The Public Land Survey System
(PLSS)
Control Point Inventory
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Division of Lands and Minerals
by Larry D. Swenson
August 2009
Public Land Survey System (PLSS)
•In the original thirteen colonies, plus Hawaii,
Kentucky, Maine, Texas, Tennessee, Vermont, West
Virginia, and parts of Ohio (the state land states),
land boundaries are identified according to the
indiscriminate survey system, more commonly
referred to as metes and bounds.
•The Public Land Survey System (PLSS) as developed
by Thomas Jefferson and approved by the Continental
Congress was built to replace the common practice of
describing land by metes and bounds.
• The beginning of the current day PLSS occurred with the passage of the Land
Ordnance Act of 1785. Which established General Land Office (GLO) for the
survey and disposal of land. All lands in the public domain are subject to
subdivision by this rectangular system of surveys, which is regulated by the U.S.
Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
Purpose: To facilitate disposal (either via sale or simple giveaways) of
lands west of the Appalachian Mountains that the U.S. government had
acquired from the British after the end of the Revolutionary War.
Disposing of this land was a very high priority for the young
U.S. Government, for several reasons:
• 1. U.S. soldiers had been promised land in return for their
service during the Revolutionary War.
• 2. The government needed the money from the land sales (there
was no tax system in place at that time).
• 3. Settlers were needed in the western lands to defend the
nation's frontier from ongoing Indian attacks.
The Public Land Survey System provided other advantages:
•A unique and much simpler system of locating and describing lands
(compared to the metes and bounds descriptions).
•Inventory of how much land there was and its quality.
•Information about the land, such as timber, roads, lakes, rivers,
springs, swamps, topography, minerals, soils and existing development.
Public Land Survey Principal Meridians and Base Lines
Based on 32 Initial points and 32 Baselines
•Standard parallels are East-West
lines that are parallel to the base line.
•They are numbered north and south
of the base line.
•Standard parallels are 24 miles
apart.
•Guide meridians are established at
24 mile intervals along the base line
and standard parallels.
•Guide meridians are not parallel to
the principle meridian because they
are 90° to the base line, or standard
parallel. The base line and standard
parallels are curved lines.
•Guide meridians are not continuous.
There is an offset at each standard
Standard Parallels and Guide Meridians parallel (24 miles).
Method of numbering townships
T3N R2E
T2N
Range Line
T3N
6 miles
6 miles
Township Line
T1N
R3W
R2W
R1W
Range Line
T2S R3W
T1S
T2S
T3S
R2E
R3E
Meridian
Baseline
R1E
Each township is
6 miles x 6 miles
Initial Point
Township Line
Section Numbering
Each township
is further
divided into 36
sections, each
section 1 mile x
1 mile.
6 miles
6
5
4
3
2
1
7
8
9
10
11
12
1 township =
17
16
15
14
13
19
20
21
22
23
24
6 miles
18
36 sections
23,040 acres
6 miles X 6 miles
36 miles2
1 section = 640 acres
30
29
28
27
26
25
31
32
33
34
35
36
How the Sections
in a township are
surveyed.
1 section =
1 mile2 =5280 ft X 5280 ft
640 acres
6400 chains2
80 chains X 80 chains
Section 21
NW ¼ NW ¼ NE ¼ NW ¼
NE ¼
SW ¼ NW ¼ SE ¼ NW ¼
21
N ½ SW ¼
W ½ SE ¼
Gov’t Lot 1
Gov’t Lot 2
Mud Lake
E ½ SE ¼
¼-section =
160 acres
2640 ft X 2640 ft
½ mile X ½ mile
40 chains X 40 chains
1600 chains2
¼ of ¼-section =
40 acres
1320ft X 1320ft
¼ mile X ¼ mile
20 chains X 20 chains
400 chains2
1 chain = 66 ft
1 acre = 43,560 ft2
Sample of Field Notes
T 28 N, R 23 W
PLSS Measurement Units
All U.S. Government Land
Surveys are measured in
chains and links.
Fundamental unit of measure
used in distance measurement is
the surveyor’s, or Gunter’s,
chain = 66 feet.
Further divided into 100
equal parts, called a link =
0.66 feet = 7.92 inches.
Public Land Survey System (PLSS) in
Minnesota
•Original Survey from 1847 to 1907
•Surveyed in the 4th and 5th Principals Meridians.
•8 Correction lines in the 4th P.M.
•6 Guide Meridians & 15 Standard Parallels in the 5th P.M.
•T 26 to 71 N – R 1 to 32 W in the 4th P.M.
•T 61 to 65 N – R 1 to 7 E in the 4th P.M.
•T 101 to 168 N – R 3 to 49 W in the 5th P.M.
