A State-wide View of “Section Corner” Data Naming Convention allows IndianaMap users to link directly to County Section Corner Information Lorraine Wright, Geologist, & GISP IGIC Cadastral, Boundaries, PLSS Workgroup Chair Engineering and GIS Section Science Services Branch Office of Land Quality Indiana Department of Environmental Management

Indiana Geographic Information Council Cadastral, Boundaries, PLSS Workgroup Tie Card Project Workgroup members –IDEM –IGIC –Indiana Society of Professional Land Surveyors –County Surveyor’s Association –Office of Geodetic Advisor –Public and private companies –Local, County, and State Government and Universities –Joe Mullins, Hamilton Co. –John Milburn, County Surveyor’s Association –Beth Hippensteel, Volunteer –Phil Worrall, IGIC –Jim Sparks, IN GIO –Robert Mueller, Land Office –Steve Claycomb, INDOT –Lorraine Wright, IDEM –Jim Swift, Boone Co. –Bryan Catlin, Marion Co. –Beth Hippensteel, Volunteer –Henry Aldridge, INDOT –Danielle Kindig, Newton Co. –Mike Williamson, Newton Co. –Bob Wilkinson, DNR

Section Corner A section corner is a basic unit of the Public Land Survey System (PLSS) –It is used to locate and identify land, particularly for titles and deeds. –Sections are referenced by using the basic units of the PLSS: Township (T), Range (R), and Section (ex: T15N,R3E,9).

Section Corners Section Corner information is obtained from the County Surveyor’s Office. Each county has it’s own Section Corner naming convention. Section Corner description cards are also referred to as Tie Cards. Only recently have traditional surveying methods included GPS coordinates. Most surveying information does not have GPS coordinates.

Surveying Our Public Lands 2002-Surveying Our Public Lands Latest Edition, BLM Public Land Survey System

Section Divisions as referenced in deeds, titles, and plats.

PLSS County Section Corner Description and Grid Point Name Correlate Grid Point naming convention associated with PLSS corner

Cadastral, Boundaries, PLSS Workgroup The Workgroup was tasked with developing a state-wide PLSS section corner GIS layer GIS layers are based on coordinates Most Surveyor’s PLSS section corners don’t have coordinates How could we develop a state-wide layer?

Tie Card Project: A GIS Framework Layer Process for Combining County Tie Cards into a Statewide GIS System 1. Developed a File Naming Convention -Surveyors describe a Public Land Survey Section corner (ex. NE ¼ corner, NE 1/4, NE1/4, Section 03,T23N, R06W) -Counties have different names for the ¼, ¼, ¼ corners -Needed a way to link different data together Statewide naming convention IN02_T23NR06E03_08 Computer File Name will include – (example) State Name and Principal Meridian – IN02 Township number – T23 Township direction – N Range number – R06 Range direction – E Section – 03 Grid Number – 08 (Grid numbering system begins with 00 in upper left hand of section and ends in 80, bottom right corner) 2. Developed a GRID Point GIS Layer -The Grid Point GIS layer was computer generated using the GIS section boundary layer Bartholomew Co. IN02_T9NR5E (sections 1-36) Grid Points Sections -The Grid Point layer was develop as part of the Tie Card Pilot Project -Each point is named with the statewide naming convention 3. Developed the Renaming Software -Tie Card Renaming Software (created by Brian Wood) -Created to enable the scanned image of the Tie Cards to be renamed with the statewide naming convention -Creates a database of the scanned images with County name and new naming convention 4. Created a Geographic Information System (GIS) Surveyor Tie Card Layer -Link the Grid Point layer to the database created after using the renaming software 5. Bartholomew County – -Click on Grid Point and the Tie Card pops up Section 20. T9NR5E, Second Meridian Grid Points, Bartholomew Co. 6. Scanned Tie Card -Pops up when you click on the point 7. Created a website to provide easy access to Surveyor Tie Card information -Tie Card Layer includes: Bartholomew, Newton, Jennings, Marion and Wayne County data -Available on the IndianaMap website -GIS allows one to click on a point associated with a scanned image of the tie card and the tie card will pop up on the computer screen 8. Disclaimer added to inform the public of use restrictions 9. Tools added to make it easy to search -Zoom to location or Area -Enter the Township, Range and Section -Use the hyperlink tool to click on the Corner of interest -The Tie Card pops up Definition - A Tie Card is a scanned image of a County’s Public Land Survey System Section Corner Description By Lorraine Wright, IDEM, November 9, 2010, Source: Lorraine Wright – IDEM IGIC Cadastral, Boundaries, PLSS Bartholomew, Jennings, Newton, Marion, and Wayne Co Tie Cards; Brian Wood –Grid Points and Renaming Software; IndianaMap; and Indiana Geological Survey – website

Developed a state-wide naming convention Grid Point file naming convention –IN02_T23NR06E03_08 –State Name and Prime Meridian – IN02 –Township number - T23 –Township direction – N –Range number – R06 –Range direction – E –Section – 03 –Grid Number – 08 (Grid numbering system begins with 00 in upper left hand of section and ends in 80, bottom left corner)

Layer used to generate Grid Point layer

Tie Card Project Grids points were created for ¼, ¼, ¼ section corners Computer generated Grid Point layer (numbering )

Grid points used for locating section corners that define County Boundaries (00, 04, 08, 36, 40, 44, 72, 76, 80) NW corner NE corner SW corner SE corner

Renaming Software for Tie Card Project

Each Grid Point would have a different T,R, Section reference Each section corner can have up to 4 grid points The Grid point description depends on which section the PLSS corner was surveyed from

Disclaimer: Most of the counties (in color) showed interest in participating in the project during 2007 or earlier. Some of the counties polled may not have the same County Surveyor in office that was there in 2007 or earlier. A new poll should be conducted since the data is outdated and because there is a new mechanism available that allows easier data sharing than the method used in 2007.

Newton MarionWayne Bartholomew Jennings The Surveyor Tie Card layer is located on the IndianaMap (five counties are completed)

Tie Card Project

Summary Tie Card Project –Created a Tie Card Video – includes a summary of IGIC and the process steps to participate in the Tie Card Project –Working with participating County Surveyors –Working with County Surveyors Association and ISPLS –Linking to participating Counties data as time permits

Cadastral, Boundaries, PLSS Workgroup –Comments and suggestions welcome For more information contact: Lorraine Wright Indiana Department of Environmental Management (317) IGIC website: Workgroup Website: