I85PREP
⌘ K
NM Land Surveyor study materials
NM Land Surveyor study resources

NM Land Surveyor practice questions

One question at a time. Build your NM Land Surveyor understanding.

First 50 of 200 questions. Each one lists the choices, the correct answer, and an explanation. The checker at the top of this page saves progress in this browser when it is available.

Continue in the practice tool above to load more questions, 50 at a time.

Question 1Boundary Surveying and Retracement

Under the U.S. Public Land Survey System, which monument controls the position of a section corner when the original bearing trees have fallen and only the original stone corner monument remains intact?

  1. The center of the section computed from the four quarter corners
  2. The record distance from the nearest township corner
  3. The original stone corner monument itself Correct answer.
  4. The nearest recovered bearing tree stump

Explanation

In PLSS retracement the original monument is the highest evidence of the corner's location; bearing trees only corroborate it. Distances and areas in the field notes are subordinate to a found original monument. The corner is accepted where the monument stands, and the record is used only to explain it.

Question 2Boundary Surveying and Retracement

In retracing a metes-and-bounds boundary, a deed calls for a line running 'to a large white oak marked X.' The oak no longer exists, but an old fence corner with a decayed stump of matching species is found. What is the most defensible treatment of this corner?

  1. Hold the corner at the midpoint between the last found monument and the next record call
  2. Reject the stump and set a new corner at the record bearing and distance
  3. Ignore the call and run the line to the nearest adjoiner's deed distance
  4. Accept the stump location as the best available evidence of the natural monument Correct answer.

Explanation

A natural monument called for in a deed controls over courses and distances, so its best surviving evidence should be accepted. A stump of matching species at a fence corner is strong corroboration of the original tree. Courses and distances are used only when the monument cannot be located.

Question 3Boundary Surveying and Retracement

When a deed description conflicts internally, which call generally prevails under the rules of construction applied by New Mexico courts?

  1. Natural monuments Correct answer.
  2. Adjoiner calls in a later deed
  3. Area or quantity
  4. Courses and distances

Explanation

The accepted hierarchy places natural monuments first, then artificial monuments, then courses and distances, then area. A natural monument call therefore controls over the distance and quantity stated in the same description. Quantity is the weakest call and yields to all others.

Question 4Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A surveyor finds that a section corner set by the original GLO survey has been destroyed, but two original bearing trees are found standing on line with each other. How should the corner position be reestablished?

  1. At the position that gives each adjoining owner equal area
  2. At the record bearing and distance from the nearest standard corner
  3. At the midpoint between the two bearing trees
  4. At the intersection of lines from the two bearing trees projected back toward the corner Correct answer.

Explanation

When the original corner monument is lost but original bearing trees survive, the trees are treated as accessories and the corner is reestablished by projecting from them. Record bearings and distances are used to check, not to displace, that evidence. Equal-area apportionment applies only to certain lost-corner situations, not where accessory evidence exists.

Question 5Boundary Surveying and Retracement

In the PLSS, a 'corner of the fourth order' most nearly refers to which type of corner?

  1. A meander corner along a navigable river
  2. A section corner common to four sections
  3. A standard township corner
  4. A quarter-section corner on the north boundary of a township Correct answer.

Explanation

Corners of the fourth order are those established on township and range lines other than standard corners, including quarter-section corners on the north and west boundaries. Standard corners are of a higher order, and section corners common to four sections are ordinary section corners. Meander corners are separately classified by their function.

Question 6Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A property line is described as running 'to the bank of the Rio Grande, thence with the river.' The river has since shifted gradually by accretion. What is the general effect on the boundary?

  1. The boundary follows the gradual movement of the river bank Correct answer.
  2. The boundary is void because the call is too indefinite
  3. The boundary remains fixed at the original surveyed bank line
  4. The boundary moves only if the shift exceeds the meander line width

Explanation

Under the doctrine of accretion, a gradual and imperceptible change in a boundary watercourse moves the boundary with the bank. The riparian owner gains or loses land accordingly. Avulsion, a sudden change, would instead leave the old boundary fixed.

