Last week I was approved to sit for the national and Washington state-specific PLS exams, and since the latter is still an open-book exam I do hope to take a good chunk of my library to it. I currently have Jerry Broadus' book on Washington State Common Law of Surveys and Property Boundaries, Leroy Middleton's Water Boundaries book (both "blue" and "yellow" covers SOMEWHERE in my house!), the 2009 Manual of Survey Instructions, both of the latest editions of Brown's books on boundary control & evidence/procedures, a couple of books by Albert White (Oregon DLC casebook & PLSS history) and a plethora of other assorted surveying books which I won't list here.
I'm not sure what is required with respect to the binding of "loose" reference materials, whether they need to be spiral-bound or if a three-tab notebook format is acceptable... I need to check further on this as my copy of the LSAW 2011 Reference Manual with the pertinent RCW's and WAC's are now in PDF format only. This is obviously a must-have.
I think my list is halfway decent, but any and all suggestions from the RPLS family as to additional materials would be much appreciated. Of course, it is far, FAR more important to know HOW TO PROPERLY APPLY what lies in all of these materials.
Thank you in advance.
SellmanA, post: 443367, member: 8564 wrote: Last week I was approved to sit for the national and Washington state-specific PLS exams, and since the latter is still an open-book exam I do hope to take a good chunk of my library to it. I currently have Jerry Broadus' book on Washington State Common Law of Surveys and Property Boundaries, Leroy Middleton's Water Boundaries book (both "blue" and "yellow" covers SOMEWHERE in my house!), the 2009 Manual of Survey Instructions, both of the latest editions of Brown's books on boundary control & evidence/procedures, a couple of books by Albert White (Oregon DLC casebook & PLSS history) and a plethora of other assorted surveying books which I won't list here.
I'm not sure what is required with respect to the binding of "loose" reference materials, whether they need to be spiral-bound or if a three-tab notebook format is acceptable... I need to check further on this as my copy of the LSAW 2011 Reference Manual with the pertinent RCW's and WAC's are now in PDF format only. This is obviously a must-have.
I think my list is halfway decent, but any and all suggestions from the RPLS family as to additional materials would be much appreciated. Of course, it is far, FAR more important to know HOW TO PROPERLY APPLY what lies in all of these materials.
Thank you in advance.
The LSAW manual needs to be tabbed ahead of time. I added large tabs with meaningful titles. It heloed a lot. Tab your Washington casebook as well.
There are a few standbys missing from your list. BLM glossary, Blacks Law, DNR circulars, Stems Manual and a few more.
I just copied my binders for two orhers. I will add to the thread Monday when I get to work. If I forget message me.
Thank you. I do have the BLM glossary and more than one version of Black's Law Dictionary. I'll grab the DNR circulars, assuming they are on their website in the PLSO vicinity. Not familiar with Stems Manual...
Thanks again.
Washington has a unique statutory system of tideland water boundaries. That's important because the most valuable real estate in Seattle/Tacoma is below the natural high water mark. It also has a great many meandered sections along its coast an many rivers. Where ever there is a water boundary that is where the roads and privately owned land is. So water boundaries are big.
I took the test 17 years ago, so my experience with the test may be of little value. I do remember one particular double proportioning question where state plane coordinates were given on section monuments. In order to get the right answer you had to be able to come up with the convergence angle to correctly compute the cardinal equivalents.
As with all these open book tests the "open book" is a red herring. You won't really have time to look anything up. Maybe check on something real quick, but you better know exactly where to look.
I agree 100% WRT to it being a 'red herring', one needs to KNOW the material first and foremost; knowing WHERE it is in your references, is in fact secondary.
Yep, the water boundaries here are most unique and I have been devoting considerable time studying them. The PLS refresher videos from the LSAW have been helpful in that regard, especially Steve Ivey's one on H2O boundaries.
I took the test in 2014. Other than a handful of questions I verified every answer in at least 1 reference and had plenty of time.
Test strategy is a very personal thing. With 5 States behind me and a 100% pass rate I know what works for me. Well organized material where I know how to find things is my ticket. Do an honest evaluation of your style and you will be miles ahead..
I sat for the test in 2014 (I actually sat beside bionicman).
Three ring or spiral bound is fine. The reasoning behind free paper is just so it doesn't spill off the desk and cause a distraction to other people.
I used the lsaw manual (of RCW's and WAC's), survey terms, blacks law, the 1973 manual, and two self made binders including case law, Alta standards, water stuff, one page of photogrammetry definitions and formula, state plane stuff and a few other things.
I found testing in Spokane to be FAR easier than Seattle, if you write in Seattle be really good with water boundaries, tideland issues and harbors, and the mathematic questions were much more involved.
Best of luck,
Justin
http://file.dnr.wa.gov/publications/eng_plso_aquatic_land_boundaries.pdf
This is the KEY in my opinion.
SellmanA, post: 443367, member: 8564 wrote: Last week I was approved to sit for the national and Washington state-specific PLS exams, and since the latter is still an open-book exam I do hope to take a good chunk of my library to it. I currently have Jerry Broadus' book on Washington State Common Law of Surveys and Property Boundaries, Leroy Middleton's Water Boundaries book (both "blue" and "yellow" covers SOMEWHERE in my house!), the 2009 Manual of Survey Instructions, both of the latest editions of Brown's books on boundary control & evidence/procedures, a couple of books by Albert White (Oregon DLC casebook & PLSS history) and a plethora of other assorted surveying books which I won't list here.
