Detailed Table of Contents (NSSH)

Introduction (Part 600)

• The Mission of the Soil Survey Division, Natural Resources Conservation Service (600.00)
• Purpose (600.01)
• National Cooperative Soil Survey (NCSS) Standards (600.02)
• Principal References and Their Maintenance (600.03)
• List of Technical References (Exhibit 600-1)

National Cooperative Soil Survey Organization (Part 601)

• Definition (601.00)
• NRCS Organization and Responsibilities (601.01)

National Cooperative Soil Survey Conferences (Part 602)

• Definition (602.00)
• Bylaws of the National Cooperative Soil Survey Conference (Exhibit 602-1)
• Bylaws of the Western Regional Cooperative Soil Survey Conference (Exhibit 602-2)
• Bylaws of the Northeastern Cooperative Soil Survey Conference (Exhibit 602-3)
• Bylaws of the North Central Region Soil Survey Conference (Exhibit 602-4)
• Bylaws of the Southern Regional Cooperative Soil Survey Conference (Exhibit 602-5)

Working Agreements (Part 606)

• Definition (606.00)
• Policy and Responsibilities (606.01)
• MLRA Region-wide Memorandum of Understanding (Exhibit 606-1)

Initial Soil Survey Preparation (Part 607)

• Purpose (607.00)
• Policy and Responsibilities (607.01)
• Preliminary Survey Activities (607.02)
• Reference Materials For Soil Surveys (Exhibit 607-1)
• Example of a Procedure for Geodatabase Development, File Naming, Archiving, and Quality Assurance (Exhibit 607-2)

Program Management (Part 608)

• Definition and Purpose (608.00)
• Responsibilities and Organization (608.01)
• Soil Survey Area Designation (608.02)
• Soil Survey Area Names and Symbols (608.03)
• Limited and Denied Access Areas (608.04)
• Determining Workloads (608.05)
• Priorities for Soil Surveys (608.06)
• Planning Workflow (608.07)
• Soil Survey Schedule (608.08)
• Developing Other Schedules for Soil Survey Operations (608.09)
• Status Maps (608.10)
• Long-Range Plan of Operations for Initial Soil Surveys and for Update Soil Surveys Requiring Extensive Revision (Exhibit 608-1)
• Annual Plan of Operations for Initial Soil Surveys and for Update Soil Surveys Requiring Extensive Revision (Exhibit 608-2)
• Example of Needs Identified for an MLRA Soil Survey Area Long-Range Plan (Exhibit 608-3)
• Example of a Project Plan Evaluation Ranking Procedure (Exhibit 608-4)
• Example of a Project Plan (Exhibit 608-5)
• Annual Plan of Operations for an MLRA Soil Survey (Exhibit 608-6)
• Soil Survey Schedule Guidelines (Exhibit 608-7)
• Soil Survey Schedule Business Area Responsibilities (Exhibit 608-8)

Quality Control, Quality Assurance, and Soil Correlation (Part 609)

• Definition and Purpose of Quality Control and Quality Assurance (609.00)
• Policy and Responsibilities for Quality Control and Quality Assurance (609.01)
• Soil Correlation (609.02)
• Seamless Soil Survey (609.03)
• Quality Control Reviews (609.04)
• Quality Assurance Reviews (609.05)
• Field Assistance Visits (609.06)
• Final Soil Survey Field Activities for Initial Soil Survey Projects and Update Projects Requiring Extensive Revision (609.07)
• General Soil Maps, Index Maps, and Location Maps (609.08)
• Format for Correlation Document (Exhibit 609-1)
• List of Soil Property or Quality Attributes for Joining (Exhibit 609-2)
• Initial Field Review Checklist for Initial Soil Surveys and for Update Soil Surveys Requiring Extensive Revision (Exhibit 609-3)
• Progress Field Review Checklist for Initial Soil Surveys and for Update Soil Surveys Requiring Extensive Revision (Exhibit 609-4)
• Final Field Review Checklist for Initial Soil Surveys and for Update Soil Surveys Requiring Extensive Revision (Exhibit 609-5)
• Project Review Checklist for MLRA Soil Surveys (Exhibit 609-6)
• Outline of Items Considered in an Operational Management Review or Program Operational Review for Soil Survey (Exhibit 609-7)
• Quality Assurance Worksheet for Initial Soil Surveys and for Update Soil Surveys Requiring Extensive Revision (subject to change by the MLRA Soil Survey Regional Offices to reflect local conditions) (Exhibit 609-8)
• Quality Assurance Worksheet for MLRA Soil Surveys (subject to change by the MLRA Soil Survey Regional Offices to reflect local conditions) (Exhibit 609-9)
• Quality Control Template for Initial Soil Surveys (subject to change to reflect local conditions) (Exhibit 609-10)

