A simple approach to a complex concept, Jeff gives students practical guidance that can be used on any Government Rectangular Survey question. You have 80 acres in that plot of land, and that is your answer. Think about two more lines running up and down the page on top of the first two lines, also about an inch apart. The system was further modified to facilitate the transfer of large quantities of government-owned western lands to . 2021 KnowYourGovernment.netContact us: [emailprotected], Introduction to administration of Web Survey System Part 2, Estimating a weighted average CSR2 in Iowa using the USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey, How To Find Lost Money From The Government, What Is The Interest Rate On Government Student Loans, Local Government Federal Credit Union App, When Is Open Enrollment For Government Healthcare, Government Grants For Commercial Real Estate, Government Regulations For Nonprofit Organizations, Surveyor General of the Northwest Territory, Energy Efficient Windows Government Grants, Mortgage Loans For Federal Government Employees, Free Government Foreclosure Listings With Pictures. Sections can be further subdivided into quarter sections, quarter-quarter sections, or irregular government lots. All township locations are defined by referencing how from they are from the principal meridian and baseline. The government rectangular survey method is a legal description for land. The federal government developed the rectangular survey system, or government survey method, to simplify and standardize property descriptions as a replacement for the cumbersome and often inaccurate metes and bounds method. It is considered as one of the most significant subdividing of the United States mainland. It isn't used by East Coast states except, Florida, and it also isn't used by Texas. The grid creates six-mile square townships that can then be further divided into 36 sections of one square mile each. Novation in Real Estate | Novation of Contract. Townships are subdivided into 36 one-mile- square sections. Every fourth township line is called a correction line, and every fourth range line is called a guide meridian. Attachments & Severance in Real Estate: Definitions, Examples & Laws. ","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":9566,"name":"John A. Yoegel","slug":"john-a-yoegel","description":"
John A. Yoegel, PhD, is a certified real estate instructor and former board member of the Real Estate Educators Association. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. TRID Guidelines & Compliance Checklist | What is TRID? The following table indicates some distance and area conversions in the PLSS: The states that use the rectangular survey system are:Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Alabama, and Florida. We have Quarter sections, Half sections, township sections, townships, quadrangles, and principal meridians with baselines. Get unlimited access to over 88,000 lessons. They are often combined to create a more accurate map of property boundaries. It is primarily used throughout the United States with the exception of the thirteen colonies, which was surveyed by the metes and bound method . These townships are not the same as political subdivisions.\r\n
Each township is further divided into 36 sections of one square mile each, or 640 acres, by horizontal and vertical section lines. Each township is further divided into 36 sections of one square mile each, or 640 acres, by horizontal and vertical section lines. Imagine trying to draw straight lines on a rubber ball. Whenever properties have irregular boundaries, the land may be further described using one of the two other systems described in this section. Graphic depiction of the Rectangular Survey System. These townships are not the same as political subdivisions.\r\n
Each township is further divided into 36 sections of one square mile each, or 640 acres, by horizontal and vertical section lines. Rectangular Government Survey. You may have math questions on your real estate licensing exam related to this concept. The following is a list of helpful terms:\r\n
\r\n \t- Quadrangles: The basic squares of land of the rectangular survey system, quadrangles (also government checks, or just checks) are 24 miles square (that means each side is 24 miles long) and are delineated by a principal meridian and a baseline. It is a rectangular approach to surveying the land breaking the district down to quadrangles of 24 miles. The area created by the intersection of a township line and a range line is a township. )\r\nThe description probably would include the state and county in which the property is located and use abbreviations. Baselines run parallel to the earths equator, from east to west. The townships are consecutively numbered by their location within the intersection of multiple range lines and township lines. This process continues, creating a smaller and smaller grid that can be used to identify the specific location of any property. succeed. True of False - When land is mapped on the rectangular survey system, you locate the parcel by reading the directions from left to right. The area created by the intersection of a township line and a range line is a township. Correction lines occur at every fourth township line or every 24 miles north and south of the baseline. The township is the basic unit of measurement in the rectangular survey system. Also Check: Government Regulations For Nonprofit Organizations. Townships have an area of 36 square miles, more or less, and are each further divided into 36 sections.
