Calculations - Practical Boundary Surveying - page 205

so that the surveyor can visualize and calculate the relationships between these
points. Most surveyors now use Computer Aided Design (CAD) programs so that
the relationships between the points can be determined on a computer screen. If
the surveyor has a plotter, a large format printer, the CAD program can send the
information to the printer and the surveyor will then have a plan showing the infor-
mation. CAD programs eliminate the need for the time consuming process of man-
ually plotting each of the points on graph paper. As a large boundary survey may
have upward of a thousand points, considerable time can be saved by using CAD.
14.3 Reconciling the Record and Physical Evidence
The surveyor should now have much of the information necessary to calculate
boundary locations. If the survey is an original survey the surveyor probably does
not have to deal with conflicting evidence because there are no original bounda-
ries to be re-established. If the survey is a retracement survey, there will almost
certainly be differences between the record location of monuments and their
actual location on the ground. If the original survey is recent, properly performed
and well monumented, discrepancies may be minor. If, however, the original sur-
vey is old, or monuments are missing, set in the wrong locations or moved, the
calculations could prove to be difficult and time consuming. If many or all of
the called-for monuments were not found, it may be necessary to do additional
research and/or go back into the field until enough evidence is found to enable
completion of the survey.
In a retracement survey, this phase of the survey is often considered the
most challenging because, in difficult surveys, the surveyor must use experi-
ence and knowledge of the law of evidence, deed interpretation and the order
of importance of title elements to properly calculate the true location of the
boundaries. The surveyor will be required to use experience, judgment, and
legal rules to decide what evidence should take precedence over other conflict-
ing evidence.
It was stated at the beginning of this topic, that although surveyors can meas-
ure miles within fractions of an inch, they are often unable to determine boundary
locations within feet—or in some cases even tens or hundreds of feet. During the
remainder of this chapter it will become apparent that the reason has little to do
with measurement accuracy or ability. It has everything to do with understand-
ing the laws governing boundary establishment. It should not be surprising that
this aspect of a boundary survey can be far more difficult than any other phase.
The following sections are primarily addressed to land in the eastern states and
Texas, lands not in the Public Land Survey System. Lands in the Public Land
Survey System have a specific set of rules for the establishment of lost corners.
These rules are comprehensively described in the Manual of Instructions for the
Survey of the Public Lands of the United States , as amended, so they need not be
repeated here.