Question 7Boundary Surveying and Retracement

What is the primary purpose of a 'proportionate measurement' when reestablishing a lost section corner?

  1. To divide the discrepancy among the original record distances so the corner falls at a consistent position Correct answer.
  2. To average the field measurements of the current survey
  3. To restore the corner to the position it would have had absent survey error
  4. To place the corner so adjoining parcels have equal area

Explanation

Proportionate measurement distributes the difference between record and measured distances along the line so the lost corner is placed consistently with the surviving corners. It restores the position implied by the original survey geometry. It is not an equal-area device nor a simple averaging of modern measurements.

Question 8Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A deed describes a parcel as bounded 'on the north by the grantor's remaining land.' The grantor later conveys the remaining land with a description that overlaps the first parcel. Which parcel is generally favored?

  1. The parcel with the larger stated area
  2. The earlier conveyance, because the grantor had already parted with that land Correct answer.
  3. The later conveyance, because it is more recent
  4. Neither; the overlap is divided equally

Explanation

A grantor cannot convey what the grantor no longer owns, so the earlier conveyance prevails over a later one covering the same land. The later grantee takes only what remains. Equal division and area comparisons do not resolve priority.

Question 9Boundary Surveying and Retracement

An original GLO field note describes a quarter-section corner as 'set a post with mound and pits.' No monument is found, but the pits are located. How should the corner be treated?

  1. Accept the pit location as the corner and remonument it Correct answer.
  2. Treat the corner as lost and proportion from the section corners
  3. Disregard the pits because the post is gone
  4. Set the corner at the record distance from the section corner

Explanation

Mounds and pits are original evidence of the corner location and are treated as accessories to the monument. When they are found, the corner is accepted there and remonumented. Proportioning applies only when no such evidence survives.

Question 10Boundary Surveying and Retracement

When a surveyor retraces a boundary and finds a discrepancy between a recorded distance and the measured distance along a line between two accepted monuments, what is the proper treatment of the boundary line itself?

  1. Split the difference between record and measured
  2. Reject the monuments and hold the record distance
  3. Accept the monuments and treat the record distance as subordinate Correct answer.
  4. Reestablish the line at the recorded distance from the nearest corner

Explanation

Accepted monuments control the boundary regardless of the record distance, which is subordinate evidence. The measured line between the monuments defines the boundary. Record distances serve to identify and check monuments, not to displace them.

Question 11Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A parcel is bounded by a non-navigable stream. Under the common-law rule generally applied, the boundary of a non-navigable stream runs to which location?

  1. The ordinary high water mark on the grantee's side
  2. The meander line as surveyed
  3. The low water mark on the grantee's side
  4. The thread or center of the stream Correct answer.

Explanation

For non-navigable streams the common-law rule carries the boundary to the thread of the stream, giving the riparian owner to the center. The high water mark and meander line are not the boundary under that rule. The grantee's side bank is not the boundary unless the deed says so.

Question 12Boundary Surveying and Retracement

Which evidence is generally considered the highest and most reliable in a boundary retracement?

  1. Modern GPS coordinates of record corners
  2. Adjoiner testimony about possession lines
  3. Record measurements and areas
  4. Original monuments and their accessories Correct answer.

Explanation

Original monuments and their accessories are the best evidence of the original survey and control the retracement. Record measurements, testimony, and coordinate values are corroborative. Coordinates in particular are only as good as the datum and the monument they represent.

Question 13Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A deed calls for a line 'north 1,000 feet to a stake and stone.' The stake and stone are found, but the measured distance is only 980 feet. What should the surveyor do?

  1. Reject the call as ambiguous and stop the survey
  2. Accept the found stake and stone as the corner Correct answer.
  3. Hold the 1,000-foot record distance and set a new corner
  4. Average the record and measured distances

Explanation

The monument called for in the deed controls over the stated distance, which is merely a description. The found stake and stone mark the intended corner. The discrepancy is explained by survey error or imprecise measurement in the original deed.

