land measurement metes and bounds and public land survey
TRANSCRIPT
Land Measurement
Metes and Bounds
and
Public Land Survey
Land Measurement is needed for:
Purchase/sale Agricultural crop compliance Taxes Management activities
Commonly used length units
1 mile = 5280 feet = 80 chains
1 chain = 66 feet = 100 links
1 rod = 16.5 feet
4 rods = 1 chain
Commonly used area units
1 acre = 43,560 square feet
10 square chains = 1 acre
1 square mile = 640 acres m/l
1 hectare = 10,000 square meters
1 hectare = 2.471 acres
All distance measurement is assumed to be horizontal
Distance measured along a slope must be adjusted to
horizontal distance
To adjust slope distance, must know % slope
10 feet
3.5 feet % slope = 3.5/10
= 0.35 or 35%
Elevation change . Horizontal distance
% Slope =
Adjusting slope distance to horizontal distance
Horizontal distance = (Slope distance)2
(%Slope)2 + 1
Adjusting 1 chain slope to horizontal
Horizontal distance =(66 feet)2
(0.35)2 + 1
= 62.3 feet
Horizontal Distance for 1 chain on a 35% slope
62.3 feet
66 feet
35% slope
Slope distance necessary on a 35% slope for 1 chain
horizontal
35% slope
66 feet
69.9 feet
Legal Descriptionsand
Land Survey
Two systems used in U.S.
Metes and bounds Original 13 colonies Maine Vermont West Virginia Kentucky Tennessee Texas
Public Land Survey Remaining
continental states Alaska Hawaii
Survey Systems in U.S.
Public Land Survey
Metes & Bounds
Metes and Bounds System
Mete: A direction, or more often a combination of a distance and direction
i.e. N 42o E, 16.3 chains
Bound: description of the boundary of an adjoining property
i.e. the southwest boundary of the Johnson property
Metes & Bounds Problems
Difficult to reconstruct Often inaccurate
Kentucky had 1,275,000 acres not recorded
Virginia 40 counties with 554,000 ac. more than their
combined area 55 counties with 370,000 ac. less than their
combined land area
Public Land Survey
Sometimes referred to as Rectangular Survey
Public Land Survey
Started in Ohio in 1785 Provides a very uniform method for
land description Easy to re-establish Less likelihood of errors than with
Metes and Bounds
BurtBurtSolarSolarCompassCompass
Early Surveyors’ Equipment
Each PLS survey starts from a known hub
Hubs were usually established at the confluence of two rivers
Locations were determined accurately by celestial observation
On December 18, 1832, Jenifer T. Sprigg crossed the Mississippi into Iowa near what is now Fort Madison and set a marker at the common corner of sections 1, 12, 6, and 7 in Tier 67 North Ranges 4 and 5 West.
The Stage is Set in Iowa
First Iowa Surveyor
W. A. Burt starts survey Oct. 25, 1836
Burt ties in across river, Nov. 20, 1836
Lyon completes 5th PM in Iowa, Dec. 1837
Burt sets first point on 5th PM in Iowa
The Beginning of PLS in Iowa
5th Principal Meriaian
Iowa Public Land Survey Years
1839-1841
1842-1843
1844-1846
1847-1849
1850-1852
1853-1855
1856-1858
Surveyed PM and Base Linefor
Iowa5t
h P
M
Base Line
Hub is approximately 130 miles SE of Little Rock, Arkansas at the mouth of the St. Francis River
First rectangle is 24 mi by 24 mi
5th
PM
Base Line
StandardParallels
Guide Meridians
24 m
iles
24 m
iles
24 miles
24 miles
24 x 24 mile rectangles are subdivided
5th PM
Base Line
24 miles
24 m
iles
6 mi6 m
iTownship
R1E R2E R4ER3E
T2N
T1N
T3N
T4N
Beginning of Legal Description
T3N, R3E, 5PM
5th PM
Base Line
24 miles
24 m
iles
6 mi6 m
i
R1E R2E R4ER3E
T2N
T1N
T3N
T4N
Each Township is divided
T3N
R3E
1 mi.
1 mi.
Section
123456
36
117 8 9 10 12
Adding to the Legal Description
T3N, R3E, 5PMSec 11,
T3N
R3E1 mi.
1 mi.
123456
36
117 8 9 10 12
Section Corners were marked during survey
Gives rise to an interesting possible hobby
Sections can be subdivided
1 mile
1 mile
SE 1/4
Contains 160 Acres
NW 1/4 NE 1/4
SW 1/4 SE 1/4
Adding to the Legal Description
T3N, R3E, 5PMSec 11,SE 1/4,
1 mile
1 mile
NW 1/4 NE 1/4
SW 1/4 SE 1/4
Further subdivision
1 mile
1 mile
NE 1/4NW 1/4
SW 1/4 SE 1/4
NW 1/4
Contains 40 acres
NE 1/4NW 1/4
SW 1/4
Adding to the Legal Description
T3N, R3E, 5PMSec 11,SE 1/4,NW 1/4,
1 mile
1 mile
NE 1/4NW 1/4
SW 1/4 SE 1/4
NE 1/4NW 1/4
SW 1/4
Further subdivision
1 mile
1 mile
NE 1/4
SW 1/4 SE 1/4
NW 1/4
Contains 10 acres
NE 1/4NW 1/4
SW 1/4
Adding to the Legal Description
T3N, R3E, 5PMSec 11,SE 1/4,NW 1/4,NW 1/4,
1 mile
1 mile
NE 1/4
SW 1/4 SE 1/4
NE 1/4NW 1/4
SW 1/4
Further subdivision
1 mile
1 mile
NE 1/4
SW 1/4 SE 1/4
W 1/2
Contains 5 acres
NE 1/4NW 1/4
SW 1/4
Adding to the Legal Description
W 1/2,
40 Ac10 Ac5 Ac 160 Ac 640 AC
T3N, R3E, 5PMSec 11,SE 1/4,NW 1/4,NW 1/4,
1 mile
1 mile
NE 1/4
SW 1/4 SE 1/4
NE 1/4NW 1/4
SW 1/4