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 = 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) = 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 Descriptions and 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 42 o 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

BurtSolarCompass 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 5 th PM in Iowa, Dec Burt sets first point on 5 th PM in Iowa The Beginning of PLS in Iowa 5 th Principal Meriaian

Iowa Public Land Survey Years

Surveyed PM and Base Line for Iowa 5th PM 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 Standard Parallels Guide Meridians 24 miles

24 x 24 mile rectangles are subdivided 5th PM Base Line 24 miles 6 mi Township R1ER2ER4ER3E T2N T1N T3N T4N

Beginning of Legal Description T3N, R3E, 5PM 5th PM Base Line 24 miles 6 mi R1ER2E R4E R3E T2N T1N T3N T4N

Each Township is divided T3N R3E 1 mi. Section

Adding to the Legal Description T3N, R3E, 5PMSec 11, T3N R3E 1 mi

Section Corners were marked during survey Gives rise to an interesting possible hobby

Sections can be subdivided 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 NW 1/4 NE 1/4 SW 1/4 SE 1/4

Further subdivision 1 mile NE 1/4NW 1/4 SW 1/4SE 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 NE 1/4NW 1/4 SW 1/4SE 1/4 NE 1/4NW 1/4 SW 1/4

Further subdivision 1 mile NE 1/4 SW 1/4SE 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, 1 mile NE 1/4 SW 1/4SE 1/4 NE 1/4NW 1/4 SW 1/4

Further subdivision 1 mile NE 1/4 SW 1/4SE 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 Ac 5 Ac 160 Ac640 AC T3N, R3E, 5PM Sec 11, SE 1/4, NW 1/4, 1 mile NE 1/4 SW 1/4SE 1/4 NE 1/4NW 1/4 SW 1/4