Question 14Boundary Surveying and Retracement

In the PLSS, when a section corner is lost and the original survey closed with an excess or deficiency, how is the lost corner reestablished between the nearest accepted corners?

  1. By setting the corner at the record distance from the nearest standard corner
  2. By extending the line to the next township boundary
  3. By single proportionate measurement along the line between accepted corners Correct answer.
  4. By equal-area apportionment among the adjoining sections

Explanation

A lost corner on a line between accepted corners is reestablished by single proportionate measurement, distributing the record distance over the measured distance. This preserves the original geometry. Equal-area apportionment is reserved for other situations, and record distance alone ignores the discrepancy.

Question 15Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A boundary line is described as running along a stone wall that has since been removed, but the wall's foundation is visible in the ground. How should the surveyor treat the wall line?

  1. Ignore the wall and use the record bearing and distance
  2. Accept the visible foundation as evidence of the monument line Correct answer.
  3. Set the line at the center of the former wall's width
  4. Use the nearest fence line as the boundary

Explanation

A wall called for as a boundary is a monument, and its visible foundation is the best surviving evidence of its location. The line is run along the foundation as originally established. Record bearings and distances and nearby fences are subordinate.

Question 16Boundary Surveying and Retracement

What does the term 'meander line' represent in a PLSS survey along a navigable water body?

  1. The thread of the stream
  2. The ordinary high water mark
  3. The legal boundary of the upland owner
  4. A line run to determine the approximate area of the fractional lot Correct answer.

Explanation

The meander line is run to compute the area of fractional lots and is not itself the legal boundary. The water boundary, such as the ordinary high water mark, is the legal limit. The thread of the stream applies to non-navigable streams under the common-law rule.

Question 17Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A surveyor discovers that a monument at a property corner has been moved from its original position by a later property owner. What is the proper approach to the boundary?

  1. Accept the moved monument because it is the only monument present
  2. Set the corner at the midpoint between the moved monument and the record position
  3. Reestablish the original position using the best available evidence Correct answer.
  4. Use the moved monument and adjust the adjoiner's deed to match

Explanation

A monument that has been moved is not original evidence and cannot control the boundary. The surveyor must reestablish the original position from record evidence, accessory evidence, and other reliable sources. Adjusting adjoiner deeds or splitting the difference is improper.

Question 18Boundary Surveying and Retracement

Which of the following best describes a 'witness corner' in boundary surveying?

  1. A corner established by proportionate measurement
  2. A corner set at a section line intersection
  3. A monument set at an offset from the true corner to aid in its recovery Correct answer.
  4. A corner marked by a bearing tree

Explanation

A witness corner is placed at a known offset from the true corner, usually because the true corner cannot be monumented, and is referenced to aid recovery. It is not the corner itself. Bearing trees, section intersections, and proportioned corners are distinct concepts.

Question 19Boundary Surveying and Retracement

Two adjoining deeds each describe their common line by different monuments that do not agree. What principle generally guides resolution of the conflict?

  1. The line is set by the deed with the larger area
  2. The deed with the earlier recording date controls the line
  3. The line is fixed by the monuments of the senior right Correct answer.
  4. The line is set at the average of the two monument positions

Explanation

Where rights conflict, the senior right generally prevails, and the common line is fixed according to the senior conveyance's monuments. Recording date and stated area are not the controlling tests. Averaging positions has no legal basis.

Question 20Boundary Surveying and Retracement

In a PLSS retracement, a closing corner is established where a survey line intersects a previously established line. Which statement about a closing corner is correct?

  1. It is always set exactly on the previously established line
  2. It replaces the previously established corner at the intersection
  3. It may fall short of or beyond the previously established line and is recorded as such Correct answer.
  4. It is set by proportionate measurement between standard corners

Explanation

A closing corner records where the new line actually intersects the old line, which may be short of or beyond the record position. It does not move the previously established corner. Proportionate measurement is not used to force the intersection onto the old line.

Question 21Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A deed calls for a boundary running 'to a granite boulder, thence easterly to the highway.' The boulder is found but is not at the record distance. Which call controls the location of the boulder corner?

