Soil Survey Reports for Saskatchewan

Detailed Soil Survey Reports (1958 - 1998, agricultural area)

These reports and maps are the most detailed hard copy soil survey information available for agricultural Saskatchewan. Early Detail soil mapping (starting in 1958) was undertaken on an area the size of a 1:250,000 NTS map sheet; the published soil reports and maps are referred to as Map Sheet Area Reports and Maps. Soil mapping was undertaken in individual Rural Municipalities (RM's) starting in the early 1980's; the resulting reports and maps are referred to as RM Soil Reports and Maps. Approximately 35% of the agricultural area is covered by Map Sheet Area format soil reports and maps with the remainder of the area being covered by RM format soil reports and maps. Although Map Sheet Area maps were published at scales of 1:126,720 or 1:125,000, and RM maps were published at a scale of 1:100,000, the detail of mapping was similar; this group of reports and maps is collectively referred to as the Detailed 1:100,000 soil map coverage for agricultural Saskatchewan. In cases where a RM would straddle a map sheet boundary, that portion of the RM that occurred in the map sheet area as well as outside the map sheet was combined to produce an entire RM soil map. In such cases, the updated RM soil map extends into the Map Sheet Area, and results in a change to the original rectangular shape of the map sheet, as shown on the color-themed Detailed Soil Surveys in Saskatchewan Index.

One important distinction between the two formats of soil reports is that the Map Sheet Area soil reports indicate the initial soil capability of a soil landscape within a soil polygon, whereas the RM format soil reports indicate the final soil capability for each soil polygon, by considering all soil and landscape limitations. For example, a soil may start out with an initial soil capability rating of Class 3M (moderate moisture limitation), but if the soil occurs on a landscape with strong (10 - 15%) slopes, the final Soil Capability rating would be lowered to Class 4T (severe topography limitation).

The listing of Detail RM soil reports and maps for the agricultural area is organized according to RM number (in Soil Survey report title) in ascending order. Exceptions to this order of listing occur in an area in southeast Saskatchewan where four atlas-format RM soil reports were published. Each atlas report consists of a group of four RMs and each atlas report has been placed in the list of RM format soil reports according to the first RM number of each atlas. Each atlas and associated group of four RMs are as follows: RMs 121, 122, 151, 152; RMs 123, 124, 153, 154; RMs 181, 183, 211, 213; RMs 184, 185, 214, 215. One other atlas report was published for an area in west-central Saskatchewan and includes RMs 379, 380 and 409. The listing of Detail Map Sheet soil reports for the remainder of the agricultural area occurs at the end of the listing for Detail RM soil reports. Soil information for some RM's will be available only through Map Sheet format reports, while other RM's will have individual RM soil reports. Please refer to the Detailed Soil Surveys in Saskatchewan Index map.

Forest Reserve Soil Survey Reports and Maps (1970 - 1982)

Soil Survey for Forest Reserve areas was undertaken within individual 1:250,000 NTS map sheets, for those areas in the map sheet area designated as Forest Reserve; the resulting reports and maps are referred to as Forest Reserve Map Sheet Area Reports and/or Maps. Forest Reserve Soil Survey Reports and/or Maps extend from essentially the northern extent of agriculture north to 55 degrees N. Latitude. Please refer to the Detailed Soil Surveys in Saskatchewan Index map.

Soil Surveys of Indian Reserves in Saskatchewan (1966 - 1969)

Soil Surveys of individual Indian Reserves were conducted and a report with a map was published for each. These soil reports and maps were produced through the support of the Agricultural Rehabilitation and Development Act (ARDA) of June 1961. Soil survey information and Canada Land Inventory (CLI) Soil Capability for Agriculture Ratings are the key pieces of soil resource information in these reports. The final soil capability for each soil polygon is based on the soil landscape information collected in the field, and takes into consideration climatic, soil and landscape limitations. The Reserves are listed according to Reserve No. in ascending order.

Note: Soil surveys for the different Reserves have been updated and each Reserve has been included in the Detailed Map Sheet Area and R.M. format soil survey maps and reports. In the Detail reports and maps, concepts for some soils have changed with new soil names being used, and soil classification has changed for specific soils. The Soil Surveys for Indian Reserves will continue to be useful soil information in that the final soil capability rating for agriculture is presented as text for each unique soil polygon. Once the Detailed Soil Survey information for the agricultural area of Saskatchewan becomes available online, including the single factor map Soil Capability for Agriculture, the Soil Surveys for Indian Reserves reports will then be considered archival documents.

Other Soil Resource Publications

Archival Soil Survey Reports (1923 - 1942)

These soil reports and maps are of a very broad reconnaissance nature and represent the first soil surveys in Saskatchewan. Each report and map covers a limited area within the agricultural region, with the exception of SK10 which covers the area from the Canada - US border up to Township 48.

Note: The soil information in these reports represent early concepts, terminology and understanding of soil classification and development and should not be used for current-day applications. This series of reports is for archival purposes only.

Archival Soil Survey Reports (1944 - 1950)

These soil reports and maps, represent a broad, yet advanced, reconnaissance soil survey product intermediate between report SK10 published in 1936 and the Detailed soil survey report series. These maps may be used for a general overview of the location and extent of major soil types in agricultural Saskatchewan. Although the content in several sections in these reports are still valuable, the concepts of numerous soils have changed with some soil names no longer being used, and soil classification has changed for specific soils.

Note: It is recommended that the user access the Detailed soil survey maps for the most detailed and up-to-date soil information, including soil classification, for the period 1958 to 1998.

Archival Soil Survey Reports (1967- 1970)

The Soil Survey of the Saskatchewan River Delta was a preliminary biophysical study to assess the soils, drainage, vegetation, climate and agricultural potential of this area. The Saskatchewan River Delta area occurs north of the primary agricultural region in an area south and southwest of the settlement of Cumberland House. This information is now replaced by the publication "The Soils of the Provincial Forest in the Pasquia Hills - The Pas Map Areas 63E and 63F" (see publication under Forest Reserve Soil Survey Reports and Maps, 1970 - 1982).

Report No. 14 is a broad schematic of physiographic regions together with a very general description of associated soil types within each of the delineated regions.