The newly updated Soil Survey Manual (issued March 2017), USDA Handbook No. 18, provides the major principles and practices needed for making and using soil surveys and for assembling and using related data. The Manual serves as a guiding document for activities of the National Cooperative Soil Survey (NCSS). Previously published in 1937, 1951, and 1993, the Soil Survey Manual is one of the defining documents for soil survey in the world.

Hard cover copies of the Soil Survey Manual are available from the NRCS Distribution Center at https://nrcspad.sc.egov.usda.gov/DistributionCenter/; e-mail nrcsdistributioncenter@ia.usda.gov; or call (888) 526-3227.

Soft copies are available here.