Soil Survey Reports for Manitoba

Detailed Soil Survey Reports

Detailed Soil Reports (1:20,000, 1:40,000, 1:50,000) provide detailed and comprehensive soil resource information to supplement and expand on information contained in the Reconnaissance soil survey reports. As well as basic soil information, a variety of derived and interpretive maps can be generated including Soil Suitability for Agriculture, Soil Suitability for Irrigation, Drainage, Salinity, Potential Impact of Irrigation.

The two concepts of "intensity of mapping" and "map scale" refer to different but closely related aspects of a soil survey. The Survey Intensity Level (SIL) is defined by the number of field inspections per unit area. Survey Intensity Levels range from SIL1 (very detailed) to SIL5 (exploratory in nature). Map scale is the scale of publication. In general an SIL1 relates to 1:5,000 map scale, an SIL3 relates to a 1:20,000 to 1:50,000 map scale and an SIL5 related to a 1:100,000 or smaller map scale. The provincial soil survey program places the emphasis on map scale in its program. Field inspection sites for a 1:20,000 map scale (3.2 inches to 1 mile) requires 25-30 inspection sites per section of land and a 1:50,000 map scale (1.5 inches to 1 mile) requires 16 inspections per section. A two-person crew usually maps one section per day.

Reconnaissance Soil Survey Reports

Reconnaissance Soil Survey reports provide a systematic inventory of Manitoba's soil resource at a scale of 1:100,000, 1:126,720 and 1:125 000. A report consists of a coloured map which indicates the distribution and area of soil map units and a report which provides a general description of the surveyed area, physical features, factors affecting soil development and an evaluation of the soil's agricultural, engineering and urban uses.

Biophysical Land Classification Reports

A system of inventory known as a "biophysical land classification" was used to describe various land attributes such as a soil, surficial deposits, landforms, permafrost and water in northern and eastern Manitoba. Interpretation of this basic information for environmental sensitivity, capability for wildlife, forestry, recreation etc. is possible by relating it to more dynamic features such as vegetation and wildlife populations within an overall climatic framework.

Soils and Terrain Information Bulletins

Soil survey of Manitoba's rural municipalities.

Special reports

These reports include a number of very detailed research study area reports, typically at 1,5000 scale, as well as some very large scale reports of the entire province at 1.5M and 1:2M scale.