       CANADA LAND INVENTORY LEVEL I LAT/LON DIGITAL DATA

                SOIL CAPABILITY FOR AGRICULTURE

1. Coverage Specifications

   Original Map Scale: 1:50,000

   Resolution        : .000061035 of a degree

   Map Projection    : None, i.e. latitude/longitude co-ordinates

   Datum             : NAD27

   Spheroid          : Clarke 1866

   Units of Measure  : decimal degrees

2. CLI Level I Latitude/Longitude Digital Data

   CLI Level I latitude/longitude digital data are intended
   for GIS users who wish to integrate CLI thematic data
   with their own topological base maps, i.e. for GIS users
   who wish to "cookie-cut" the CLI thematic layers with
   their own topological shoreline layer.

   CLI Level I thematic data is intentionally extended past
   the shoreline and as such does not contain the proper
   definition of shoreline. The data are not projected and
   co-ordinates, areas and perimeters are in decimal degrees.

   DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DERIVE AREA STATISTICS FROM THESE DATA
   UNTIL THEY ARE INTEGRATED WITH A PROPER SHORELINE AND THE
   RESULTS PROJECTED TO A SUITABLE MAP PROJECTION.

   If the above restrictions do not meet your GIS objectives,
   obtain the equivalent Level II UTM data with integrated
   base map from the same distribution source.

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

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

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

 b) Original Digital Data Classification:

    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

    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 better understanding of what factor(s) limit
        the land for agriculture, use field Subclas_A1.

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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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.

7. 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).


8. 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.

9. 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.
