PROVINCE OF SASKATCHEWAN

MANUAL OF INSTRUCTIONS
for the Guidance of Surveyors

Under Authority of The Land Surveys Act

Prepared by SaskGeomatics Division
April 1999

Preface
This edition of the Manual of Instructions has been produced to replace the
previous edition and includes the following changes:

General simplification and standardization of field survey procedures and plan

preparation.

Provisions to accommodate new technology.

New Maintenance Survey category replacing the current Reference Surveys.

The goal of this manual is to provide practical and efficient methods for conducting
Legal Surveys that satisfy the needs of all stakeholders and continues to contribute to
the preservation of the Provinces Legal Survey System.
In some cases adherence to the provisions in the manual may be impractical or
impossible because of field conditions or other statutory requirements. The onus is on
the Land Surveyor to consult with the SaskGeomatics Division (SGD) in such cases.

The Manual is Divided into the following Parts

Part I

General Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Page 1

Part II

Road Right of Way Surveys . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Page 7

Part III

Northern Road Right of Way Surveys . . . . . .

Page 18

Part IV

Public Improvement Surveys . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Page 21

Part V

Road Maintenance Surveys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Page 22

Part VI

Plans of Survey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Page 27

PART I
General Requirements
These general requirements are to be used in conjunction with all surveys set
out in the manual.
1. (1) A monument in this manual shall consist of a standard iron post as
defined in the regulations under The Land Surveys Act.

Monuments

(2) In all cases monuments shall be buried a minimum of 0.15 metres

below ground level unless field conditions dictate otherwise.
(3) Where a monument cannot be established due to a natural or manmade
feature or the position is hazardous, the position shall be referenced by
a monument at a suitable distance and the said distance shown on the
plan of survey.
2. (1) A reference monument in this manual shall consist of a standard iron
post as defined in the regulations under The Land Surveys Act.
(2) Reference monuments shall be marked RM.
(3) The reference distance shall be established at 20 metres and shall be
increased or decreased only if field conditions dictate otherwise.
(4) (a) The reference monument shall govern the position of the primary
monument or road right of way monument, except in the case
where the original monument is found, in which case the original
monument shall govern.
(b) Should any discrepancies arise from Sub-section 2. (4)(a) of this
Part, the error shall be noted, the reference monument corrected
and a full report and an Affidavit of Surveyor submitted to the
Director of Legal Surveys, SGD.
(5) At the discretion of the Surveyor, additional reference monuments may
be established opposite secondary monuments at a distance of 20
metres in perpendicular distance from the limit of the line being
referenced.

Reference
Monuments

Marker
Posts

3. (1) A marker in this manual shall consist of a marker post as defined in the
regulations under The Land Surveys Act.
(2) A marker shall be placed at all found, established or re-established
monuments except as stated in Sub-sections 3. (5), (6), (7) and (8) of
this Part. If it is not possible to place a marker, a note shall be placed
on the plan of survey stating the reason. eg: Pl. I.P. R1 in cult or Pl.
I.P. R1 in hazardous position.
(3) The marker shall be placed 0.30 metres inside the surveyed right of
way or public improvement at 90 degrees to the bearing of the new
survey.
(4) Where topography prevents the placement of a marker as outlined in
Sub-section 3. (3), of this Part, the marker shall be placed on either side
of the monument on the surveyed line and as close to the monument as
reasonably possible, and the said distance shown on the plan of survey,
e.g. - Mr. 1 metre N.
(5) In no case shall a marker be placed at a reference monument or on
private property except at the quarter section corner where there is no
road allowance (blind line).
(6) Markers may be omitted in areas of cultivation or where in the opinion
of the Surveyor the marker may be hazardous. Markers may also be
omitted in developed urban areas where, in the opinion of the Surveyor,
property boundaries are evident.
(7) Where there are several road monuments in the same immediate area,
the Surveyor may omit all but one marker.
(8) Markers may be substituted for by digging four pits, each 0.60 metres
square and 0.30 metres in depth with the inner edges 0.90 metres
distant from the monument. The pits shall be so placed that the line
joining the centres of two opposite pits, shall be the line of the course
ahead in the direction of the survey, the line joining the centres of the
other two pits being at 90 to this line.

