diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index e438b89f..261e701b 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -13430,7 +13430,7 @@
     },
     "node_modules/terraso-backend": {
       "version": "0.1.0",
-      "resolved": "git+ssh://git@github.com/techmatters/terraso-backend.git#1371c39d38d5525fd1de5059718bd572ec51a4a0"
+      "resolved": "git+ssh://git@github.com/techmatters/terraso-backend.git#b2eca72cb149b7f234864857ddbf20b1b5e3b165"
     },
     "node_modules/test-exclude": {
       "version": "6.0.0",
diff --git a/src/constants.ts b/src/constants.ts
index 64a2f157..f84019fc 100644
--- a/src/constants.ts
+++ b/src/constants.ts
@@ -16,11 +16,9 @@
  */
 
 import { DepthInterval } from 'terraso-client-shared/graphqlSchema/graphql';
+import { SoilPitMethod } from 'terraso-client-shared/soilId/soilIdTypes';
 
-export const DEPTH_INTERVAL_PRESETS: Record<
-  'LANDPKS' | 'NRCS',
-  DepthInterval[]
-> = {
+export const DEPTH_INTERVAL_PRESETS = {
   LANDPKS: [
     { start: 0, end: 10 },
     { start: 10, end: 20 },
@@ -37,4 +35,10 @@ export const DEPTH_INTERVAL_PRESETS: Record<
     { start: 60, end: 100 },
     { start: 100, end: 200 },
   ],
-};
+} as const satisfies Record<'LANDPKS' | 'NRCS', readonly DepthInterval[]>;
+
+export const DEFAULT_ENABLED_SOIL_PIT_METHODS = [
+  'soilTexture',
+  'soilStructure',
+  'soilColor',
+] as const satisfies readonly SoilPitMethod[];
diff --git a/src/selectors.test.ts b/src/selectors.test.ts
index 475f9080..a81db1c2 100644
--- a/src/selectors.test.ts
+++ b/src/selectors.test.ts
@@ -20,7 +20,10 @@ import {
   initialState as accountInitialState,
   User,
 } from 'terraso-client-shared/account/accountSlice';
-import { DEPTH_INTERVAL_PRESETS } from 'terraso-client-shared/constants';
+import {
+  DEFAULT_ENABLED_SOIL_PIT_METHODS,
+  DEPTH_INTERVAL_PRESETS,
+} from 'terraso-client-shared/constants';
 import {
   DepthInterval,
   ProjectPrivacy,
@@ -178,6 +181,13 @@ const generateSiteInterval = (
   soilTextureEnabled: false,
   carbonatesEnabled: false,
   ...(label !== undefined ? { label } : { label: '' }),
+  ...DEFAULT_ENABLED_SOIL_PIT_METHODS.reduce(
+    (x, method) => ({
+      ...x,
+      [methodEnabled(method)]: true,
+    }),
+    {},
+  ),
   ...(defaults || {}),
 });
 
@@ -189,9 +199,14 @@ const projectToSiteInterval = (
     depthInterval: interval.depthInterval,
     label: interval.label,
     ...(Object.fromEntries(
-      soilPitMethods.map(method => [
+      soilPitMethods.map((method: SoilPitMethod) => [
         methodEnabled(method),
-        projectSettings ? projectSettings[methodRequired(method)] : false,
+        projectSettings
+          ? projectSettings[methodRequired(method)]
+          : false ||
+            (DEFAULT_ENABLED_SOIL_PIT_METHODS as readonly string[]).includes(
+              method,
+            ),
       ]),
     ) as Record<`${SoilPitMethod}Enabled`, boolean>),
   };
@@ -439,13 +454,18 @@ test('select predefined project selector with custom preset', () => {
   );
 
   expect(aggregatedIntervals).toStrictEqual([
-    { mutable: true, interval: siteDepthIntervals[0] },
+    {
+      mutable: true,
+      interval: siteDepthIntervals[0],
+      backendIntervalExists: true,
+    },
     {
       mutable: false,
       interval: projectToSiteInterval(
         projectDepthIntervals[0],
         projectSettings[project.id],
       ),
+      backendIntervalExists: false,
     },
     {
       mutable: false,
@@ -453,8 +473,13 @@ test('select predefined project selector with custom preset', () => {
         projectDepthIntervals[1],
         projectSettings[project.id],
       ),
+      backendIntervalExists: false,
+    },
+    {
+      mutable: true,
+      interval: siteDepthIntervals[2],
+      backendIntervalExists: true,
     },
-    { mutable: true, interval: siteDepthIntervals[2] },
   ]);
 });
 