•One Half Township – T58½N, R17W
•Two Half Ranges – T159N, R42½W & T160N, R42½W
•Contains ~ 2530 Townships
• ~ 84,000 Sections
•~ 1,300,000 Government Lots and 40’s (Quarter-Quarter sections)
•~ 53,000,000 acres of land
Original Survey from
1847 to 1907
GLO Plat
Coding Types
Fractional parts
vs
Government Lots
T28N R23 & 24W
Surveyed 1853
Township 117 North Range 28 West, 5th Principal Meridian
R 35 W
R 34 W
R 33 W
T 168 N
PLSS40 Township Map
T 167 N
R 38 W
R 36 W
R 37 W
R 40 W
R 39 W
R 42 W
R 41 W
R 44 W
R 43 W
R 46 W
R 45 W
R 49 W
R 48 W
R 47 W
R 50 W
R 51 W
T 166 N
T 164 N
T 164 N
T 163 N
Problem areas are circled
T 163 N
R 32 W
T 162 N
R 18 W
R4W
R5W
T 152 N
R7E
R4E
T 64 N
R6E
R2E
R3E
R1E
R1W
R3W
R2W
T 66 N
T 65 N
T 153 N
R5E
T 65 N
R9W
T 154 N
T 153 N
R6W
T 66 N
R 10 W
T 66 N
R7W
T 67 N
T 155 N
T 154 N
R8W
R 16 W
R 13 W
T 68 N
T 156 N
T 155 N
R 15 W
T 68 N
R 12 W
T 69 N
T 157 N
T 156 N
R 11 W
T 69 N
R 14 W
R 20 W
T 70 N
T 158 N
T 157 N
R 17 W
R 22 W
R 21 W
T 71 N
R 19 W
R 27 W
R 26 W
T 159 N
T 158 N
R 25 W
R 24 W
R 23 W
R 26 W
T 160 N
R 25 W
R 29 W
R 28 W
R 42½ W
T 159 N
R 27 W
T 161 N
T 160 N
R 30 W
R 31 W
T 162 N
T 161 N
T 63 N
T 63 N
T 62 N
T 151 N
T 150 N
T 62 N
T 150 N
T 61 N
R3W
T 148 N
T 147 N
T 59 N
T 58 N
R5W
T 58 N
T 146 N
T 145 N
T 57 N
R 26 W
R6W
R7W
T 55 N
T 143 N
R8W
R 27 W
R 25 W
R 29 W
T 56 N
R 28 W
R 32 W
R 33 W
R 31 W
R 35 W
R 34 W
T 143 N
R 30 W
T 56 N
R 36 W
R 37 W
R 38 W
R 39 W
R 40 W
R 44 W
R 43 W
R 42 W
R 41 W
T 145 N
R 45 W
R 46 W
R 47 W
R 48 W
T 57 N
T 144 N
1278' contour
T 142 N
T 142 N
T 141 N
T 53 N
R 10 W
T 53 N
T 141 N
T 140 N
T 52 N
R 11 W
T 52 N
T 140 N
T 139 N
T 51 N
R 12 W
T 51 N
T 139 N
T 138 N
T 50 N
R 13 W
T 50 N
T 138 N
T 137 N
T 49 N
T 135 N
T 134 N
R 14 W
R 15 W
R 16 W
R 17 W
R 18 W
T 48 N
R 20 W
R 21 W
R 22 W
T 47 N
R 23 W
R 24 W
R 25 W
R 26 W
R 27 W
R 29 W
R 28 W
T 135 N
Fort Abercombie
Military Reserve
T 49 N
T 48 N
T 136 N
R 19 W
R 25 W
T 137 N
T 136 N
T 47 N
T 46 N
T 133 N
T 132 N
R 31 W
T 133 N
R 30 W
T 46 N
T 134 N
R9W
T 54 N
T 45 N
T 45 N
T 44 N
T 44 N
T 132 N
T 131 N
T 43 N
T 43 N
T 131 N
T 130 N
T 42 N
T 42 N
T 128 N
R 32 W
T 41 N
T 129 N
R 18 W
T 129 N
R 19 W
T 130 N
T 41 N
T 40 N
T 128 N
T 39 N
T 127 N
T 39 N
T 126 N
T 126 N
R 31 W
T 127 N
T 125 N
T 38 N
T 37 N
T 36 N
T 35 N
T 35 N
T 122 N
T 34 N
T 34 N
T 33 N
T 33 N
R 25 W
T 121 N
R 27 W
T 122 N
R 26 W
R 29 W
T 123 N
R 28 W
R 30 W
T 32 N
R 20 W
T 120 N
T 119 N
R 21 W
T 120 N
T 119 N
R 22 W
T 120 N
R 23 W
T 121 N
R 24 W
T 124 N
R 28 W
R 30 W
R 32 W
R 31 W
R 35 W
R 34 W
T 123 N
R 33 W
R 36 W
R 37 W
R 39 W
T 36 N
R 38 W
R 41 W
R 40 W
R 43 W
R 42 W
R 44 W
R 46 W
R 45 W
R 47 W
T 119 N
T 118 N
T 31 N
T 30 N
T 118 N
T 118 N
T 117 N
T 117 N
T 29 N
T 117 N
added lines
T 116 N
T 28 N
R 20 W
R 21 W
R 22 W
T 114 N
added lines
R 17 W
added lines
R 18 W
added lines
T 114 N
R 19 W
T 115 N
R 20 W
T 116 N
added lines
T 115 N
R 23 W
R 24 W
Fort Snelling
Military Reserve
T 116 N
R 21 W
T 113 N
T 27 N
T 26 N
T 115 N
T 114 N
R 16 W
T 124 N
R 48 W
T 37 N
T 125 N
T 113 N
T 113 N
T 112 N
T 112 N
T 112 N
T 111 N
Fort Ridgely
Military Reserve
T 111 N
T 111 N
T 110 N
T 110 N
T 110 N
T 109 N
T 109 N
T 109 N
T 108 N
T 108 N
T 108 N
T 107 N
T 107 N
T 107 N
T 106 N
T 106 N
T 106 N
T 105 N
T 105 N
T 105 N
T 104 N
T 104 N
T 104 N
T 103 N
T 103 N
T 103 N
T 102 N
T 102 N
T 102 N
T 101 N
R 47 W R 46 W
R 45 W