Updating Soil Surveys (Part 610)

• Definition and Purpose (610.00)
• Policy and Responsibilities (610.01)
• Workflow for Updating Soil Survey by Major Land Resource Area (610.02)
• Evaluating Deficiencies to be Corrected in Soil Survey Updates (610.03)
• Developing a Plan for Updating Soil Survey Information (610.04)
• NASIS Legend Management for Updates (610.05)
• Managing Soil Spatial and Tabular Databases (610.06)
• Certification of Soils Data (610.07)
• Sample Map Unit Evaluation Worksheet (Exhibit 610-1)
• Sample Soil Survey Evaluation Worksheet (Exhibit 610-2)
• Example of a Soil Survey Update Implementation Guide (Exhibit 610-3)

Applying Soil Taxonomy (Part 614)

• Definition and Purpose (614.00)
• Policy and Responsibilities (614.01)
• National Soil Classification System (614.02)
• Use of the National Soil Classification System in Soil Surveys (614.03)
• Soil Taxonomy Committees, Work Groups, and Referees (614.04)
• Procedures for Amending Soil Taxonomy (614.05)
• The Soil Series (614.06)
• Example of an Official Soil Series Description (Exhibit 614-1)
• Explanation and Content of a Soil Series Description (Exhibit 614-2)

Amendments To Soil Taxonomy (Part 615)

Soil Survey Interpretations (Part 617)

• Definition and Purpose (617.00)
• Policy and Responsibilities (617.01)
• Interpretations for Map Unit Components and Map Units (617.02)
• Developing and Maintaining Interpretation Guides and Ratings (617.03)
• Reviewing and Implementing Soil Interpretative Technologies (617.04)
• The National Soil Information System (617.05)
• Presenting Soil Interpretations (617.06)
• Updating Soil Interpretations (617.07)
• Coordinating Soil Survey Interpretations (617.08)
• Writing Soil Interpretation Criteria (617.09)
• Documenting Soil Interpretation Criteria (617.10)
• Requirements for Naming Reports and Interpretations (617.11)
• Examples of Descriptions for Documenting Interpretations (Exhibit 617-1)

Soil Properties and Qualities (Part 618)

