Application of remote sensing and geographic information data in developing soil classificatoin maps of some soils in nile-delta

Development of soil maps in Egypt is a necessity nowadays to provide valuable information required by resource managers and decision makers. This work aimed to apply remote sensing and geographic information data in producing more reliable and accurate soil maps for the studied area in Nile-Delta, Egypt. Studied area is classified into three physiographic units (front shore of coastal plain, back shore of low-laying stretches, and old deltaic plain). Eighteen georeferenced soil profiles representing physiographic units and soils in the studied area were dug and fully described in the field. Soil samples were also collected from soil layers of each soil profile and were analyzed in the laboratory for their physical and chemical properties. Geodatabase in combination with field-work and laboratory data were used to identifying nine soil map units (SMUs) in the studied area. These SMUs were classified according to the United States soil classification system as follow: SMU1: Clayey, Smectitic, Superactive, Mesic, Aquic Xerofluvents SMU2: Sandy, Mesic, Aquic Quartizipsamments SMU3: Clayey, Smectitic, Superactive, Mesic, Typic Haploxererts SMU4: Sandy, Mesic, Typic Torripsamments SMU5: Clayey, Smectitic, Superactive, Mesic, Vertic Fluvaquents SMU6: Clayey, Smectitic, Superactive, Mesic, Vertic Xerofluvents SMU7: Clayey, Smectitic, Superactive, Mesic, Vertic Xerofluvents SMU8: Sandy, Mesic, Xeric Torripsamments SMU9: Clayey over sandy, Smectitic, Superactive, Mesic, Typic Haploxererts