass denotes a
       significant adverse climate for crop production as
        "median" climate which is defined as one with
        sufficiently high rowing-season temperatures to
        bring crops to maturity.

    'D' Undesirable soil structure and/or low permeability
        This subclass indicates soils that are difficult
        to till or soils where water is absorbed very
        slowly or where the depth of rooting zone is
        restricted by conditions other than a high water
        table or consolidated bedrock.

    'E' Erosion  This subclass includes soils where damage
        from erosion is a limitation to agricultural use.
        Damage is assessed on loss of productivity and on
        the difficulties in farming with gullies.

    'F' Low fertility - Included are soils having low
        fertility that either is correctable with careful
        management in the use of fertilizers and soil
        amendments, or is difficult to correct by any
        practical means. The limitations may be due to
        lack of plant nutrients, high acidity or
        alkalinity, low exchange capacity, high levels of
        carbonates or presence of toxic compounds.

    'I' Inundation by streams or lakes - This subclass
        includes soils subjected to inundation causing
        crop damage or restricting agricultural use.

    'M' Moisture Limitations - This consists of soils
        where crops are affected by drought owing to
        inherent soil characteristics. These soils
        usually have low water-holding capacity.


    'N' Salinity - Soils of this subclass possess
        excessive soluble salts which adversely affect
        crop growth or restrict the range of crops that
        may be grown.

    'P' Stoniness - These soils are sufficiently stony to
        hinder tillage, planting and harvesting operations.

    'R' Consolidated bedrock - This subclass includes
        soils where the presence of bedrock near the
        surface restricts their agricultural use.
        Consolidated bedrock at depths greater than 3 feet
        from the surface is not considered as a limitation
        except on irrigated lands where a greater depth
        of soil is desirable.

    'S' There are two interpretations accorded to subclass S.
        In the case of maps generally produced before
        1969, subclass S will be used in place of
        subclasses D,F,M or N. If two or more of
        subclasses D,F,M or N are applicable to the same
        area, then again subclass S will be substituted.
        On most of the maps subsequent to 1969, the
        applicable subclass D,F,M or N will appear if an
        area is classified with a single subclass.  For
        areas classified with two or more of D,F,M or N
        then subclass S will appear, denoting a
        combination of subclasses.

    'T' Topography = This subclass is made up of soils
        where topography is a limitation. Both the percent
        of slope and the pattern or frequency of slopes in
        different directions affect the cost of farming
        and the uniformity of growth and maturity of crops
        as well as the hazard of erosion.

    'W' Excess water - This subclass includes soils where
        excess water other than that brought about by
        inundation is a limitation to agricultural use.
        Excess water may result from inadequate soil
        drainage, a high water table, seepage or from
        runoff from surrounding areas.

    'X' This subclass is comprised of soils having a
        limitation resulting from the cumulative effect of
        two or more adverse characteristics.

    For full details see 'The Canada Land Inventory, Soil
    Capability Classification for Agriculture' Report No. 2,
    1969.

11. Accreditation

     The Canada Land Inventory extraction and distribution is
     managed by:

     The Canada Centre for Remote Sensing
     Natural Resources Canada
     Government of Canada
     Room 650 - 615 Booth Street
     Ottawa, ON, Canada
     K1A 0E9

     Based on significant research and development by:

     The National Archives of Canada
     Statistics Canada
     Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

     Data processing completed by:

     Spatialanalysis
     Ottawa, Ontario,
     Canada K1Y ON3

     The National Archives of Canada retains
     intellectual property.

     (Copyright) Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, 1999.
