(Begin with Sect 13 – 00 – Beginning Slide)
GOVERNMENT RECTANGULAR SURVEY SYSTEM
The Federal government set up a grid system made up of rectangular surveyed parcels for
the western States. It was felt that the west would be an agricultural area and rectangular
lots would fill the need for ownership of farms. The blue areas marked are the States that
participated in this program.
(On the next page put slides Sect 13 – 001 and 001A)
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HISTORY OF THE SURVEY SYSTEM
The Governmental Rectangular Survey - Used in the majority of States within the
U.S.A. It was utilized to describe new lands of the west and was surveyed in farm-sized
units.
1. State-By-State - Each State is divided into rectangular units known as townships by
vertical lines known as ranges and horizontal lines known as tiers. To establish ranges
within a State, they base them off a meridian. Tier lines are based on what is called a
baseline.
2. Example Right: This example is based on the Willamette Meridian and the
Willamette Baseline.
3. Lines - The baseline and meridian run entire length of region being surveyed.
4. Washington/Oregon - With this example for Washington and Oregon, they intersect
at a monument .. known as The Willamette Stone. This stone was established over 100
years ago by governmental survey crews. The main meridian line for ranges and baseline
for tiers intersect at this Willamette Stone Monument.
5. Point of Reference - This permanent point of reference is used for all governmental
surveys in Oregon and Washington.
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(On the next page put slides Sect 13 – 002 and 002A)
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SURVEY SYSTEM - RANGE LINES
Range Lines - Range lines run north to south parallel to the "Prime
Meridian" line. They are located either east or west of the prime meridian..
They have the following characteristics:
1. 6 Miles Apart - Each range line is 6 miles apart from the
next line. They are numbered from the meridian such as
range line 1 west (R1W) or range line 1 east (R1E). R1W
would be one range line west of the meridian. R2E would
be 2 lines east of the meridian.
2. Range - Each range line is isolated with a 6 mile wide
strip of land called a range.
3. Use of Range Lines - When looking at a range line map
it would show the following examples:
Range 8 west (R8W) or range 22 east
(R22E). The example in the map would be
range 6 east (R6E).
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(On the next page put slides Sect 13 – 003 and 003A)
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SYSTEM - TIER LINES
Tier (township) lines run parallel with the baseline on an east/west basis. They as well
run 6 miles apart.
1. Spaced at 6 Miles - Each tier (township) is an isolated space 6 miles
wide. They are numbered either north or south of the baseline. T8N would
be the tier line running east and west and located 8 lines north of the
baseline.
(On the next page put slides Sect 13 – 004 and 004A)
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SURVEY SYSTEMS - TOWNSHIPS
Putting ranges and tiers together creates a grid of townships within the State.
1. Each is 36 Square Miles - In theory, each township is a 6 miles square.
6 mile wide range crossed by a 6 mile wide tier. This is 6 X 6 = 36 square
miles of land within each township.
2. Township #s - The townships are named for the tier and range that it
falls within. The tier is always named first and the range second.
3. Example Township - T4N, R3E which is tier 4 north by range 3 east.
Or T1S, R5W which is tier 1 south by range 5 west.
(On the next page put slides Sect 13 – 005 and 005A)
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SURVEY SYSTEM - TOWNSHIP = 36 SECTIONS
(On the next page put slides Sect 13 – 006)
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SYSTEM - NUMBERING SECTIONS IN A TOWNSHIP
(On the next page put slides Sect 13 – 006B)
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SURVEY SYSTEM - CURVATURE OF THE EARTH
(On the next page put slides Sect 13 – 007 and 007A)
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SURVEY SYSTEM - DIVIDING UP A SECTION
The following is information regarding use of the Survey System:
1. Section - 1 mile square. Containing 640 acres. 1/2 section would be 320 acres.
In Example #1 the west parcel is half a section. It is composed of the NE
1/4 and SE 1/4 added together which is 160 acres.
In Example #2 the SW 1/4 is half of a quarter section. SE 1/4 is the same.
Since a quarter is 160 acres, these would be 80 acres. One half of these divided sections
would be 40 acres.
You will usually have a question on the dividing of a section into smaller sizes.
(On the next page put slides Sect 13 – 008 and 008A)
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SURVEY SYSTEM - CALCULATING ACRES
To Figure Acres - Multiply denominators (lower fractional number) together. Then
simply divide your answer into 640 acres to figure the acres in a divided section.
Example: N 1/2, NE 1/4, SE 1/4 would be: 1/2, 1/4, 1/4 section 2x4x4 = 32;... 640
acres divided by 32 = 20 acres
Example 2: 1/2, 1/2, 1/2, 1/4 , 1/4 section would be 2x2x2x4x4 = 128 .. 640 divided
by 128 = 5 acres
1/4 section .. 640 divided by 4 = 160 acres
4. Two or More Parcels in One Legal Description - It is possible for a person's land to
"straddle" section lines. The person's land would need to parcel descriptions for
describing that person's property.
Use of Colon - When a description is separated by a colon or a semicolon, it means "and
the". This means measurement is separate for each description.
Example: N 1/2, NW 1/4 (80 acres); SW 1/4, NW 1/4 (40 acres) 80 acres plus 40
acres = 120 acres Note: if you missed the semi-colon..2x4x4x4=128, 640 divided by 128
= 5 acres.. This would be an 115 acre error.
Use of Comma - When a comma separates a description it means "of the". All the figures
run together into a smaller division answer.
Example: N 1/2, NW 1/4 , SW 1/4, NW 1/4 = 128. 640 divided 128 = 5 acres
Complete Description - A complete Government Survey Description would look as
follows: N 1/2, NW 1/4; SW 1/4, NW 1/4, Section 9, T4N, R2E, W.M., containing more
or less 120 acres
1. Explanation: 1/2, X 1/4, = 8; 640 divide by 8 = 80 acres. 1/4 X 1/4 = 16; 640 divided
by 16 = 40 acres. Total of 120 acres
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(On the next page put slides Sect 13 – 009 and 009A)
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INCREASE / DECREASE GOVERNMENT LOTS
1. Parcels - Parcels can be oversized or undersized sections. A fractional
section can be increased or decreased by various avenues.
2. Causes - It could be caused by water, rivers, survey errors, corrections
for deviation for curvature, military or Indian Reservations, and early
donation land claims. It could be an irregular area smaller than a full 1/4,
1/4 section .. less than 40 acres. Normally, an acre is 43,560 sq ft. Simply
figure the square footage and then divide by 43,560 to get the acreage for
State exam purposes. In actual practice the curvature can affect the square
footage and the acreage.
This shows a lake in the SE 1/4 which causes the government measured lot
to be smaller.
(On the next page put slides Sect 13 – 010 and 010A)
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