  1. The granite boulder itself Correct answer.
  2. The direction of the highway call
  3. The record distance from the prior corner
  4. The area of the parcel

Explanation

The granite boulder is a natural monument called for in the deed and controls over the record distance. Courses and distances yield to monuments. The highway call and the parcel area do not fix the boulder corner.

Question 22Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A surveyor is retracing a boundary along a river that changed course suddenly during a flood, abandoning its old channel. What is the general effect on the boundary?

  1. The boundary remains at the old channel Correct answer.
  2. The boundary is extinguished
  3. The boundary moves halfway to the new channel
  4. The boundary follows the new channel

Explanation

A sudden change of channel by avulsion leaves the boundary at the old channel; the riparian owner does not gain or lose land. Accretion, by contrast, is gradual and moves the boundary. Halfway movement and extinguishment are not rules of avulsion.

Question 23Boundary Surveying and Retracement

Which of the following is the best example of 'extrinsic evidence' that may be used to interpret an ambiguous deed description?

  1. The location of a called-for monument found on the ground Correct answer.
  2. The deed's stated area
  3. The grantor's signature date
  4. The deed's stated bearing

Explanation

Extrinsic evidence comes from outside the deed document, such as the actual location of a called-for monument. Stated areas, bearings, and signature dates are intrinsic to the deed itself. A found monument is external evidence that can clarify the description.

Question 24Boundary Surveying and Retracement

In the PLSS, what is the standard method for reestablishing a lost quarter-section corner on the north boundary of a section when the section corners are accepted?

  1. Equal-area apportionment among the four quarter sections
  2. Setting at the record distance from the section corner
  3. Single proportionate measurement between the two section corners Correct answer.
  4. Double proportionate measurement from the township corners

Explanation

A lost quarter-section corner on a section line is reestablished by single proportionate measurement between the accepted section corners on that line. Double proportionate measurement is used for certain township or section corners involving two lines. Record distance alone ignores the measured discrepancy.

Question 25Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A boundary surveyor finds that a deed's description is ambiguous but the adjoining owners have treated a particular fence as the boundary for many years. What role does this evidence generally play?

  1. It may support a boundary by acquiescence or practical location Correct answer.
  2. It voids the deed description
  3. It automatically establishes a prescriptive easement
  4. It is irrelevant because deeds control boundaries

Explanation

Long-standing treatment of a fence as the boundary may support doctrines such as boundary by acquiescence or practical location. Such evidence does not void the deed but may establish the boundary where the description is uncertain. It is not an easement and is not simply irrelevant.

Question 26Boundary Surveying and Retracement

In a boundary retracement, which rule of construction gives the highest priority to natural monuments such as rivers, trees, and rocks?

  1. Courses and distances control over monuments.
  2. Natural monuments control over artificial monuments. Correct answer.
  3. Area or quantity controls over all other calls.
  4. Artificial monuments control over natural monuments.

Explanation

The hierarchy of evidence in boundary retracement generally places natural monuments at the top because they are the most permanent and least likely to be disturbed. Artificial monuments rank below natural monuments but above courses and distances. Area is the lowest form of evidence and yields to all other calls.

Question 27Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A deed describes a boundary as running 'to a white oak tree, thence north 45 degrees east 200 feet to a stone.' The white oak is found, but the stone is missing. What is the most defensible position for the corner originally marked by the stone?

  1. At the point that best fits the deed distance and bearing from the white oak while also honoring any other controlling calls. Correct answer.
  2. At the point measured 200 feet from the white oak along the deed bearing, because the stone is lost.
  3. At the nearest fence corner, because the stone is missing and a fence is an artificial monument.
  4. At the point of intersection of the deed line with the nearest section line, regardless of distance.

Explanation

When a called-for monument is lost, the surveyor must reestablish the corner by the best available evidence, which includes the deed distance and bearing from the found monument, but also any other calls such as adjoining deeds, possession, or topographic features. The goal is to retrace the original position, not to create a new one. Simply measuring the deed distance may be insufficient if other evidence shows the original stone was elsewhere.

