Download the National Soil Survey Handbook

To download sections of the NSSH to your system, click on the desired file. (If you do not get a “Save As” box, back up and shift-click on the file by holding down the shift key while clicking the mouse button.)

DOC files require Microsoft Word.

Amendments to the National Soil Survey Handbook

(These changes have been made in the current version of the Handbook and are listed in the “Revisions” section.)

• Amendment 22 (February 2012) (DOC; 51 KB)
• Amendment 21 (December 2011) (DOC; 55 KB)
• Amendment 20 (October 2011) (DOC; 55 KB)
• Amendment 19 (November 2010) (DOC; 55 KB)
• Amendment 18 (October 2009) (DOC; 41 KB)
• Amendment 17 (July 2008) (DOC; 56 KB)
• Amendment 16 (May 2008) (DOC; 37 KB)
• Amendment 15 (April 2008) (DOC; 42 KB)
• Amendment 14 (June 2007) (DOC; 41 KB)
• Amendment 13 (May 2007) (DOC; 37KB)
• Amendment 12 (May 2007) (DOC; 160 KB)
• Amendment 11 (September 2005) (DOC; 53 KB)
• Amendment 10 (December 2003) (DOC; 24 KB)
• Amendment 9 (December 2002) (DOC; 22 KB)
• Amendment 8 (July 2001) (DOC; 20 KB)
• Amendment 7 (May 2001) (DOC; 20 KB)
• Amendment 6 (April 2001) (DOC; 27 KB)
• Amendment 5 (September 1999) (DOC; 47 KB)
• Amendment 4 (September 1998) (DOC; 39 KB)
• Amendment 3 (April 1998) (DOC; 35 KB)
• Amendment 2 (November 1997) (DOC; 19 KB)
• Amendment 1 (September 1997) (DOC; 43 KB)

Note: Unlisted Parts are Reserved

Preface (DOC; 37 KB)

Contents  (DOC; 37 KB) -- 2010

Parts 600 to 604 – General

Part 600 – Introduction (DOC; 68 KB) -- 2002

Part 601 – National Cooperative Soil Survey Organization (DOC; 111 KB) -- 2011

Part 602 – National Cooperative Soil Survey Conferences (DOC; 238 KB) -- 2011

Parts 605 to 612 – Operations And Management

Part 606 – Working Agreements (DOC; 144 KB) -- 2011

Part 607 – Initial Soil Survey Preparation (DOC; 105 KB) -- 2007

Part 608 – Program Management (DOC; 1.34 MB) -- 2011

Part 609 – Quality Control, Quality Assurance, and Soil Correlation (DOC; 514 KB) -- 2008

Part 610 – Updating Soil Surveys (DOC; 270 KB) -- 2011

Parts 613 to 616 – Soil Classification

Part 614 – Applying Soil Taxonomy (DOC; 198 KB) -- 2005

Part 615 – Amendments to Soil Taxonomy

Parts 617 to 625 – Soil Interpretations

Part 617 – Soil Survey Interpretations (DOC; 177 KB) -- 2009

Part 618 – Soil Properties and Qualities (DOC; 2.16 MB) -- 2010

Part 621 – Soil Potential Ratings (DOC; 84 KB) -- 1996

Part 622 – Ecological and Interpretative Groups (DOC; 256 KB) -- 2008

Part 624 – Soil Quality (DOC; 41 KB) -- 2002

Parts 626 to 636 – Soil Survey Field Procedures

Part 627 – Legend Development and Data Collection (DOC; 2.59 MB) -- 2012

Part 629 – Glossary of Landform and Geologic Terms (DOC; 1.08 MB) -- 2008

Part 630 – Benchmark Soils (DOC; 107 KB) -- 2009

Part 631 – Soil Survey Investigations (DOC; 103 KB) -- 2011

Parts 637 to 643 – Soil Survey Information Systems

Part 638 – Soil Data Systems (DOC; 46 KB) -- 2010

Part 639 – National Soil Information System (NASIS) (DOC; 68 KB) -- 2010

Parts 644 to 646 – Soil Survey Publications

Part 644 – Delivering Soil Survey Information (DOC; 594 KB) -- 2007

Parts 647 to 650 – Soil Maps

Part 647 – Soil Map Development (DOC; 729 KB) -- 2012

Part 649 – Land Resource Regions and Major Land Resource Areas (DOC; 115 KB) -- 2011

Parts 651 to 659 – Information Delivery

Part 651 – Advance Soil Survey Information (DOC; 57 KB) -- 2007

Part 655 – Technical Soil Services (DOC; 60 KB) -- 2011

 

Legacy Soil Interpretation Rating Guides (1993 NSSH, Part 620) - Provided for historical use only (DOC; 492 KB)