DREDGING   SURVEYS The excavation of material in underwater areas is called dredging, and a dredge is an excavator afloat on a barge. A dredge may get itself into position by cross bearings, taken from the dredge on objects of known location on the beach, or by some other piloting method.  Many  times,  however,  dredges  are  positioned by survey triangulation. The method of determining direction angles from base line control points is the same as that just described. LAND SURVEYING Land  surveying  includes  surveys  for  locating  and monumenting   the   boundaries   of   a   property; preparation of a legal description of the limits of a property and of the area included; preparation of a property map; resurveys to recover and remonument property  corners;  and  surveys  to  subdivide  property. It  is  sometimes  necessary  to  retrace  surveys  of property   lines,   to   reestablish   lost   or   obliterated corners, and to make ties to property lines and corners; for example, a retracement survey of property lines may be required to assure that the military operation of quarry excavation does not encroach on adjacent property  where  excavation  rights  have  not  been obtained.  Similarly,  an  access  road  from  a  public highway  to  the  quarry  site,  if  it  crosses  privately owned property, should be tied to the property lines that  are  crossed  so  that  correctly  executed  easements can be obtained to cross the tracts of private property. EAs  may  be  required  to  accomplish  property surveys  at  naval  activities  outside  the  continental limits of the United States for the construction of naval bases and the restoration of such properties to property owners.  The  essentials  of  land  surveying  as  practiced in various countries are similar in principle. Although the  principles  pertaining  to  the  surveys  of  public  and private   lands   within   the   United   States   are   not necessarily directly applicable to foreign countries, a knowledge of these principles will enable the EA to conduct  the  survey  in  a  manner  required  by  the property  laws  of  the  nation  concerned. In the United States, land surveying is a survey conducted  for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  the  correct boundaries  of  real  estate  property  for  legal  purposes. In accordance with federal and states laws, the right and/or title to landed property in the United States can be  transferred  from  one  person  to  another  only  by means  of  a  written  document,  commonly  called  a deed. To constitute a valid transfer, a deed must meet a  considerable  number  of  legal  requirements,  some  of which  vary  in  different  states.  In  all  the  states, however, a deed must contain an accurate description of  the  boundaries  of  the  property. A  right  in  real  property  need  not  be  complete, outright  ownership  (called  fee simple).  There  are numerous lesser rights, such as leasehold (right to occupancy and use for a specified term) or  easement (right  to  make  certain  specified  use  of  property belonging to someone else). But in any case, a valid transfer of any type of right in real property usually involves an accurate description of the boundaries of the  property. As mentioned previously, the EA may be required to perform various land surveys. As a survey team or crew  leader,  you  should  have  a  knowledge  of  the principles of land surveys in order to plan your work accordingly. PROPERTY  BOUNDARY  DESCRIPTION A parcel of land may be described by  metes and bounds,  by giving the coordinates of the property corners  with  reference  to  the  plane   coordinates system,  by  a  deed  reference  to  a  description  in  a previously recorded deed, or by references to block and  individual  property  numbers  appearing  on  a recorded map. By Metes and Bounds When  a  tract  of  land  is  defined  by  giving  the bearings and lengths of all boundaries, it is said to be described by metes and bounds. This is an age-old method of describing land that still forms the basis for the majority of deed descriptions in the eastern states of the United States and in many foreign lands. A good metes-and-bounds  description  starts  at  a  point  of beginning that should be monumented and referenced by  ties  or  distances  from  well-established  monuments or other reference points. The bearing and length of each side is given, in turn, around the tract to close back on the point of beginning. Bearing may be true or  magnetic  grid,  preferably  the  former.  When magnetic  bearings  are  read,  the  declination  of  the needle and the date of the survey should be stated. The stakes or monuments placed at each corner should be described to aid in their recovery in the future. Ties from  corner  monuments  to  witness  points  (trees, poles, boulders, ledges, or other semipermanent or permanent objects) are always helpful in relocating 10-30