This RRTAC manual has been published to provide reclamation and conservation planners with information and guidelines to help understand and use soil inventory data. This manual does not replace the need for site-specific 'soil inventory information – it merely provides guidelines for interpreting the maps and reports. The information and interpretations are presented as typical examples - not as rules or regulations. The soil series included in this manual correspond to those in the Generation 2 Alberta Soil Names File (Alberta Soil Series Working Group 1992), which is part of the Alberta Soil Information System (Alta SIS). For access to any published Alberta Soil Survey information contact Publications, Alberta Research Council, Edmonton (Phone 450-5390). Part 1 of this manual is a background and explanatory section that describes the terminology used in soil surveys and presents the assumptions and conventions upon which the interpretations are based. Part 2 presents typical data and interpretations for each soil series in Alberta. The interpretations were made by applying the guidelines presented in Part 1, and checking the results against experience and established practice.