I'm not sure what is required with respect to the binding of "loose" reference materials, whether they need to be spiral-bound or if a three-tab notebook format is acceptable... I need to check further on this as my copy of the LSAW 2011 Reference Manual with the pertinent RCW's and WAC's are now in PDF format only. This is obviously a must-have.
I think my list is halfway decent, but any and all suggestions from the RPLS family as to additional materials would be much appreciated. Of course, it is far, FAR more important to know HOW TO PROPERLY APPLY what lies in all of these materials.
Thank you in advance.
Many things that you have hopefully studied for the Principals & Practices as well as the fundamentals should have you educated in water law, riparian rights, etc. I was licensed back in 1993 on the east coast where water laws on high water lines, accretion and avulsion and non tidal waters were and are major issues where I practice as Hurricane Sandy hit the NJ coast directly not 15 miles from my office. I'm assuming that the State Specific portion of the exam is the same as my two day exam was back then with only 1 hour related to the State Specific. As that was open book as well I had a hand truck loaded with texts and the like only to find that the Specific portion of the test only was a quiz on State law relating to the State Board composition, signing and sealing of plans, required monumentation and the likes. I would concentrate harder on the national exam as most water rights are covered there and just know your State laws. Things may have changed over the years and I advise you to speak with somebody who has recently sat for the exam to figure out what is really necessary to tote in.
The state-specific exam here is two hours, 25 +/- questions, and has a reputation for being one of the not-so-easy ones with respect to others. I figure that if I can pass this one, the national test should be easier... I took a sample national exam a while back and did quite well. Of course, that does NOT mean I can slack off on my studies.
I do know some of the peculiarities in this state, e.g., the 1895-1909 plat vacation statutes, apportionment of land when a road is vacated based on State ex rel. Patterson v. Superior Court, February being "Hold the Monument Month", and so on... but I still need to study a lot more.
Thanks y'all for the responses so far.
I also attended one of Leroy's classes a number of years ago. I can still remember him telling a story where a surveyor laid out a bunch of parcels along Lake Cavanaugh way-back-when, and a long time afterwards someone wanted their property resurveyed. They somehow managed to locate the original surveyor and he surveyed the parcel again but erred the second time. In his original survey, the frontage dimension was based along the line itself and NOT perpendicular to the side line(s).
Leroy Middleton was good people, for sure.
Interesting you bring up the county road 60-foot statute. Just a couple of months ago I had a private surveyor request a copy of a 1977 R/W plan where WSDOT had inherited a county road back in 1951 or so, and the plan showed a 40-foot R/W. I had a gut feeling that this plan was questionable and I told the surveyor such when I sent it, but I continued researching and found out that this particular section of road (Whatcom County Road No. 63) was indeed established before statehood and no R/W width was specified in any of the documents (save for a small portion about 15 miles south of the area in question!). I forwarded my information and my opinion on the matter to our chief PLS in the region, and he agreed with me that we "had an argument in favor" for a 60-foot R/W by statute. I think said statute goes back to the 1850's, long before statehood...
I took in a number of lectures from Leroy Middleton, and he certainly was good people.
I took the WA PLS exam, in 1992,1993, and 1994, and never passed.
I have three years till retirement, and I will not become licensed.
I should have been more persistent, and studied harder, as that is one regret that I have in my survey career.
Other than that, when I retire I will have had 46 wonderful years of surveying.
I agree with T-Ray's comment above. Also, the 2015 copy of "Waterfront Titles in The State of Washington" by George Peters. He and Steve Ivey worked together on this publication which is written for the layperson so is easy to understand.
I also have about three years before I can retire halfway comfortably, but may work longer if a good opportunity arises. I reckon if I do get my license there would be additional doors in private industry that would open, but I have so much public sector blood in me (38-plus years) that I really have no desire to pursue such. A possible exception would be part-time, "hobby surveying" work where I could apply my acquired knowledge of roadway R/W research, analysis and resolution...
Howard Surveyor, post: 443641, member: 8835 wrote: I agree with T-Ray's comment above. Also, the 2015 copy of "Waterfront Titles in The State of Washington" by George Peters. He and Steve Ivey worked together on this publication which is written for the layperson so is easy to understand.
I just downloaded a copy, thank you for the info.
thebionicman, post: 443370, member: 8136 wrote: The LSAW manual needs to be tabbed ahead of time. I added large tabs with meaningful titles. It heloed a lot. Tab your Washington casebook as well.
There are a few standbys missing from your list. BLM glossary, Blacks Law, DNR circulars, Stems Manual and a few more.
I just copied my binders for two orhers. I will add to the thread Monday when I get to work. If I forget message me.
SellmanA, post: 443372, member: 8564 wrote: [SNIP]Not familiar with Stems Manual... [/SNIP]
I think I found the "Stem" manual, NOAA NOS NGS 5 which is a publication on SPCS 83. Most important, and I've been looking for this info in a single publication for a while now.
