Technical References

PDF files require Acrobat Reader, DOC file requires Microsoft Word, and XLS files require Microsoft Excel.

Policy and Procedure

National Soil Survey Handbook - policy, definitions, and procedures for conducting soil survey.
Soil Survey Manual - major principles and practices for soil surveys.
Soil Change Guide - Procedures for Soil Survey and Resource Inventory - designed for soil survey, vegetation, and ecological site or unit inventory work in order to help soil scientists and other inventory specialists collect interpretable data about soil change.
Technical Notes - specific technical subjects for soil scientists.
National Instructions - specific project guidance to offices involved.

Classification

Soil Classification - major references including taxonomy, keys, series, maps, forum, and committees
The Twelve Orders of Soil Taxonomy poster

Soil Geography

Land Resource Regions and Major Land Resource Areas of the United States, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Basin (Ag Handbook 296) - This publication describes 28 land resource regions and the physiography, geology, climate, water resources, soils, biological resources, and kinds of land use in 278 major land resource areas in the United States, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Basin.

Field Guides

Field Book for Describing and Sampling Soils - standards for observing and recording soil and site characteristics.
Field Indicators of Hydric Soils, version 6.0 (PDF; 2.6 MB)
- Errata to Field Indicators of Hydric Soils, version 6.0 (PDF; 26 KB)
Job Aids - something that can be used on the job to improve performance.

Soil Survey Office Laboratory References

DRAFT Soil Survey Field and Laboratory Methods Manual, version 1.0 (PDF; 10.5 MB)
Soil Survey Office Laboratory Safety Guide, version 1.0 (PDF; 453 KB)
- What is the recommended procedure for chemical disposal? (PDF; 3.2 MB)

Laboratory Methods and Information

Lab Methods Manual - soil laboratory methodology and reference for the laboratory analyst.
Soil Survey Laboratory Information Manual - Sampling methodology, descriptions of SSL data sheets and other information to help users of lab data.
Testing Methods for Phosphorus and Organic Matter

Geomorphic Description System

These documents provide a descriptive method and a technical guide for applying and understanding geomorphic and geologic concepts and terms for soil inventory in the USA National Cooperative Soil Survey (NCSS) Program.

Geomorphic Description System, version 4.11 (PDF; 606 KB)
Glossary of Landform and Geologic Terms (Part 629 of the National Soil Survey Handbook) (DOC; 1.1 MB)

Installing Monitoring Wells in Soils

This document provides general guidance on how to install and use piezometers and water-table wells to investigate soil water regimes under conditions commonly encountered in Soil Survey and hydropedology studies.

Installing Monitoring Wells in Soils, version 1.0 (PDF; 1.9 MB)

The file below is a bibliography of publications from Wet Soils Monitoring Projects across the United States.

Bibliography (PDF; 70 KB)

Forms

Pedon Description Form (XLS; 35 KB)
SOI036 (PDF; 59 KB)
SOI232c (PDF; 175 KB)
SOI232f (PDF; 118 KB)
SOI232g (PDF; 116 KB)

National Soil Information System (NASIS)

Other References

Land Evaluation and Site Assessment (LESA) - Computer-Assisted Land Evaluation System (CALES) -- The CALES system is a tool for completing the land evaluation part of LESA and filling out the soils portion of FPPA Form 1006.
National Commodity Crop Productivity Index (NCCPI) User Guide (PDF; 4.3 MB) -- Describes the methodology and logic of the NCCPI model.
- NCCPI maps (hosted by the National Geospatial Development Center)
National Range and Pasture Handbook -- Procedures for the inventory, analysis, treatment, and management of grazing land resources.
National Forestry Manual -- Describes forestry policy within the NRCS.
National Forestry Handbook -- Contains methodology and procedures relative to forestry technology.
National Engineering Handbook, Chapter 7 - Hydrologic Soil Groups (PDF)
Editing Guides -- Suggestions for editing, typesetting, and publishing.
Microsoft Access -- Guide to MS-Access for soil scientists.
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)

Last Modified: 11/10/2009