1. 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 = 2.471 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 10 feet 3.5 feet % slope = 3.5/10 = 0.35 or 35% Elevation change. Horizontal distance % Slope =

7. Adjusting slope distance to horizontal distance Horizontal distance = (Slope distance) 2 (%Slope) 2 + 1

8. Adjusting 1 chain slope to horizontal Horizontal distance = (66 feet) 2 (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 35% slope 66 feet 69.9 feet

11. Legal Descriptions and Land Survey

12. 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

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

14. 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

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. BurtSolarCompass Early Surveyors’ Equipment

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. 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

22. First Iowa Surveyor

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

24. Iowa Public Land Survey Years 1839-1841 1842-1843 1844-1846 1847-1849 1850-1852 1853-1855 1856-1858

25. 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

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

27. 24 x 24 mile rectangles are subdivided 5th PM Base Line 24 miles 6 mi Township R1ER2ER4ER3E T2N T1N T3N T4N

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

29. Each Township is divided T3N R3E 1 mi. Section 123456 36 11 7891012

30. Adding to the Legal Description T3N, R3E, 5PMSec 11, T3N R3E 1 mi. 123456 36 11 78910 12

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

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

33. 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

34. 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

35. 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

36. 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

37. 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

38. 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

39. 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