Clicking on the WEPS "Template folder" allows one to select a soil for use in a WEPS run. Depending upon how WEPS is configured, it will:
a) open a dialog box allowing for selection of any soil IFC file stored in the WEPS Soil Template directory; or
b) open a 'Select SSURGO Soil' window allowing for selection of a SSURGO soil component from an NRCS SSURGO soil database. One can navigate through the database tree and click the soil survey area (county) desired. The soils are listed according to the soil map unit symbol, soil map unit name, surface texture, and local phase. Selecting a soil then lists its components and the percent each component contributes to the map unit. Click on a soil component to highlight it and click the 'Select' button at the top of the screen to select it (or do a double mouse click to select). Clicking the 'Select' button converts the soil from the SSURGO database to a WEPS soil file format (with an 'ifc' extension) and loaded. The loaded soil file name will appear in the soil text box window.
If WEPS is not configured to use an NRCS SSURGO database file for soil component selection, then any soil IFC file can been saved in the WEPS Soil Template directory, if desired, by doing a "Save as" within the SoilUI. The WEPS Soil Template directory is primarily intended to contain soil IFC iles which are expected to be re-used many times. One can think of them as being "template" or "master" soil IFC files which one would select and use as is or as a starting point for developing a custom soil IFC file for a specific WEPS run.