Glossary of Map Terms for Attached Errata Sheet for Land Exchanges

The Public Lands in Nebraska and South Dakota are legally described by the Public Land Survey System (PLSS), which is based on a rectangular grid system. The PLSS is defined by a series of Townships, Ranges and Sections.  This system is similar to an x-axis, y-axis grid system, whereas the Townships (i.e. y-axis) are defined in a North-South direction, whereas the Ranges (i.e. x-axis) are defined in an East-West direction. Townships are referenced to a Principal Meridian (i.e. Black Hills Meridian, Sixth Principal Meridian). 

A section may be further subdivided into smaller portions called aliquot parts of a section into 160, 80 and 40-acre units. These aliquot parts are described by Legal Description (i.e. NW1/4 NE1/4 Section 10, T.34 N., R. 54 W., Sixth. P.M., Nebraska).  Aliquot is defined as apart of a measurement that divides the measurement without a remainder.

Principal Meridian - i.e. Black Hills Meridian, or 6th Principal Meridian - The north-south line from which longitude, (a distance on the earth’s surface, east or west of a defined meridian, usually the meridian of Greenwich -0º Longitude), is usually at intervals of 24 miles east or west of the principal meridian.

Township – Numbered on a y-axis.  It is a boundary approximately six miles square, containing 36 sections, each one mile square, numbered from 1 to 36, are intended to be on true parallels of latitude (See figure 1 below).  A latitude line is a parallel line marking distance on the earth’s surface north of the Equator. 

Range – Numbered on an x–axis.  A range of townships is described by its relationship (east or west) to the principal meridian.

Section – A township subdivision unit is a section, normally one-mile square, containing 640 acres.  A section is subdivided into quarter sections by straight lines, usually designated by symbol in tabular descriptions - Sec. 10, NW¼. (Contains 160 acres).  The subdivision of quarter sections into quarter-quarter sections, is designated by symbol, as Sec. 10, NW¼NE¼. This contains 40 acres. (See figure 2 below).  

Lots –The subdivision of the quarter sections in the northern tier and western range of sections, meanderable bodies of water, along state line boundaries or a fractional section are designated by lot number. Sec. 10, lot 1. (This can contain more or less than 40 acres). Lots may or may not be monumented on the ground and are usually determined mathematically for the purpose of presentation.

     Figure 1. -  Representative Township