Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
boundary surveyors. Technology has not reduced the required level of knowledge
and experience necessary to correctly establish boundaries. Today, a total station
or GPS receiver makes it much easier to perform measurements with accuracies
far exceeding what was possible using older technologies. But technology does
not make it any more likely that a surveyor will locate a boundary at its true loca-
tion. This is because the legal issues inherent in boundary establishment continue
to be the real challenges facing today's boundary surveyors and technology is no
substitute for knowledge and experience.
Global positioning has fundamentally changed how boundary surveyors
approach their work and many surveyors who formerly relied on total stations for
measurements must now be proficient in combining GPS with traditional meas-
urement techniques. This is particularly important when it becomes necessary or
desirable to connect a survey to a state plane coordinate system (a way of describ-
ing property corners at a precise location in a particular state). However, when
the two methods are used together, measured distances are likely to disagree.
Surveyors must understand why this happens and how to deal with the differences.
Low distortion projections (LDP) are becoming a commonly used way to circum-
vent some of the limitations and difficulties inherent in state plane coordinate sys-
tems, particularly in mountainous areas with high elevations where there can be
substantial differences between distances measured on the state plane system and
distances measured on the ground.
Some of the chapters in this topic contain mathematics, but the concepts are
explained in simple terms so that anyone, with a background in high school
math, should have no trouble following the logic. The math requirement was
intentionally kept to a minimum so that the topic would be readable, and hope-
fully enjoyable, by the widest possible audience. For those who desire a more in-
depth treatment of the mathematical aspects of boundary surveying, the Appendix
includes the underlying theory and many examples of typical calculations per-
formed by boundary surveyors. The concerns many of us are likely to have about
boundary establishment do not require an in-depth understanding of the mathemat-
ics underlying boundary surveying. Much of what we need to know will be readily
understood if we have a working knowledge of some of the basic technical aspects
of surveying and the legal principles of boundary establishment.
Many people need a boundary survey because their boundary locations are
unknown or disputed. Even if a property owner believes that he or she knows
where their boundaries are located, there are factors such as adverse possession
that can change their property lines from the locations stated in their deed. The
location and rights associated with easements, such as an old right of way, may be
in question. Access easements can have a substantial effect on the value of land.
Land isn't worth much if you can't get to it.
Here are some typical questions asked about boundary surveying:
While I was at work, my neighbor had their property surveyed and the surveyor
set stakes on my side of the fence. The fence has been there 25 years. My neighbor
called me and said they are going to remove my fence. What should I do? Does
the neighbor have a right to remove my fence?
