Technical References

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.
• 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.

These documents require Acrobat Reader.

Field Indicators of Hydric Soils, version 6.0 (PDF; 2.6 MB)
Errata to Field Indicators of Hydric Soils, version 6.0 (PDF; 68 KB)

• Job Aids - something that can be used on the job to improve performance.
   

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.

The PDF file requires Acrobat Reader and the DOC file requires Microsoft Word.

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.

This document requires Acrobat Reader.

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

Forms

XLS files require Microsoft Excel and PDF files require Acrobat Reader.

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)

• NASIS Tools
• NASIS Metadata
• Other Metadata
   

Other References

PDF files require Acrobat Reader.

• National Commodity Crop Productivity Index (NCCPI) User Guide (PDF; 4.3 MB) - describes the methodology and logic of the NCCPI model
• 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: 09/25/2008