T 101 N
T 101 N
R 44 W
R 43 W
R 42 W
R 41 W R 40 W
R 39 W
R 38 W
R 37 W
R 36 W
R 35 W
R 34 W
R 33 W
R 32 W
R 31 W
R 30 W
R 29 W
R 28 W
R 27 W
R 26 W
R 25 W
R 24 W
R 23 W
R 22 W
R 21 W
R 20 W
R 19 W
R 18 W
R 17 W
R 16 W
R 15 W
R 14 W
R 13 W
R 12 W
R 11 W R 10 W
R9W
R8W
R7W
R6W
R5W
R4WR3W
R4W
T 59 N
T 147 N
T 146 N
R2W
T 60 N
T 60 N
R1W
T 61 N
T 149 N
T 148 N
R1E
T 149 N
R7E
T 64 N
T 152 N
T 151 N
(CPI) - Public Land Survey Control Point Inventory
• CPI was built in dBase IV (DOS based) programming language
used to display information, coordinate conversions, import
points, computations – intersects, proportion, adjust traverse,
rotate/translate, information checking/filling/editing, data
export to Oracle database, DXF, ASCii points files,
• CPI data has been exported to Oracle Spatial database files as
all CPI Points and Best PLS Corner Points
•Current CPI information: ~828,866 points August 3, 2009
•Better than digitized positions 143,058 points for PLS Corners
•125,747 Digitized positions (does not including PLSS40 points for meander
lines, reservation lines and County lines (along rivers))
•CPI information: ~714,000 points October 24, 2007
•Better than digitized positions 66,319 points for PLS Corners
•146,400 Digitized positions (does not including PLSS40 points (meander
lines)
Public Land Survey System 40 acre subdivsion layer (PLSS40)
•The PLSS40 layer used control points from the CPI: 123,861 points
•Better than digitized positions 12,468 points
•Digitized positions used 111,393 points
•Subdivision of the sections down to the quarter-quarter level (40 acres) using the
original General Land Office (GLO) survey plats (2530 townships).
•Township subdivisions were done using CMM software (Cadatral Measurement
Management developed for BLM).
•Information Imported into ArcInfo where all meander line information was
computed (closed and adjusted) from original GLO survey notes (All entered
bearings and distances was then deleted).
•Government Lots located as shown on the GLO Survey Plats
•Government Lot numbers add from GLO Survey Plats
•Control points for these subdivsions came from the PLS Control Point Inventory
(CPI).
•The base data set for the CPI was from Land Management Information Center
(LMIC) digitized section corners call GISMO points. (~125,000 corners section
corners ONLY).
(CPI) - PLS Control Point Inventory - Recent Activities
• Adding parcels not in PLSS40* – to match DNR land records
because of – Lands Transferred to the State of Minnesota under the
MN Public Lands Improvement Act of 1990 P.L. 101-442, 104 Stat. 1019
* Tracts as surveyed by the BLM – Tracts start at 37 to **
* Updating Coding Scheme to match land records (Tracts are coded
at the Section Level (first level subdivision of a township))
* Unsurveyed Islands plus a Coding scheme to match land records
& digitizing polygons (currently is a point coverage)
• Add DNR Survey Projects as completed
• Adding non-digital DNR Survey Projects
• Updating information from County sources
• Creating GIS shape files of CPI points – PLS_Corners & Corners
• Correction of errors – meander lines, coding errors …
• Meanders for Rivers meandered on only one bank
Where do we go from here?
Distribution – Public –or- by Request
Costs
Requesting additional information
Make PLSS40 GIS layer Dynamic with CPI updates
Questions ?