Information on soil

The USDA developed soil indicator fact sheets. These two page fact sheets provide a nice overview for several important soil properties, such as infiltration, water storage, and bulk density.

Cornell University has developed a manual for soil health and soil health assessment. The manual provides detailed discussion of several soil indicators, methods of analysis including sample collection, interpretation of results, and management strategies.

Minnesota soil suborders. Image University of Minnesota.

Information: This page provides links to pages and external sources of information on soils. Links in red have not been developed yet.

• General soil information
  • Overview and role of soil in stormwater management
  • Soil classification
• Soil properties and processes
  • Soil erodibility
  • Soil physical properties and processes
  • Soil chemical properties and processes
  • Soil biologic properties and processes
  • Soil hydrologic properties and processes
• Managing soils
  • Alleviating compaction from construction activities
  • Erosion prevention practices
  • Sediment control practices
  • Stormwater and soil, engineered (bioretention) media, and media amendments
  • Guidance for amending soils with rapid or high infiltration rates
  • Soil restoration - contents
  • Soil contamination - contents
• Soil measurements and methods
  • Determining soil infiltration rates
  • Understanding and interpreting soils and soil boring reports for infiltration BMPs
  • Soil sampling and tests
  • Assessing soil suitability for stormwater applications - contents
  • Assessing soil health and function
• Tabled values
  • Soil water storage properties
  • Specific yields for geologic materials
  • Design infiltration rates
• Soil resources and maps
  • Web Soil Survey
  • Digital Soil Mapping in Minnesota
  • Published soil surveys in Minnesota
  • Soil orders and suborders in Minnesota
  • Minnesota SWCDs on the web