Federal Interest Lands
Here's is an example of "Federal Interest Lands". The wording on the newer plats has changed to "Federal Interest Estate" which seems to me to be a better definition. All the lands in Sections 1 and 12 are privately held. The new lottings pertain to Federal Interest Lands (Federal Mineral Estate). It could be coal and oil and gas or just coal. There could be a mix of private and Fed minerals in the new lotted areas. A 40 acre 1/41/4 will receive a Lot#, or a new Lot# in the case of Lot 5, Sec. 1, if it varies from the record acreage total. So there could be Federal interest in a 40 acre 1/41/4 that remained 40.00 acres or Lots 1-3 if they still have the original acreage. The Legal for Lot 1, Section 12 would still be NE4NE4 for the landowner; only the Federal Mineral Estate would be described as Lot 1.
Detz
Do you have any sources for this convoluted rationale?
And how would that apply to surveying FS administered Public Land? (land that has never left the Federal ownership)
Keith
Keith
First off, I would like to apologize for mentioning drinking in a past post. I met you in a bar so I am sorry if I jumped to any conclusions.
The point that I have been trying to make is the Manual of Surveying Instructions, 2009 is not law and it is not regulation. Because the Manual is referred as a guidance document its purpose is to instruct BLM surveyors how to conduct surveys and resurveys in accordance with BLM authority. This is based on the documents that BLM have posted on their website in the past. I do not know why BLM did not take the necessary steps that would have insured that the Manual would have fulfilled the administrative steps to make it a regulation. Maybe that sort of comment and review was way beyond BLM's intended purpose because it was considered as an internal guidance document by upper management. If the Manual is less than what expected, BLM is at least culpable on what has transpired.
This does not mean that States, federal and state agencies, other entities and individuals could adopt some or all of the Manual as good practice. But it is still only guidance and not law or regulation. BLM did not take this opportunity when they rewrote and published the 09 version.
Keith
Then it was some other old cadastral guy who enjoys hanging out with those not yet retired.
Some other time then, Keith.
William
What are you attempting to prove?
Apology accepted.
Are you the FS surveyor who traveled with a hawk?
Keith
Evan
Then it was me who missed the opportunity to meet you.
Maybe another time?
Keith
William
If you really want to prove that the Manual is not important, go for it;, but if we are ever against each other in a court of law, be prepared to justify your survey in accordance with the Manual.
First question out of the chute!
Keith
Dave - Finding (and retrieving) the 1/4
When I was snowbirding* in the Gillete BLM office in 1987, They put me on a crew with two seasonal employees searching out old sandstone mons. We had already covered more than half the township and hadn't found a single mon and were getting a little discouraged about it.
The local history was that the early ranchers figured that if the homesteaders couldn't find their corners, they couldn't locate their claims, and so couldn't move in, fence, and try to farm the land the ranchers had been using as graze range. So some of the ranchers put a bounty on the marked stones. One of the BLM surveyors who had worked recently in a nearby township had found a whole pile of broken corner stones near an old outbuilding.
I was at the front end, setting traverse points and searching for stone mons while the I-man took way too much time turning angles and shooting distances, so to liven things up, I found a stone of about the right size, and with the tip of my bob, carved a "1/4" in it, aged it with my wire brush, and then drove it the 1/4 mile or so over to him to show him what I "found". The reaction was priceless.
*snowbirding - the field season in Alaska is 4 to 8 weeks shorter than is typical in the lower 48, so student co-ops who still have time between the end of the field season and the start of the next term at school often will go to one of the BLM field offices in the lower 48 to work several more weeks.
Keith
Sometime, either at some survey function, or maybe if I take the family down toward the central coast on vacation. I understand you have a pretty impressive woodshop.
Evan
You would be most welcome to stop by and check out my woodshop!!
If you are going to be in the area, let me know and I will forward my address and cell phone number.
It is a great area to bring your family and enjoy the better part of California.
Keith
Dave - Finding (and retrieving) the 1/4
The photos from yesterday got lost so we went back today to take photos.
I delegated this project down to my employee so he's Chief on this one. He found the MIR on the second try. It is upside down and very hard to see. You can see the chisel marks. Granite can be really difficult to see the marks. The 1/4 is fairly obvious though.