Question 28Boundary Surveying and Retracement

Under the common-law rule generally followed in the United States, if a non-navigable stream is the boundary of a tract, the boundary line is:

  1. The ordinary high-water mark on the grantor's side of the stream.
  2. The thread (centerline) of the stream, unless the deed expressly states otherwise. Correct answer.
  3. The edge of the water at the time of the original survey.
  4. The low-water mark on the grantee's side of the stream.

Explanation

For non-navigable streams, the common-law rule extends the boundary to the thread of the stream, giving the riparian owner title to the bed to the centerline. This rule is subject to the specific language of the deed and state law variations. Navigable streams are treated differently, with the boundary typically at the ordinary high-water mark.

Question 29Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A surveyor is retracing a boundary and finds that the original bearing and distance calls do not close by 0.5 foot. The surveyor is confident the measurements are accurate. What is the most appropriate next step?

  1. Investigate potential sources of error, such as a misread bearing, a transposed digit, or a different basis of bearing. Correct answer.
  2. Reject the deed as invalid because it does not close within acceptable tolerance.
  3. Ignore the discrepancy because original surveys are presumed correct regardless of evidence.
  4. Adjust the traverse to force a closure and accept the adjusted positions as the original corners.

Explanation

A small misclosure may indicate a transcription error, a different basis of bearing, or a mistake in the original survey. The surveyor should investigate before making adjustments. Forcing a closure or rejecting the deed without further inquiry is not appropriate.

Question 30Boundary Surveying and Retracement

Which of the following best describes the legal principle of 'boundary by acquiescence'?

  1. A boundary line that is created when a surveyor sets a new monument at a location agreed upon by the owners.
  2. A boundary line established by a court judgment after a dispute.
  3. A boundary line that follows the deed description exactly, regardless of the owners' actions.
  4. A boundary line that is fixed by the conduct of adjoining owners who have treated a particular line as the boundary for a long period. Correct answer.

Explanation

Boundary by acquiescence arises when adjoining landowners, by their words or actions, recognize a particular line as the boundary for a statutory period. It requires that the parties have actually acquiesced in the line, often through improvement or use. It does not require a written agreement or a court judgment.

Question 31Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A deed calls for a boundary line to run 'along the top of the ridge' between two parcels. The ridge is a prominent topographic feature, but its crest is not sharply defined. Which principle best guides the surveyor in locating the line?

  1. The line should follow the edge of the ridge that is most convenient for the dominant estate.
  2. The line should follow the centerline of the ridge as indicated by the general slope of the land.
  3. The line should be established by the deed distance and bearing, ignoring the ridge.
  4. The line should follow the highest point of the ridge as determined by a topographic survey. Correct answer.

Explanation

When a deed calls for a natural monument such as a ridge, the surveyor must locate the feature as it existed at the time of the deed. The top of the ridge is generally the highest point, and a topographic survey can determine that location. The other options rely on convenience or ignore the monument.

Question 32Boundary Surveying and Retracement

In a PLSS retracement, a section corner is considered 'lost' when:

  1. The original monument is found but is in poor condition.
  2. The original monument is not found and its position cannot be determined beyond a reasonable doubt. Correct answer.
  3. The original monument is found but does not match the record bearing and distance.
  4. The original monument is found but has been moved from its original location.

Explanation

A corner is lost when the original monument cannot be found and its true location cannot be established beyond a reasonable doubt. If the monument is found but disturbed, it may be considered 'disturbed' rather than lost. A found monument that does not match the record is still evidence of the original corner.

Question 33Boundary Surveying and Retracement

When reestablishing a lost section corner in the PLSS, which of the following methods is generally used to restore the corner by proportionate measurement?

  1. Set the corner by extending the record bearing and distance from the nearest found corner.
  2. Set the corner at the intersection of the record bearing lines from the nearest found corners.
  3. Measure the record distances from the nearest found corners along the line and set the corner at the proportional distance. Correct answer.
  4. Set the corner at the midpoint of the line between the nearest found corners.