• Definition and Purpose (618.00)
• Policy and Responsibilities (618.01)
• Collecting and Testing Soil Property Data (618.02)
• Soil Properties and Soil Qualities (618.03)
• Albedo, Dry (618.04)
• Available Water Capacity (618.05)
• Bulk Density, One-Tenth Bar or One-Third Bar (618.06)
• Bulk Density, 15 Bar (618.07)
• Bulk Density, Oven Dry (618-8)
• Calcium Carbonate Equivalent (618.09)
• Cation Exchange Capacity NH4OAc pH7 (618.10)
• Climatic Setting (618.11)
• Corrosion (618.12)
• Crop Name and Yield (618.13)
• Diagnostic Horizon Feature Depth to Bottom (618.14)
• Diagnostic Horizon Feature Depth to Top (618.15)
• Diagnostic Horizon Feature Kind (618.16)
• Drainage Class (618.17)
• Effective Cation-Exchange Capacity (618.18)
• Electrical Conductivity (618.19)
• Elevation (618.20)
• Engineering Classification (618.21)
• Erosion Accelerated, Kind (618.22)
• Erosion Class (618.23)
• Excavation Difficulty Classes (618.24)
• Extractable Acidity (618.25)
• Extractable Aluminum (618.26)
• Flooding Frequency, Duration, and Month (618.27)
• Fragments in the Soil (618.28)
• Free Iron Oxides (618.29)
• Frost Action, Potential (618.30)
• Gypsum (618.31)
• Horizon Depth to Bottom (618.32)
• Horizon Depth to Top (618.33)
• Horizon Designation (618.34)
• Horizon Thickness (618.35)
• Hydrologic Group (618.36)
• Landform (618.37)
• Linear Extensibility Percent (618.38)
• Liquid Limit (618.39)
• Organic Matter (618.40)
• Parent Material, Kind, Modifier, and Origin (618.41)
• Particle Density (618.42)
• Particle Size (618.43)
• Percent Passing Sieves (618.44)
• Plasticity Index (618.45)
• Ponding Depth, Duration, Frequency Class, and Month (618.46)
• Pores (618.47)
• Reaction, Soil (pH) (618.48)
• Restriction Kind, Depth, Thickness, and Hardness (618.49)
• Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity (618.50)
• Slope Aspect (618.51)
• Slope Gradient (618.52)
• Slope Length (618.53)
• Sodium Adsorption Ratio (618.54)
• Soil Erodibility Factors, USLE, RUSLE2 (618.55)
• Soil Erodibility Factors for WEPP (618.56)
• Soil Moisture Status (618.57)
• Soil Slippage Hazard (618.58)
• Soil Temperature (618.59)
• Subsidence, Initial and Total (618.60)
• Sum of Bases (618.61)
• Surface Fragments (618.62)
• T Factor (618.63)
• Taxonomic Family Temperature Class (618.64)
• Taxonomic Moisture Class (618.65)
• Taxonomic Moisture Subclass (618.66)
• Taxonomic Temperature Regime (618.67)
• Texture Class, Texture Modifier, and Terms Used in Lieu of Texture (618.68)
• Water One-Tenth Bar (618.69)
• Water One-Third Bar (618.70)
• Water 15 Bar (618.71)
• Water, Satiated (618.72)
• Wind Erodibility Group and Index (618.73)
• Guides for Estimating Risk of Corrosion Potential for Uncoated Steel (Exhibit 618-1)
• Guide for Estimating Risk of Corrosion Potential for Concrete (Exhibit 618-2)
• Crop Names and Units of Measure (Exhibit 618-3)
• Classification of Soils and Soil-Aggregate Mixtures for the AASHTO System (Exhibit 618-4)
• Potential Frost Action (Exhibit 618-5)
• Distribution of Design Freezing Index Values in the Continental United States (Exhibit 618-6)
• Estimating LL and PI from Percent and Type of Clay (Exhibit 618-7)
• Texture Triangle and Particle-Size Limits of AASHTO, USDA, and Unified Classification Systems (Exhibit 618-8)
• Guide for Estimating Ksat from Soil Properties (Exhibit 618-9)
• Guide to Estimating Water Movement Through Lithic and Paralithic Materials (Exhibit 618-10)
• Rock Fragment Modifier of Texture (Exhibit 618-11)
• Soil Erodibility Nomograph (Exhibit 618-12)
• Kw Value Associated with Various Fragment Contents (Exhibit 618-13)
• General Guidelines for Assigning Soil Loss Tolerance "T" (Exhibit 618-14)
• Texture Class, Texture Modifiers, and Terms Used in Lieu of Texture (Exhibit 618-15)
• Wind Erodibility Groups (WEG) and Index (Exhibit 618-16)
• Key Landforms and Their Susceptibility to Slippage (Exhibit 618-17)
• Example Worksheets for Soil Moisture State by Month and Depth (Exhibit 618-18)
• NASIS Calculation for Estimating AASHTO Group Index (Appendix 618-1)
• NASIS Calculation for Estimating Cation Exchange Capacity (Appendix 618-2)
• NASIS Calculation for Estimating Effective Cation Exchange Capacity (Appendix 618-3)
• NASIS Calculation for Estimating Extractable Acidity (Appendix 618-4)
• NASIS Calculation for Estimating Liquid Limit and Plasticity Index (Appendix 618-5)
• NASIS Calculation for Estimating Particle Size (Appendix 618-6)
• NASIS Calculation for Estimating Rock Fragments and Percent Passing Sieves (Appendix 618-7)
• NASIS Calculation for Estimating Water Content Data (Appendix 618-8)

Soil Interpretations Rating Guides (Part 620)

• Definition (620.00)
• Policy (620.01)
• General (620.02)

Soil Potential Ratings (Part 621)

• Definition and Purpose (621.00)
• Policy and Responsibilities (621.01)
• General (621.02)
• Developing Soil Potential Ratings (621.03)
• Steps in Preparing Soil Potential Ratings (621.04)
• Collecting Data (621.05)
• Definition of Soil Potential Classes (621.06)
• Soil Potential Index Concept (621.07)
• Procedures for Preparing Soil Potential Ratings (621.08)
• Defining Soil Use, Performance Standards, and Criteria for Evaluation (621.09)
• Terminology for Limitations and Corrective Measures (621.10)
• Format for Presenting Soil Potential Ratings (621.11)
• Analysis of Preparations and Procedures for Soil Potential Ratings (Exhibit 621-1)
• Soil Potential Ratings for Forest Land (Beta County) (Exhibit 621-2)
• Soil Potential for Dwellings Without Basements (Exhibit 621-3)
• List of Corrective Measures and Cost (Exhibit 621-4)
• Worksheet for Preparing Soil Potential Ratings (Exhibit 621-5)
• Explanation of Worksheets for Preparing Soil Potential Ratings for Forest Land (Beta County) (Exhibit 621-6)
• Worksheet for Preparing Soil Potential Ratings for Forest Land (Beta County) (Exhibit 621-7)
• Worksheet for Preparing Soil Potential Ratings for Septic Tank Absorption Fields (Sigma County) (Exhibit 621-8)
• Worksheet for Preparing Soil Potential Ratings for Dwellings Without Basements (Alpha County) (Exhibit 621-9)
• Explanation of Soil Potential Ratings for Maps or Reports (Exhibit 621-10)
• Soil Potential Ratings for Septic Tank Absorption Fields (Exhibit 621-11)
• Soil Potential Ratings for Cropland (Exhibit 621-12)
• Soil Potential Ratings and Corrective Measures for Cropland, Pastureland, Forest Land, and Residential Land (Exhibit 621-13)

