PS PS Public Land Survey System (PLSS) 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In the Public Land Survey System (PLSS), what is the standard size of a township?
- 6 miles × 6 miles (Correct answer)
- 1 mile × 1 mile
- 36 miles × 36 miles
- 3 miles × 3 miles
Correct answer: 6 miles × 6 miles
A PLSS township is a square unit measuring 6 miles on each side, containing 36 sections.
Question 2: How many acres are in a standard PLSS section?
- 640 acres (Correct answer)
- 160 acres
- 320 acres
- 1,280 acres
Correct answer: 640 acres
A standard PLSS section measures 1 mile × 1 mile and contains 640 acres.
Question 3: In a PLSS township, sections are numbered starting from which corner?
- Northeast corner (Correct answer)
- Northwest corner
- Southwest corner
- Southeast corner
Correct answer: Northeast corner
PLSS sections are numbered 1–36 beginning at the northeast corner and proceeding in a boustrophedon (back-and-forth) pattern.
Question 4: What is the term for the fractional sections created along the north and west edges of a PLSS township to account for convergence and measurement errors?
- Lots
- Aliquot parts
- Government lots (Correct answer)
- Excess sections
Correct answer: Government lots
Government lots are irregular fractional sections found along the north and west boundaries of a township where closure errors and convergence are absorbed.
Question 5: What is the primary meridian used as the reference for the PLSS surveys in California, Nevada, and most of Oregon?
- Mount Diablo Meridian (Correct answer)
- San Bernardino Meridian
- Humboldt Meridian
- Gila and Salt River Meridian
Correct answer: Mount Diablo Meridian
The Mount Diablo Meridian and Base Line govern the PLSS in California, Nevada, and most of Oregon.
Question 6: What is a 'quarter section' in the PLSS, and how many acres does it contain?
- One-quarter of a section; 160 acres (Correct answer)
- One-quarter of a section; 320 acres
- One-quarter of a township; 640 acres
- One-quarter of a section; 80 acres
Correct answer: One-quarter of a section; 160 acres
A quarter section is one-fourth of a standard 640-acre section, totaling 160 acres.
PS PS Public Land Survey System (PLSS) 1
In the Public Land Survey System (PLSS), what is the standard size of a township?