In 2006, soil samples were collected at 960 sites (1 site per 280 square kilometers) throughout the state of Colorado. These samples were collected from a depth of 0–15 centimeters and, following a near-total multi-acid digestion, were analyzed for a suite of more than 40 major and trace elements. The resulting data set provides a baseline for the natural variation in soil geochemistry for Colorado and forms the basis for detecting changes in soil composition that might result from natural processes or anthropogenic activities. This report describes the sampling and analytical protocols used and makes available all the soil geochemical data generated in the study.

Posted September 1, 2010