TOWNSHIP, RANGE, & MERIDIANS

The main objective of the Dominion Land Survey is to identify parcels of land within the Prairie Proviences of Western Canada.

The east-west baseline for the DLS system was established at the Canada/US border (along 49°N parallel), with Township lines running east-west (6 mile intervals parallel to the baseline) and are numbered from 1, increasing northward.

The north-south baseline (known as the Principal Meridian) is set west of Winnipeg, MB at approximately 97.5°W longitude. Range lines run north-south, at 6 mile intervals parallel to the Principal Meridian.

The intersection of Townships and Range lines form a parcel of land (called Townships), measuring 6 miles by 6 miles in size.  Due to the curvature of the Earth, Township squares become smaller as you travel northward. To maintain the 6 mile size, coorection lines were used to adjust the Range lines. At the second Township line, and every 4 Township lines from there, the Range lines were adjusted to be 6 miles apart. As a result, Township squares become offset with increasing distance from the Principal Meridian.

A second meridian was established at 102°W longitude, with Range lines surveyed parallel to this new meridian. Township squares were once again aligned in a column, with Range numbers starting over again at 1. This measurement is continued westward, with Meridians occuring every 4° of longitude past 102°W.

SECTIONS

A 6 mile by 6 mile Township square is subdivided into 1 mile by 1 mile parcels known as a section. Sections are numbered from the lower right corner, westward 1 to 6, then up and eastward for 7 to 12. This "snake" pattern ends up in the 36th section located in the upper right corner of the Township.

LEGAL SUBDIVISIONS

A section can be subdivided into 1/4 mile by 1/4 mile parcels known as a Legal Subdivision (LSD). These number 1 to 16, starting from the lower right corner, following the same pattern as the Section subdivision.

Four LSD's form a quarter section parcel.