Surficial Geology of Minnesota GIS Data
Author: Bradley Miller
This raster dataset presents a detailed map of surface geologic (parent) materials across Minnesota. It is based on soil delineations from detailed maps at scales of 1:24,000 to 1:12,000. These were merged into the gSSURGO spatial database by USDA-NRCS and interpreted at a 10-meter resolution by Iowa State University’s Geospatial Laboratory for Soil Informatics (GLSI) to classify parent materials to a depth of 2 meters.
Interpretation Method
Surficial material types were derived from NRCS Official Soil Series Descriptions (OSD), with supplemental interpretation applied where necessary using soil profile data and spatial correlation to nearby mapped series. The classification reflects generalized geologic origins such as alluvium, glacial till, outwash, loess, and bedrock.
Applications and Visualization Tips
This dataset helps visualize and analyze the geologic context of Minnesota’s landscapes, supporting research in soil genesis, hydrology, and landform development. Overlaying this dataset on high-resolution hillshades or elevation models is especially effective in highlighting the relationship between surface geology and terrain.
Resolution and Coverage
10-meter raster resolution covering the entire state of Minnesota.
GIS Map Folder Download
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GIS Map Details
This raster is a highly detailed map of geologic materials at the surface (delineations made from maps at 1:24,000 to 1:12,000 scale). The smaller extent maps were merged together by USDA-NRCS to produce the gSSURGO spatial database, covering the entire state at a 10m resolution. The gSSURGO map was then interpreted by Iowa State University’s Geospatial Laboratory for Soil Informatics (GLSI) for parent material, which is equivalent to the geologic material to a depth of 2 meters from the surface. Surficial material attributes were extracted from the NRCS official soil series descriptions (OSD), but at times some additional interpretation was needed based on typical soil profile properties and spatial relationships with better-defined soil series. Because of the common relationship between surficial geology and topography, digital elevation models would be complementary to this data set. Draping this surfical geology data set over hillshades derived from fine resolution elevation data works especially well.
References
Miller, B.A. and C.L. Burras. 2015. Comparison of surficial geology maps based on soil survey and in depth geological survey. Soil Horizons 56(1). doi:10.2136/sh14-05-0005.
Soil Survey Staff. 2014. Official Soil Series Descriptions (OSD). United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service. https://soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/osdname.asp
Soil Survey Staff. 2014. Gridded Soil Survey Geographic (gSSURGO). United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service. http://datagateway.nrcs.usda.gov