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Kellogg Soil Survey Laboratory Guidance

Documents that guide the Kellogg Soil Survey Laboratory (KSSL) include laboratory methods and manuals, soil sample submission documentation, requests for assistance, and NRCS field guides.

Laboratory Methods and Manuals

Kellogg Soil Survey Laboratory Methods Manual, SSIR 42, Version 6.0 (2022) (17.32 MB)
Kellogg Soil Survey Laboratory Methods Manual, SSIR 42, Version 6.0, Part 2: Obsolete Methods (2022) (4.5 MB)
Soil Survey Laboratory Information Manual, SSIR 45, Version 2.0 (2011) (10.48 MB)
Soil Survey Field and Laboratory Methods Manual, SSIR 51, Version 2.0 (2014) (10.31 MB)
NRCS Soil Survey Office Laboratory Safety Guide, Version 3.0 (2022) (290.95 KB)
A Routine Laboratory Method to Determine Phosphorus Availability, Capacity, & Release Characteristics for Soils, SSIR 55 (2016) (1.11 MB)

Soil Sample Submission

"Soil Sample Submission Protocol for the KSSL" explains the procedures for submitting soil samples to the KSSL. Each project requires a KSSL project sheet, and each pedon within a project requires a KSSL submission workbook (either a standard submission workbook or a submission workbook specific to DSP projects).  
 

Soil Sample Submission Protocol for the KSSL (4/23) (2.78 MB)
KSSL Project Sheet (10/19/22) (21.61 KB)
KSSL Sample Submission Workbook (8/14/24) (84.66 KB)
KSSL Sample Submission Workbook for DSP Projects (8/14/24) (79.17 KB)

KSSL Requests for Assistance

The KSSL soil archive currently has limited availability. For assistance with the archive, please email Rich Ferguson at rich.ferguson@usda.gov.

Request for Assistance Supplemental Guidance (301.04 KB)
Sampling Equipment (200.69 KB)

NRCS Field Guides

NRCS field guides include the "Field Book for Describing and Sampling Soils," which provides standards for observing and recording soil and site characteristics, and "Field Indicators of Hydric Soils in the United States," which is a guide for identifying and delineating hydric soils.

Contact Soils

Please contact us if you see something that needs to be updated, if you have any questions, or if you need accessibility assistance.

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