The Soil Survey Investigations Division (USDA SCS) formed in 1952 with Dr. Guy D. Smith as Director.� Dr. Robert V. Ruhe headed field Soil-Geomorphology Investigations.� Dr. Lyle T. Alexander headed field soil sampling and generation of analytical analyses in support of the soil survey mapping program.� In the reorganization, Dr. Guy D. Smith was given staff leadership in development of a new classification system, later called Soil Taxonomy.� In developing the system, he drew heavily on research carried out by the laboratoies and that by university colleagues and those� overseas, particularly in Ghent, Belgium.

Four Soil-Geomorphology projects were established:� 1) Eastern Iowa on the Iowan Erosion Surface, Bob Ruhe; 2) Desert Project in southern New. Mexico, Leland Gile and John Hawley; 3) Atlantic Coastal Plain Project in eastern North Carolina, Ray Daniels, Erling Gambel, and Dennis Nettleton; 4) �Wilamette Valley in Oregon, Roger Parsons and C. A. Balstar.�

Dr. Lyle T. Alexander headed operations of Soil Survey Laboratories in Beltsville MD; Lincoln NE, Robert Grossman; and Riverside CA, Klaus Flach; that provided soil sampling and analytical support for Soil Survey Field Parties.� Laboratory projects were engaged jointly with the Land-Grant University faculty representative.� The 3 laboratories combined in 1975 to form the National Soil Survey Lab (NSSL) in Lincoln, NE.� The major tasks were soil characterization to support accelerated soil mapping and revision of the water and wind erosion models.� The eruption of Mt. St. Helens produced a unique opportunity to examine volcanic ash, its aerial distribution, and its composition.� With help from USAID soils in several were sampled countries to be analyzed and classified at NSSL.� �Soil Taxonomy was promoted as a common communication tool.