Explanation

Proportionate measurement restores a lost corner by distributing the discrepancy between the record and measured distances between the nearest found corners. The corner is set at a distance proportional to the record distances from the found corners. This method preserves the relative position of the corner within the original survey.

Question 34Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A surveyor finds an original GLO bearing tree that was blazed and scribed with the section corner number. The tree is 50 links from the record position of the corner, but the corner monument is missing. How should the surveyor use the bearing tree?

  1. The bearing tree should be used to set the corner at the tree's location.
  2. The bearing tree is irrelevant because it is not a monument.
  3. The bearing tree should be ignored because it is 50 links from the record corner position.
  4. The bearing tree is evidence of the corner's location and should be used to establish the corner at the record distance and bearing from the tree. Correct answer.

Explanation

A bearing tree is a type of witness monument that provides evidence of the corner's location. The surveyor should use the bearing and distance from the tree to the corner as recorded in the field notes to reestablish the corner. The tree itself is not the corner, but it is strong evidence of where the corner was.

Question 35Boundary Surveying and Retracement

Which of the following is the best example of a 'witness corner' in boundary surveying?

  1. A monument set at the true corner location.
  2. A monument set at a known distance from the true corner, often at an offset, to help locate the corner. Correct answer.
  3. A monument set at the intersection of two boundary lines.
  4. A monument set at the center of a section.

Explanation

A witness corner is a monument placed near the true corner, often because the true corner is inaccessible or unstable. It is typically set at a recorded distance and bearing from the true corner, and it serves as evidence to help reestablish the true corner. The other options describe other types of corners.

Question 36Boundary Surveying and Retracement

Two adjoining deeds each describe their common line by different monuments that do not agree. What principle generally guides the surveyor in resolving the conflict?

  1. The deed that was recorded first controls.
  2. The monument that is more ancient and reliable controls. Correct answer.
  3. The monument that is more convenient for both owners controls.
  4. The monument that is closer to the deed distance controls.

Explanation

When monuments conflict, the general rule is that the more ancient and reliable monument is preferred, as it is more likely to reflect the original survey. Priority is not based on recording date or convenience. The surveyor must weigh the evidence of each monument's origin and reliability.

Question 37Boundary Surveying and Retracement

In a PLSS retracement, a closing corner is established where a survey line intersects a previously established line. Which of the following statements about closing corners is correct?

  1. A closing corner is set at the intersection of the new line with the previously established line, and its position is fixed by that intersection. Correct answer.
  2. A closing corner is always set at the record distance from the nearest standard corner.
  3. A closing corner is set at the midpoint between the nearest section corners.
  4. A closing corner is set by proportionate measurement between the nearest found corners on the new line.

Explanation

A closing corner is established at the point where a survey line closes on a previously established line, such as a standard parallel or another section line. Its position is determined by the intersection, not by record distance or proportion. This is a fundamental concept in PLSS retracement.

Question 38Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A deed calls for a boundary running 'to a granite boulder, thence easterly to the highway.' The boulder is found but is not at the deed distance. Which call controls?

  1. The highway controls because it is a boundary of greater significance.
  2. The bearing from the boulder to the highway controls.
  3. The boulder controls because it is a natural monument. Correct answer.
  4. The deed distance controls because it is a precise measurement.

Explanation

Natural monuments such as a granite boulder control over courses and distances. The deed distance is subordinate and may be erroneous. The boulder, being a natural monument, is the best evidence of the intended corner.

Question 39Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A river that was the boundary of a parcel suddenly changed course during a flood, abandoning its old channel and creating a new channel. Under the common-law rule of avulsion, the boundary is:

  1. The new channel, because the river is the boundary.
  2. The ordinary high-water mark of the new channel.
  3. The midpoint between the old and new channels.
  4. The old channel, because avulsion does not change property boundaries. Correct answer.

