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Environment and Heritage
Environment and Heritage

Store and share soil information using SALIS

Discover the wide range of land and soil information collected and stored in our database, how it’s accessed, and how you can contribute.

 

The Soil and Land Information System (SALIS) is a large database of information collected over many years by earth scientists and other technical experts. It contains descriptions of soils, landscapes and other geographic features, and is used by the NSW Government, other organisations and individuals to improve planning and decision making for natural resource management. The database is constantly updated as new information on the state's soil resources becomes available.

Go to SALIS

What does SALIS contain?

SALIS contains 2 major types of soil and land information:

  • Soil profiles: these are observations of landscape and soil features at a particular point on the land surface. Each observation may include assessments of landform, geology, hydrology, native vegetation, land use, and land and soil degradation, as well as a description of the soil itself, plus laboratory test results (if collected). There are over 73,000 soil profiles currently recorded, of which about two-thirds are publicly available.
  • Soil and landscape mapping: mapping and describing the landscapes and soils of New South Wales have been carried out under various programs and organisations since the 1980s. The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water continues this activity with the long-term aim of providing a complete high-quality coverage of the state.
  • Screenshot of eSPADE on tablet with a sampling shovel next to it.
    Entering soil profile information into SALIS is easy with the eDIRT system.
    Entering soil profile information into SALIS is easy with the eDIRT system.
    Image Credit: P Robey/DPE
  • A field worker records soil descriptions on OEH soil data cards on the open tail gate of a ute.
    Recording soil descriptions on departmental soil data cards while in the field.
    Recording soil descriptions on OEH soil data cards while in the field
    Image Credit: S McInnes-Clarke/DPE
  • A collection of soils samples sit in white bags on a table top.
    Many soil properties can be measured in the field, including structure, texture, pH and erodibility.
    Many soil properties can be measured in the field including structure, texture, pH and erodibility.
    Image Credit: W Cook/DPE
  • NSW index soil map
    Index of soil mapping in New South Wales, available on eSPADE.
    Index of soil mapping in NSW, available on eSPADE
    Image Credit: DPE
  • A recently ploughed field of black soil near Quirindi is seen from a fence line.
    Black soil plains at Quirindi, New South Wales. Soils in this region sustain highly productive agriculture, critical in food security.
    Black soil plains, Quirindi, NSW. Soils in this region sustain highly productive agriculture, critical in food security.
    Image Credit: H Milford/DPE
  • A raised spur reveals Red Chromosol of the sheep-wheat belt in central NSW.
    Soils are highly variable in nature. This batter shows a Red Chromosol of the sheep-wheat belt in central New South Wales.
    This batter shows a Red Chromosol of the sheep-wheat belt in central NSW.
    Image Credit: C Murphy/DPE
  • Coffee rock stands behind beach sand between Sandon and Minnie Waters, north coast of NSW.
    Coffee rock on the beach between Sandon and Minnie Waters, north coast of New South Wales, showing the highly variable nature of soils.
    Coffee rock on the beach between Sandon and Minnie Waters, north coast of NSW showing the highly variable nature of soils.
    Image Credit: H Milford/DPE

How to access SALIS data

You can access soil and land information from SALIS free of charge using eSPADE. If you are using a Geographic Information System (GIS), you can download digital soil map data on the SEED (Sharing and Enabling Environmental Data) portal. If you have specific requirements for soil and land information (for example, in bulk form as spreadsheets), please contact us.

How to contribute data to SALIS

We welcome contributions to SALIS from those with at least basic knowledge, training and/or experience in soil description. You can record soil information and contribute it to SALIS using the eDIRT data collection application: please register for an account using the link on the eDIRT log-in page.

Why contribute data to SALIS?

By contributing your data to SALIS you can take advantage of advanced data capture tools (eDIRT), no-cost, secure storage and ready availability of information products, such as maps, reports and spreadsheets, via eSPADE.

Also, by sharing your soil and land information you are contributing to better natural resource management in New South Wales and thus a better environment. Making your data publicly available also prevents duplication and wastage of effort by others.

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