Preprint #96-32
The National Resources Inventory: A Long-Term
Multi-Resource Program
by
S.M. Nusser and J.J. Goebel
Abstract
Interest in natural resources and the environment has led to the
development of new federal monitoring efforts, the expansion of
existing federal inventory programs, and discussions of
inter-agency collaboration for natural resource assessment data
collection. As federal programs evolve, knowledge gained from
existing long-term survey programs can provide valuable contributions
to statistical and operational aspects of survey efforts. This paper
describes the National Resources Inventory (NRI), which has been
conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources
Conservation Service in cooperation with the Iowa State University
Statistical Laboratory for several decades. The current NRI is a
longitudinal survey of soil, water, and related environmental
resources designed to assess conditions and trends, every five years
on nonfederal U.S. lands. An historical overview is provided highlighting
the development of the survey program. Sample design, data collection,
and estimation procedures used in the 1992 NRI are described, and
statistical issues related to long-term monitoring efforts are
discussed.
Copies of preprints are available from the author upon request. Use
the preprint number (located at the top of the page) and
make the request directly to the author, Iowa State
University,
Department of Statistics, Snedecor Hall, Ames, IA 50011-1210.