Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
problem would be to make most of the sections square and place the ones with
the odd dimensions on the outside boundary of the township. This was the method
selected.
Sections were divided from townships by starting at the northeast corner of the
township with section 1, then going west to section 6. Section 7 starts south of
section 6 and the numbers then increment easterly. This process is continued with
numbers in each row increasing alternately to the east and west until section 36 is
reached at the southeast corner of the township.
Starting at the southeast corner of the township and running north and west,
all of the sections are one mile square, except for the sections along the north and
west borders of the township. Sections 8-12, 13-17, 20-24, 25-29 and 32-36 are
all dimensioned as one mile squares. These are outlined in red in Fig.
7.4
. The
dimensional changes resulting from convergence are placed in the sections bound-
ing the northerly and westerly boundaries of the township. The sections subject to
dimensional changes are 1-7, 18, 19, 30 and 31.
7.6 Nomenclature for Locating Townships and Sections
Division of a section is shown in Fig.
7.5
. This may seem a bit confusing at first
but it is actually quite logical. For example, the NW ﾼ is the northwest quarter
of the section. The N ﾽ NE ﾼ is the north half of the northeast quarter. One of
the smallest divisions shown, comprising 10 acres, is labeled NW ﾼ, SW ﾼ SE
ﾼ which translates to the northwest quarter of the southwest quarter of the SE
quarter. So, you would first find the SE quarter section, find the SW quarter of the
quarter section then find the NW quarter of it.
The location of townships and sections is made using specific descriptors.
An example will best illustrate the method. Consider the following: T2NR5 W
S4 NMPM. This would read: Township 2 North, Range 5 West, Section 4, New
Mexico Principal Meridian. Each principal meridian has a standard abbrevia-
tion. Equal divisions of sections such as quarter and half sections are called
Aliquot Parts
.
7.7 Measurements Under the PLSS
Under the PLSS, the basis of all distance measurements is the Gunter's chain. The
chain is 66 feet in length. It has 100 links so each link is 0.66 feet. One mile is 80
chains or 5,280 feet. All measurements are horizontal. Of course, no one uses a
physical chain any more. However, it is important to understand that the basis of
modern measurements under the PLSS is the chain.
