Soil research at Alterra includes soil survey and inventory of water table depths. Alterra maintains the following major soil databases of the Netherlands:
- The Soil Map of the Netherlands scale 1 : 250 000
- The Soil Map of the Netherlands scale 1 : 50 000
- Detailed soil maps of specific regions, scales 1 : 25 000 or 1 : 10 000
Besides these maps a large number of soil samples is analyzed in a wide range of research projects. Alterra makes the results of these analyses widely available by the web portal bodemdata.nl. This portal enables us to list the type of data that is available for a particular region. Next these data can be ordered, or directly accessed and downloaded by using a password. The web portal also provides important background, and applications are demonstrated.
In 1997 the Soil Centre at Alterra started with the development of a geostatistical methodology to map the dynamics of the water table depth. As compared to the water table classes at the prevailing soil maps the new methodology provides much more detailed information on the temporal variation of the water table depth. The new methodology has been widely applied and specific elements are further improved. More information on the methodology and its applications is available at Grondwaterdynamiek (in Dutch only).
In collaboration with the DINO Department of the TNO Institute information on the subsurface is made available. The information in DINOLoket.nl and bodemdata.nl are complementary. However, both portals need to be combined to one portal of the Dutch soil and subsurface. The collaboration prevents for disintegration of information, and accessibility is furthered. Besides this, the collaboration aims for a more efficient management and the foundation of a platform of clients. To these purposes in 2006 the Information Model Soil and Subsurface (IMBOD) has been realized.