Ecological and Interpretative Groups (Part 622)

• Definition (622.00)
• Policy and Responsibilities (622.01)
• Land Capability Classification (622.02)
• Farmland Classification (622.03)
• Prime Farmland Soils (622.04)
• Highly Erodible Land - Highly Erodible Soil Map Unit List (622.05)
• Hydric Soils (622.06)
• Ecological Sites (622.07)
• Windbreaks (622.08)
• Wildlife Habitat (622.09)
• Plant Name, Common (622.10)
• Plant Name, Scientific (622.11)
•  Ecosystem ID(622.12)
•  Ecosystem Name(622-13)
•  Ecosystem Type(622.14)
•  Earth Cover, Kind(622.15)
• Prime and Unique Farmlands (Exhibit 622-1)
• Land Capability Classification (Exhibit 622-2)

Soil Quality (Part 624)

• Definition and Purpose (624.00)
• Quality Concepts (624.01)
• Soil Quality Test Kit (Instruction Manual) (624.02)
• Soil Quality Products and Informational Documents (624.03)
• References (624.04)

Legend Development and Data Collection (Part 627)

• Definition and Purpose (627.00)
• Policy and Responsibilities (627.01)
• Field Studies for Legend Development (627.02)
• Map Units of Soil Surveys (627.03)
• Map Unit Components (627.04)
• Terms Used in Naming Map Units (627.05)
• Phases Used to Name Soil Map Units (627.06)
• Soil Performance Data Collection (627.07)
• Documentation (627.08)
• Ecological Site and Soil Correlation Procedures (627.09)
• Miscellaneous Areas (Exhibit 627-1)
• Example of Form NRCS-SOI-1, Soil Crop Yield Data (Exhibit 627-2)
• Instructions for Completing Form NRCS-SOI-1, Soil Crop Yield Data (Exhibit 627-3)
• Identification Legend of Map Unit Symbols and Names (Exhibit 627-4)
• Feature and Symbol Legend for Soil Survey (Exhibit 627-5)
• Ecological Site and Soil Correlation Checklist (Exhibit 627-6)
• Ecological Site Checklist (Exhibit 627-7)
• Matrix of Soil Orders and Documentation (Exhibit 627-8)

Glossary Of Landform and Geologic Terms (Part 629)

• Definition and Purpose (629.00)
• Responsibilities (629.01)
• Definitions (629.02)
  • Glossary of Terms (629.02(c))
• References (629.03)
• Lists of Landscape, Landform, Microfeature, and Anthropogenic Feature Terms Defined in the Glossary (Exhibit 629-1)
• List of Materials or Material-Related, Structure, or Morphological-Feature Terms Contained in the Glossary (Exhibit 629-2)
• Genesis-Process Terms and Geologic Time Terms Contained in the Glossary (Exhibit 629-3)
• North American Glacial Episodes and General Geologic Time Scale (Exhibit 629-4)
• Till Terms (Exhibit 629-5)
• Pyroclastic Terms (Exhibit 629-6)

Benchmark Soils (Part 630)

• Definition and Purpose (630.00)
• Policy and Responsibilities (630.01)
• Criteria for Selecting or Revising Benchmark Soils (630.02)
• Maintaining a Record of Benchmark Soil Data Needs (630.03)
• Sample Narrative Record for Benchmark Soils (Exhibit 630-1)

Soil Survey Investigations (Part 631)

• Definition and Purpose (631.00)
• Policy and Responsibilities (631.01)
• Kinds of Projects (631.02)
• Laboratory Investigation Methods (631.03)
• Field Investigation Methods (631.04)
• Investigations Planning (631.05)
• Requesting Assistance (631.06)
• Laboratory Databases (631.07)
• NRCS-SOI-8 Input Form for the Index of Soil Laboratory Data (Exhibit 631-1)
• Instructions for Completing the NRCS-SOI-8 Input Form for the Index of Soil Laboratory Data (Exhibit 631-2)
• Research Work Plan Checklist (Exhibit 631-3)
• Example Research Work Plan (Exhibit 631-4)
• Example of a Soil Characterization Work Plan (Exhibit 631-5)