Explanation

Avulsion is a sudden change in a watercourse, such as a flood that cuts a new channel. Under the common-law rule, avulsion does not change property boundaries; the boundary remains at the old channel. This is distinguished from accretion or erosion, which are gradual changes.

Question 40Boundary Surveying and Retracement

A surveyor retracing a parcel boundary discovers that the original survey monument at a property corner has been destroyed, but two original bearing trees referenced in the field notes remain standing nearby. Under accepted retracement practice, how should the corner position be determined?

  1. Set the corner at the midpoint of the line between the two bearing trees.
  2. Hold the nearest computed deed coordinate, since the monument is gone and the bearing trees carry no legal weight.
  3. Establish the corner by proportioning the deed distances between the two nearest found corners of record.
  4. Reestablish the corner by intersecting lines from the two original bearing trees, using their recorded bearings and distances from the corner. Correct answer.

Explanation

Original bearing trees are recognized as collateral evidence of the corner they were referenced to, so when the monument itself is destroyed their recorded bearings and distances can be used to reconstruct the corner location by intersection. Proportioning or coordinate hold is only appropriate when no such original evidence survives. The midpoint of the trees has no basis in the record.

Question 41New Mexico Land Tenure, Public Land Survey System, and State-Specific Law

Under the Public Land Survey System, what does a township designation of T14N, R9W mean in the New Mexico Principal Meridian?

  1. Fourteen sections north of the baseline and nine tracts west of the principal meridian
  2. Fourteen townships west of the baseline and nine ranges north of the principal meridian
  3. Fourteen townships north of the baseline and nine ranges west of the principal meridian Correct answer.
  4. Fourteen ranges north of the baseline and nine townships west of the principal meridian

Explanation

In PLSS notation the township number counts townships north or south of the baseline, while the range number counts ranges east or west of the principal meridian. T14N therefore lies fourteen townships north of the baseline, and R9W lies nine ranges west of the meridian. Each township is a six-mile-square block nominally containing 36 sections.

Question 42New Mexico Land Tenure, Public Land Survey System, and State-Specific Law

A standard PLSS township is nominally divided into how many sections, and what is the nominal area of each section?

  1. 36 sections of 640 acres each Correct answer.
  2. 64 sections of 160 acres each
  3. 16 sections of 640 acres each
  4. 36 sections of 1,280 acres each

Explanation

A normal township is a six-mile square divided into 36 sections, each nominally one mile square and containing 640 acres. Section numbering begins at the northeast corner and proceeds in a boustrophedon pattern to section 36 at the southeast corner. The 640-acre figure is nominal because correction lines and standard parallels absorb measurement error.

Question 43New Mexico Land Tenure, Public Land Survey System, and State-Specific Law

Which New Mexico principal meridian serves as the reference meridian for surveys in the portion of the state lying east of the Rio Grande and generally south of the Santa Fe area?

  1. The Cimarron Principal Meridian
  2. The Navajo Principal Meridian
  3. The New Mexico Principal Meridian Correct answer.
  4. The Third Principal Meridian

Explanation

The New Mexico Principal Meridian, established with its baseline near the Rio Grande valley, governs most federal surveys in New Mexico. Its initial point lies near the village of San Acacia south of Socorro. Other meridians such as the Navajo meridian govern specific limited areas.

Question 44New Mexico Land Tenure, Public Land Survey System, and State-Specific Law

In the PLSS, what is the purpose of a standard parallel?

  1. To correct for convergence of meridians by providing a new east-west baseline from which townships are again counted Correct answer.
  2. To separate grazing allotments from private land
  3. To establish the corners of each individual section within a township
  4. To mark the boundaries of individual patented mining claims

Explanation

Because meridians converge toward the poles, township lines cannot run indefinitely without accumulating error. Standard parallels, also called correction lines, are run at intervals and reset the running of township lines so that each block of townships is measured from a fresh east-west base. The resulting measurement errors are absorbed in the north and west tiers of sections.

Question 45New Mexico Land Tenure, Public Land Survey System, and State-Specific Law

A surveyor must subdivide a normal section into quarter-quarter sections. Where is the fractional excess or deficiency of the section normally placed?

