1. Metes and Bounds and Public Land Survey
Land Measurement
Metes and Bounds
and
Public Land Survey

2. Land Measurement is needed for:
Purchase/sale
Agricultural crop compliance
Taxes
Management activities

3. 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

4. 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

5. All distance measurement is assumed to be horizontal
Distance measured along a slope must be adjusted to horizontal distance

6. To adjust slope distance, must know % slope
Elevation change .
Horizontal distance
% Slope =
10 feet
3.5 feet
% slope = 3.5/10
= or 35%

7. Adjusting slope distance to horizontal distance
+ 1

8. Adjusting 1 chain slope to horizontal
(66 feet)2
Horizontal distance =
(0.35)2
+ 1
= 62.3 feet

9. Horizontal Distance for 1 chain on a 35% slope
62.3 feet
66 feet
35% slope

10. Slope distance necessary on a 35% slope for 1 chain horizontal
66 feet
35% slope
69.9 feet

11. Legal Descriptions and Land Survey

12. Two systems used in U.S. Metes and bounds Public Land Survey
Original 13 colonies
Maine
Vermont
West Virginia
Kentucky
Tennessee
Texas
Public Land Survey
Remaining continental states
Alaska
Hawaii

13. Survey Systems in U.S.
Metes & Bounds
Public Land Survey

14. Metes and Bounds System
Mete: A direction, or more often a combination of a distance and direction
i.e N 42o E, chains
Bound: description of the boundary of an adjoining property
i.e. the southwest boundary of the Johnson property

15. 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

16. Public Land Survey
Sometimes referred to as Rectangular Survey

17. 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

18. Early Surveyors’ Equipment
Burt
Solar
Compass

19. 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

21. The Stage is Set in Iowa
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.

22. First Iowa Surveyor

23. The Beginning of PLS in Iowa
Lyon completes 5th PM in Iowa, Dec. 1837
Burt ties in across river, Nov. 20, 1836
5th Principal Meriaian
Burt sets first point on 5th PM in Iowa
W. A. Burt starts survey Oct. 25, 1836

24. Iowa Public Land Survey Years

25. Surveyed PM and Base Line for Iowa
5th PM
Hub is approximately 130 miles SE of Little Rock, Arkansas at the mouth of the St. Francis River
Base Line

26. First rectangle is 24 mi by 24 mi
5th PM
Base Line
Standard
Parallels
24 miles
Guide
Meridians
24 miles
24 miles
24 miles

27. 24 x 24 mile rectangles are subdivided
5th PM
Base Line
24 miles
T2N
T1N
T3N
T4N
Township
6 mi
R1E
R2E
R4E
R3E

28. Beginning of Legal Description
5th PM
Base Line
24 miles
6 mi
R1E
R2E
R4E
R3E
T2N
T1N
T3N
T4N
T3N, R3E, 5PM

29. Each Township is divided
T3N
R3E 1 2 3 4 5 6
Section 11 7 8 9 10 12 36
1 mi.

30. Adding to the Legal Description
T3N
R3E
1 mi. 1 2 3 4 5 6 36 11 7 8 9 10 12
Sec 11,
T3N, R3E, 5PM

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

32. Sections can be subdivided
1 mile
NW 1/4
NE 1/4
SW 1/4
SE 1/4
SE 1/4
Contains 160 Acres

33. Adding to the Legal Description
1 mile
NW 1/4
NE 1/4
SW 1/4
SE 1/4
SE 1/4,
T3N, R3E, 5PM
Sec 11,

34. Further subdivision 1 mile NW 1/4 NE 1/4 NW 1/4 SW 1/4
SE 1/4
NW 1/4
SW 1/4
Contains 40 acres

35. Adding to the Legal Description
1 mile
NE 1/4
NW 1/4
SW 1/4
SE 1/4
NW 1/4,
T3N, R3E, 5PM
Sec 11,
SE 1/4,

36. Further subdivision 1 mile NW 1/4 NE 1/4 NW 1/4 SW 1/4
Contains 10 acres
SW 1/4
SE 1/4

37. Adding to the Legal Description
1 mile
NE 1/4
SW 1/4
SE 1/4
NW 1/4
NW 1/4,
T3N, R3E, 5PM
Sec 11,
SE 1/4,
NW 1/4,

38. Further subdivision 1 mile NW 1/4 NE 1/4 W 1/2 SW 1/4 Contains 5 acres
SE 1/4

39. Adding to the Legal Description
1 mile
NE 1/4
SW 1/4
SE 1/4
NW 1/4
W 1/2,
T3N, R3E, 5PM
Sec 11,
SE 1/4,
NW 1/4,
5 Ac
10 Ac
40 Ac
160 Ac
640 AC