1. Proclib: How to Find Township, Range and Section
Tool for investigating Public Land Survey Location

2. Purpose
Many times air photos are listed by PLS designation (this is certainly the case for Bellingham). To discover the air photo that covers a certain location it is necessary to first find the Township Range and Section identifier. The internet program described below does just that,

3. For Washington State Go to Web Site
Make sure the TRS box is clicked (if necessary)

4. For Washington State Go to Web Site
Click on “Open in Map Viewer”
Zoom into location where PLS data desired and it should appear (see next slides).

5. Zoom in until you can read text

6. Keep Zooming

7. North East corner of Township 38 Range 03 Section 32
Now you can read Township Range and Section each as two digit numbers (see next slide)

8. National Data Site– anywhere in USA – a little difficult to read but with patience you should be able to use it.
And turn on PLSS data layer (see next page)
Zoom in, if you’re real lucky you can read the TRS.

9. Click on Map

10. Click on PLSS Tools

11. Hit Add to Map and then zoom in wherever you wish

13. Aerial View

14. Road View

15. Base View
Note in the upper right the rectangle is for 38N 3E 31 or Range 38 Township 03 Section 31.

16. Originator: p. buckley, 6/12/2012 contact: patrick.buckley@wwu.edu
Updated: p.buckley 5/15/2018