  1. In the quarter-quarter nearest the section center
  2. In the southeast quarter-quarter of the southeast quarter of the section
  3. In the northwest quarter-quarter of the northwest quarter of the section Correct answer.
  4. Equally distributed among all sixteen quarter-quarters

Explanation

Under the rules for subdividing a section, the last aliquot part laid out in the north and west tiers absorbs the excess or deficiency. For quarter-quarter subdivision this places the irregular lot in the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter. The southeast portion of the section carries the standard regular dimensions.

Question 46New Mexico Land Tenure, Public Land Survey System, and State-Specific Law

What is the legal significance of a New Mexico land grant confirmed under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo?

  1. Its boundaries may be defined by the original Spanish or Mexican grant documents rather than by PLSS aliquot parts Correct answer.
  2. It converts to a standard township upon statehood
  3. It is limited to the section corners shown on GLO plats
  4. It is automatically void because it predates the PLSS

Explanation

Community and individual land grants recognized after 1848 retain boundaries derived from the original Spanish or Mexican grants, which frequently used natural monuments and metes and bounds rather than aliquot parts. Surveyors working within such grants must locate the original grant boundary as confirmed, not force it onto the PLSS grid. This makes land grant boundary evidence a distinct body of New Mexico survey law.

Question 47New Mexico Land Tenure, Public Land Survey System, and State-Specific Law

Which federal official is responsible for the original public land surveys that created the PLSS in New Mexico?

  1. The Territorial Engineer of New Mexico
  2. The New Mexico State Land Commissioner
  3. The county surveyor of the county where the land lies
  4. The Surveyor General of the United States Correct answer.

Explanation

The original public land surveys were executed under the direction of the Surveyor General, whose office later became part of the Bureau of Land Management. Those GLO surveys established the township, range, and section corners that later surveys must follow. State and county officials do not create original federal corners.

Question 48New Mexico Land Tenure, Public Land Survey System, and State-Specific Law

A surveyor finds an original GLO stone at a section corner bearing faint chiseled marks consistent with the original field notes. What is the proper rule for treating this evidence?

  1. The original monument controls over later measurements and is accepted as the true corner Correct answer.
  2. The corner should be moved to the nearest whole-foot coordinate
  3. The stone should be discarded because it lacks a brass cap
  4. The corner should be reestablished at the mathematically computed position regardless of the stone

Explanation

Original monuments set by the GLO carry the highest evidentiary weight because they represent the actual location the original surveyor established. Proportionate measurement and coordinate computations yield only to original evidence. A later resurvey cannot move an original corner simply because computations suggest a different position.

Question 49New Mexico Land Tenure, Public Land Survey System, and State-Specific Law

In New Mexico, what is the primary purpose of the State Land Office trust lands?

  1. To generate revenue for public schools and other designated beneficiaries Correct answer.
  2. To provide free homesteads to new settlers
  3. To preserve land exclusively for wildlife habitat
  4. To serve as a source of land for federal military reservations

Explanation

New Mexico's enabling act granted certain lands in trust, with the income primarily supporting public schools and other named beneficiaries. The State Land Commissioner manages these trust lands to produce revenue for the beneficiaries. Trust status imposes fiduciary duties on the management of those lands.

Question 50New Mexico Land Tenure, Public Land Survey System, and State-Specific Law

A metes-and-bounds description in a New Mexico deed calls for a bearing and distance to a marked cottonwood tree, then continues to a point on the bank of an arroyo. Which call generally controls if the distance and the monument disagree?

  1. The stated distance controls over any monument
  2. The description is void and the deed fails
  3. The bearing controls over both distance and monument
  4. The natural monument, such as the cottonwood or arroyo bank, controls over the stated distance Correct answer.

Explanation

The hierarchy of evidence in boundary law gives natural monuments priority over courses and distances because monuments are less likely to be transcribed in error. A called-for tree or the bank of a natural watercourse therefore controls over the recorded distance. Only if the monument is lost or uncertain do courses and distances govern.