@@ -499,7 +524,12 @@ test('overlapping site intervals get the project values of the preset interval',
     {
       mutable: false,
       interval: { ...siteDepthIntervals[0], carbonatesEnabled: true },
+      backendIntervalExists: true,
+    },
+    {
+      mutable: false,
+      interval: siteDepthIntervals[1],
+      backendIntervalExists: true,
     },
-    { mutable: false, interval: siteDepthIntervals[1] },
   ]);
 });
diff --git a/src/selectors.ts b/src/selectors.ts
index c9498489..26f5e9f6 100644
--- a/src/selectors.ts
+++ b/src/selectors.ts
@@ -17,7 +17,10 @@
 
 import { createSelector } from '@reduxjs/toolkit';
 import { User } from 'terraso-client-shared/account/accountSlice';
-import { DEPTH_INTERVAL_PRESETS } from 'terraso-client-shared/constants';
+import {
+  DEFAULT_ENABLED_SOIL_PIT_METHODS,
+  DEPTH_INTERVAL_PRESETS,
+} from 'terraso-client-shared/constants';
 import {
   DepthInterval,
   UserRole,
@@ -259,17 +262,24 @@ export const makeSoilDepth = (
   const methodsEnabled = Object.fromEntries(
     soilPitMethods.map(method => [
       methodEnabled(method),
-      soilSettings ? soilSettings[methodRequired(method)] : false,
+      soilSettings
+        ? soilSettings[methodRequired(method)]
+        : false ||
+          (DEFAULT_ENABLED_SOIL_PIT_METHODS as readonly string[]).includes(
+            method,
+          ),
     ]),
   ) as Record<`${SoilPitMethod}Enabled`, boolean>;
   return { ...depthInterval, ...methodsEnabled };
 };
 
 export type AggregatedInterval = {
-  // can this interval be deleted + can its bounds be updated?
+  /* can this interval be deleted + can its bounds be updated? */
   mutable: boolean;
-  // if label missing, label should not be assigned to this interval
+  /* if label missing, label should not be assigned to this interval */
   interval: SoilDataDepthInterval;
+  /* there is an existing backend interval that matches this one */
+  backendIntervalExists: boolean;
 };
 
 const matchIntervals = (
@@ -289,7 +299,11 @@ const matchIntervals = (
     if (i === sortedPresets.length) {
       // no more preset intervals, and we know B_j doesn't overlap with any A
       // so B_j can be added
-      intervals.push({ mutable: true, interval: sortedSoilDepth[j] });
+      intervals.push({
+        mutable: true,
+        interval: sortedSoilDepth[j],
+        backendIntervalExists: true,
+      });
       j++;
       continue;
     }
@@ -299,12 +313,17 @@ const matchIntervals = (
       const B_j = sortedSoilDepth[j];
       if (B_j.depthInterval.end <= A_i.depthInterval.start) {
         // B doesn't overlap with A_i-1, and not with A_i, so it can be added
-        intervals.push({ mutable: true, interval: B_j });
+        intervals.push({
+          mutable: true,
+          interval: B_j,
+          backendIntervalExists: true,
+        });
       } else if (sameDepth(A_i)(B_j)) {
         // if they are the same depth, B_j contains soil info for A_i
         intervals.push({
           mutable: false,
           interval: B_j,
+          backendIntervalExists: true,
         });
         presetCovered = true;
       } else if (!checkOverlap(A_i)(B_j)) {
@@ -319,6 +338,7 @@ const matchIntervals = (
       intervals.push({
         mutable: false,
         interval: makeSoilDepth(A_i, soilSettings),
+        backendIntervalExists: false,
       });
     }
     i++;