Soil Data Systems (Part 638)

• Definition and Purpose (638.00)
• Policy and Responsibilities (638.01)
• National Soil Information System (NASIS) (638.02)
• Map Unit Record File (638.03)
• Official Series Descriptions File (OSED) and the Soil Classification File (638.04)
• Soil Survey Schedule Database (638.05)
• The Pedon Description Program (PDP) (638.06)
• Guidelines For Changing, Adding, or Deleting Soil Property Data Elements (638.07)
• Certification and Distribution of Soil Data (638.08)
• Example of Certification Information Given by the State Soil Scientist to the District Conservationist (Exhibit 638-1)
• Example of Statement to Include in Letter to Public When Distributing Map Unit Record (MUR) Data (Exhibit 638-2)
• Proposed Amendment to Soil Data Dictionary (Exhibit 638-3)

National Soil Information System (NASIS) (Part 639)

• Definition and Purpose (639.00)
• Policy and Responsibility (639.01)
• Map Unit Records (639.02)
• Geographic Area Records (639.03)
• Point Characteristics (639.04)
• Standards, Criteria, and Guidelines (639.05)
• Ancillary Tools, Functions, and Records (639.06)

Delivering Soil Survey Information (Part 644)

• Definition and Purpose (644.00)
• Types of Soil Survey Delivery (644.01)
• Policy and Responsibilities (644.02)
• Soil Survey Products (644.03)
• Development of Point Data (644.04)
• Development of Detailed Soil Survey Information (644.05)
• Development of Complete Soil Survey Publication (644.06)
• Development of the Digital General Soil Map of the U.S. (644.07)
• Required and Optional Sections of a Soil Survey Publication (Exhibit 644-1)
• Record Sheet for Collating State Orders for Published Soil Surveys (Exhibit 644-2)
• Example of Letter to Senator -- Notification of Availability of Soil Survey (Exhibit 644-3)

Soil Map Development (Part 647)

• Definition and Purpose (647.00)
• Policy and Responsibilities (647.01)
• Imagery (647.02)
• Compilation (647.03)
• Compilation Techniques (647.04)
• Recompilation for Digitizing (647.05)
• SSURGO Characteristics (647.06)
• Digitizing Specifications (647.07)
• Attributing Linear and Point Soil Features (647.08)
• Digital Map Finishing (647.09)
• Suggested Compilation Edit Checklist (Exhibit 647-1)
• Common Compilation Errors and Editorial Symbols for Action (Exhibit 647-2)
• Map Compilation Certification (Exhibit 647-3)
• Supplement to a Published Soil Survey Map (Exhibit 647-4)
• Example of Soil Survey Geographic Data Certification (Exhibit 647-5)
• DLG Major and Minor Codes for Soil Survey Publication (Exhibit 647-6)
• Symbol and Font Specifications (Exhibit 647-7)
• Sample DLG File for Cultural Features (Exhibit 647-8)
• Sample Attribute File for Cultural Features (Exhibit 647-9)
• Map Finishing Checklist (Exhibit 647-10)
• Map Finishing Certification (Exhibit 647-11)
• Glossary (Exhibit 647-12)
• SSURGO Metadata Template (Exhibit 647-13)

Land Resource Regions and Major Land Resource Areas (Part 649)

• Definition (649.00)
• Policy and Responsibilities (649.01)
• Land Resource Region and Major Land Resource Area Map Unit Descriptions (649.02)
• Land Resource Region and Major Land Resource Area Map Unit Names and Symbols (649.03)
• Procedures for Establishing and Revising Land Resources Regions and Major Land Resource Areas (649.04)
• Land Resource Unit Maps of States (649.05)
• A List of Major Land Resource Areas Assigned to Each MLRA Regional Office (Exhibit 649-1)
• References (available from the National Soil Survey Center) (Exhibit 649-2)

Advance Soil Survey Information (Part 651)

• Definition and Purpose (651.00)
• Policy and Responsibilities (651.01)
• General (651.02)
• Restrictions (651.03)
• Providing Quality Assurance, Quality Control, and Review (651.04)
• Labeling of Advance Soil Survey Information (651.05)

Technical Soil Services (Part 655)

• Definition (655.00)
• Types of Service (655.01)
• Policy (655.02)
• Responsibilities (655.03)
• Order 1 Soil Surveys (655.04)
• Marketing (655.05)
• Sample Marketing Plan (Exhibit 655-1)