\r\n \t- Sections: The divisions of a township, sections, are one mile square and have an area of one square mile, or 640 acres. The range and township lines create a 36-square-mile area called a township. The area created by the intersection of a township line and a range line is a township. These divisions mean just that. The lines are spaced 24 miles apart, creating squares that are around 576 square miles. In reality, because of this earth curvature issue, many sections and townships vary from their exact area measurements. ","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"The rectangular survey system, often referred to as the government survey system, is based on a system of lines that form rectangles and squares throughout the United States. The rectangular survey system, often referred to as the government survey system, is based on a system of lines that form rectangles and squares throughout the. Government Survey System or Public Land Survey System functions just like a mailing label on an envelope. Sections also are numbered consecutively. The first set of lines are called the principal meridians and run north and south. PLSS The Public Land Survey System is a way of subdividing and describing land in the United States. The Rectangular Survey System, also known as the Government Survey System or Public Land Survey System, is a method of plotting land boundaries in the United States using a large grid made up of rectangles. Since the earth is not flat like a checkerboard, there needed to be some adjustments made along the way to make sure everything worked out. The system is also relatively easy to understand, as it is basically a single grid laid over the land. Where a baseline meets a principal meridian is called a point of origin. Dont Miss: Small Business Loan Government Programs. Take for example there is a shared baseline in both Nebraska and Kansas as both states border is at the 40th parallel north. This point will be the basis for all government surveys in the area it controls, and its latitude and longitude are fixed by astronomical observations. For example, a piece of land could be identified as the southeast quarter of section 18 of a township, which would be 160 acres. Course Hero is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university. The PLSS is actually a series of surveys that divide land into townships that are six miles. You need to know what these lines are called and how they intersect for your real estate license exam. Putting the above description into words is half of a quarter section. However, rivers can be moved, and trees can die, so as you can see, this method is wildly inaccurate over time. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. You may be asked to identify sections in the Rectangular Survey System, so remember the order from specific to general. So, you can refer to the south (S) 1/2 of the northwest (NW) 1/4 of a section in a township, for example. Townships are 36 miles square, 6 miles on each side, and are located within quadrangles. 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The survey system essentially functions the same way. So, you can refer to the south (S) 1/2 of the northwest (NW) 1/4 of a section in a township, for example. Each half or quarter section can be further subdivided into halves and quarters. Finally, sections can be further divided into halves or quarters that are named for their direction within the section: the east half, the west half, the north half, the south half, the northwest quarter, the northeast quarter, the southwest quarter, and the southeast quarter. How Do You Use the Rectangular Survey System? The Rectangular Survey System, also known as the Public Land Survey System (PLSS) or the Government Survey System, is a way of measuring and establishing boundary lines for large areas of. The land is then further divided into quadrangles. What Is the Rectangular Survey System Used For? Because of the curvature of the earth, correction lines and guide meridians are used to compensate. Police Power in Real Estate Significance & Examples | What is Police Power? The township is the basic unit of measurement in the rectangular survey system. For example, you would say, it is in township 3 north, range 5 east, to identify a property. They are the starting points for describing a propertys boundaries. . The township and range definition of a parcel of land, then, is its location in relation to the township and range lines. Section 16 is located directly in the center of the section and historically was always designated as the school section. Same as term government rectangular survey: Way in which the U.S. government uses to subdivide public land. )\r\nThe description probably would include the state and county in which the property is located and use abbreviations. Records kept by the surveyors during the execution of the work varied over time. In legal documents, such as a lien, deed, trust deed, mortgage, and sales contract, courts require an exact description of where a piece of land is located. After the Revolutionary War ended, the United States Government needed a way to describe lands in the West to insure locating and selling. The lines are spaced 24 miles apart, creating squares that are around 576 square miles. Ian is a 3D printing and digital design entrepreneur with over five years of professional experience. The guide meridians occur every 24 miles east and west of the principal meridian. Because the rectangular or government survey system was instituted when the United States was a new country, it was used to describe most of the land west of the original 13 colonies, so most of you are likely to see some questions about this system.\r\n\r\nLongitude and latitude are imaginary lines that divide the earth through the north and south poles (longitude) and run parallel with the equator (latitude). The rectangular survey system may just be a giant grid covering the United States, but understanding how it is used can seem a little complex, so stick with us while we cover the basic definitions. The following is a list of the more commonly required landscape and surveying items that were either required or requested be noted, over much of the nineteenth century. Using the land noted on the image, a parcel could be defined as the West half of the Southeast quarter of Section 14 of Township 2 South, Range 3 West. Which States Use the Rectangular Survey System. Note that the more detailed legal descriptions usually begin with the smallest area and work to the largest. Dummies has always stood for taking on complex concepts and making them easy to understand. The image does not specifically designate which meridian or state, but as they are all divided and labeled the same, this could represent any section of land along any meridian that would be identified in the legal description. 276 lessons These townships are not the same as political subdivisions. The township is the basic unit of measurement in the rectangular survey system. distinguishing among the various surveys. Also Check: Government To Forgive Student Loan Debt. The system is used to divide public lands into townships, sections, halves, and quarters. Correction lines occur at every fourth township line or every 24 miles north and south of the baseline. There are various issues with the names on the very small land parcels in several states. Then the numbering drops down to 13 and goes right to left again and so forth:\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_274749\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"532\"] Townships are divided into 36 sections numbered consecutively. Doing the math, its 1/2 1/4 640 = 80 acres.\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_274746\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"556\"] A quarter section can be split into smaller parts. Join over 10,000 subscribers and pass your exam today! The numbering then moves from right to left across that first upper tier. The Rectangular Survey System provides for a unit of land approximately 24 miles square, bounded by base lines running east and west, and meridians running north and south. She has a Masters in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University and a Bachelor's in English from Thomas Edison State University. 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