Klingebiel, Albert Arnold

USDA soil scientist. Albert A. Klingebiel was born on October 1, 1910, on a farm two miles south of Hinton, Iowa. He earned a B.S. in agronomy in 1936 and a M.S. in soil microbiology in 1937 from Iowa State College. His career began in the USDA Forest Service prior to accepting a position as soil scientist with the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) in 1938. He was placed in charge of training new professional employees in eight midwestern states in 1940, and, in 1946, was selected as the SCS State Soil Scientist of Illinois. In 1952, the USDA Agricultural Research Service appointed him Director of Soil and Water Management Research in Illinois. In 1954, he became Assistant Director and in 1956, Director of Soil Survey interpretations for the SCS in Washington, D.C., serving at this post until retirement from the SCS in 1973.

Klingebiel authored more than 50 scientific articles and has contributed to several books on soils and soil interpretations. He was an active member of the Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) and served in various positions with the organization including SSSA representative to the American Institute of Planners and the American Society of Planning Officials. Since 1973, Dr. Klingebiel has performed consulting work for numerous agencies and organizations worldwide on the use of satellite imagery to determine soil potential for the production of food and fiber crops.