United States Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service		 Michigan Go to Accessibility Information
Skip to Page Content
 sleeping bear dunes shoreline





Information About Soils

 

National Soil Information Links
Michigan State Soil - Kalkaska Sand

Kalkaska Sand was chosen as Michigan's state soil in 1990.  It occurs in 29 of Michigan's 83 counties in both the lower and upper peninsulas.  For more information about Kalkaska sand, visit the Michigan Department of Agriculture Kalkaska Sand Web page

Michigan Soils Information

The Soil Survey is a compilation of soils information designed to assist in making land use decisions.  In Michigan, soils data is available in a variety of formats ranging from a hard copy of the Soil Survey to digital data for use with Geographic Information Systems (GIS). 

Access to soil survey information is provided through maps. All text and tables relate to the map symbols and the areas delineated on these maps. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of soil survey information should contact the NRCS at the USDA Service Center.

Status of Michigan Soil Surveys

Six counties in Michigan currently have soils mapping in progress.  All other counties in Michigan have completed soil mapping.  Soil digitizing of the soil survey data has been completed in forty-five Michigan counties. 

  The following document requires Adobe Acrobat.

Adobe Acrobat DocumentStatus of Michigan Soil Surveys and Digital Soils Data

Obtaining a Printed Soil Survey

A hard copy of the soil survey is available for every county in Michigan with the exception of Alger, Alpena, Benzie, Gogebic, Kalkaska, Keweenaw, Luce, Manistee, Marquette, Ontonagon, Oscoda, Otsego, Roscommon, and Schoolcraft county.  In a number of counties the soil survey is no longer available for distribution but for these counties the soil survey is now available on CD-ROM.  Sections of the survey may also be obtained from the county NRCS office.  To contact a county NRCS office to obtain all or portions of a county soil survey visit the "Contact Us" link at the top of this page.

The following documents require Adobe Acrobat.

Adobe Acrobat DocumentSoil Survey Availability
Adobe Acrobat DocumentSoil Surveys Can Help You
Adobe Acrobat DocumentHomebuyers, Soil Surveys Can Help You
Adobe Acrobat DocumentWeb Soil Survey

Landform Maps

The following document requires Adobe Acrobat.

Adobe Acrobat DocumentLandforms Map of Northern Lower Michigan
Adobe Acrobat DocumentLandforms Map of Upper Peninsula Michigan
Adobe Acrobat DocumentLandforms Report for Michigan Upper Peninsula (8.5 MB)

Obtaining Digital Soils Data

Digital soils data is currently available for two types of user, the user without GIS software available on their computer and the user with GIS software available. 

Users without GIS software

The Michigan State University Institute for Water Research has soil information available in GIS form for 35 counties that can be viewed without GIS software.  To access this information visit their website at http://www.gis.iwr.msu.edu/net21/ssurgo/countypicker.html

Users with GIS software

Forty-five counties in Michigan have digital soils information available through the Soil Survey Geographic Database (SSURGO).  For an explanation of SSURGO standards visit http://www.ftw.nrcs.usda.gov/ssurgo.html 

Visit http://www.ftw.nrcs.usda.gov/ssurgo_ftp3.html to download digital soils information.

Last Modified 07/02/2008