Surveying in a Public Topographic Surveys System

Deborah K. Vick

Topographical surveys are very useful in public land surveys. This gives a clear picture of the topography of the land along with the natural features and the man made buildings in the particular piece of land. An exact figure regarding all the features of the land including its size, height and the natural changes that have occurred in course of time is obtained. It includes details about the fencing of land, the hills, trees and buildings in that area. All the hills, valleys and streams in the area can also be seen. Any other natural improvement that has been made in that area like, roads, bridges and railways are also marked. This kind of information is very important for people who are property owners, owners of industrial sites and also people who are into the business of constructing buildings.

In the United States, the public land survey system is the most common method of subdividing and describing land. This also includes wild and undeveloped lands. All the lands in the United States are subjected to the rectangular system of survey and this is divided into six miles square townships. They are further divided into thirty six one mile square sections, which are further divided into quarter sections, quarter-quarter sections and irregular plots. The public survey system has placed permanent monuments to mark off the sections to locate the plots. Originally the markers were only trees, rocks or wooden posts. Now the government has made permanent markers inscribed on tablets which are placed on iron rods or concrete.

A topographic survey is needed whenever the land is changing ownership, or when the owner wants to make any changes on the land. This is also known as contour survey. The distance from the ground is measured. Horizontal surveys include an in depth survey of the boundary and the residential surveys. The measurement is done with or electronic instruments and the results are seen as contour lines on maps of land and not as stakes or any other land marks. The methods of survey include aerial, ground survey or a combination of both methods.

For the purpose of public topographic survey, topographic plans or maps are made. Hydro graphic charts are also made to particular scales, contour interval and accuracy is specified. It also includes all types of surveying processes, calculations for the survey and compilation procedures for all the information that is gathered through the survey.
The topographical land survey helps architects and engineers to design buildings and develop property. It is useful for making drainage and ditches. Details about elevation in an area, gives us an idea of the slope there and thus helps in deciding about building in that area.

The public survey system of the topography of a place is very essential for all the people who want to have any dealing with buying, selling or constructing in a place. The topography has to be clearly known, to know whether construction can take place there and what type of construction can be made. The public utilities in the area will be clearly marked. You will be able to figure out where exactly the land is marked with the markers and what are all the natural and man made feature in that area.

With all the above information that is available with surveying the topography of the public area, a person buying land, selling land or constructing a building will be able to decide what he wants to do with the land.

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