Tillage Disturbance Index for Soil Carbon (T-DISC)

T-DISC is available as both an Excel tool and a web tool. These tools are identical and available in two forms for ease of access.

T-DISC Excel Tool

Access the T-DISC Excel Tool (Updated 9/4/2026): T-DISC Excel Tool Version 1.1.1 (ZIP, 299 KB)
T-DISC Excel Tool User Guide (PDF, 551 KB) (Updated 9/4/2026)

T-DISC Web Tool

Access the USDA T-DISC Web Tool (Updated 9/4/2026): www.usda.gov/t-disc/webtool
T-DISC Web Tool User Guide (PDF, 526 KB) (Updated 9/4/2026)

About

The Tillage Disturbance Index for Soil Carbon (T-DISC) tool generates a metric of soil disturbance that allows consistent determination of the intensity of tillage operations as an input for USDA Feedstock Carbon Intensity Calculator (USDA FD-CIC). The tillage intensity metric is calculated based on the methodology outlined in the cropland and grazing land systems chapter of USDA’s report "Quantifying Greenhouse Gas Fluxes in Agriculture and Forestry: Methods for Entity-Scale Inventory (PDF, 24.2 MB).”

For more information about matching a range of tillage implements to the implements available in T-DISC, please refer to the implement mapping table: T-DISC Implement Mapping Table (PDF, 63.8 KB)

NOTE TO USERS: The USDA Feedstock Carbon Intensity Calculator (USDA FD-CIC) and the Tillage Disturbance Index for Soil Carbon (T-DISC) tool will be updated periodically to incorporate updates and methodological refinements. If you would like to receive notifications about future updates, please sign up using the link below. Your contact information will be used solely for the purpose of informing you about these updates.

Sign up to Receive Notifications about Data Updates

Contact

For questions regarding the T-DISC tool, please contact: sm.oce.oeep.tdisc@usda.gov

Tillage Disturbance Index for Soil Carbon (T-DISC)