Control Survey
Monuments

4. (1) A minimum of one control survey monument, that forms part of the
Saskatchewan Geodetic Data Base (SGDB) lying within 0.8 kilometres
of the survey or any boundary re-established during the course of the
survey, shall be connected to the legal survey. In special circumstances
the Director of Legal Surveys, SGD, may require a connection to a
specific or additional provincial control survey monuments that may be
further than 0.8 kilometres.
2

(2) Independent measurements shall be made between survey monuments

and control monuments in order to prove each measurement is within
the allowable limits (1:10,000).

Dist
Angle
A closure shall
be obtained with
control monument

Angle

Dist.
Dist.

Dist.
C.S.M.

(3) In exceptional circumstances a request may be made to the Director of

Legal Surveys, SGD, to dispense with the required tie.
(4) All control survey monuments, lost or found, shall be formally reported
to the Director of Geodetic Surveys, SGD, with the current condition,
date of inspection, reporters name, address and phone number on an
official SGD Station Inspection Form.
5. (1) All Road Right of Way and Maintenance Type 1 Surveys shall be done
prior to or after road construction, depending on the individual project
circumstances.
(2) After construction surveys should be done whenever it is deemed that
an adequate amount of survey information and monumentation existing
prior to road construction will still be available for use to conduct the
survey entirely after construction.
(3) All Maintenance Type 2 Surveys shall be done after road construction.

Options
for
Surveys

Survey
Connection
Curves

6. Sufficient measurements shall be derived and shown to connect all found or

re-established monuments to the survey.

7.
(1) When re-surveying replacement curves for constructed spiral curves
which were based on prescribed tables (Arc definition), the curves shall be
resurveyed as compound curves showing complete curve information for each
curve and a total delta and total sub-tangent.
=
ST =
R =

=
ST=
RR=
=

=
ST=
RR=
=

T
=
T.S.T =

(2) When intersecting an existing curve or when it is necessary to reestablish one end of a curve, a minimum of two curve monuments and
one tangent shall be found or re-established to verify the existing curve
information.
Angle

Regd Plan
No. ___

180o

Dist.
Dist.

new
road

Note:
If this monument
fits existing curve
information then
this tangent is not
required to be
resurveyed

Dist.
Regd Plan
No. ___
Dist.

Dist.

Angle
new
road

Note:
If this monument
fits existing curve
information then
this tangent is not
required to be
resurveyed

8. When a survey is performed adjacent to a correction line or where there is a

change in systems of survey, angular and linear measurements shall be
secured at each end of the survey and at least once every mile to connect
the two survey limits. Monuments are not required to be established at the
points where the section lines are projected to intersect the limit of the
survey.

Correction
Line

Maintenance Type 1 and Road Right of Way combined

Est. pt.
Angle
Dist.
Dist.
Angle

Dist.
Angle

Dist.
Dist.
Est. pt.

9. (1) Non-closures within the Surveyors own measurements shall not

exceed the greater of 1:10,000 or 0.020 metres.
(2) Non-closures with the Surveyors own measurements combined with
the measurements of previous surveys shall not exceed the greater of
1:5,000 or 0.020 metres.
(3) Where conflicting measurements or non-closures exceeding 1:5,000 are
encountered with previous surveys, every effort shall be made to
resolve these differences with the Surveyor responsible before reporting
to the Director of Legal Surveys, SGD. The report shall include any
correspondence and commitment from the Surveyor responsible to
undertake any necessary fieldwork and/or plan amendments.
(4) Where conflicting linear measurements of existing road widenings are
encountered over 0.020 metres the Surveyor shall make every effort to
resolve the differences as stated in Sub-section 9. (3) of this Part.
Where the road widenings agree within the 0.020 metre tolerance, the
previous road widening shall be held to maintain consistency between
plans.
(5) These limits of error will apply to surveys over reasonably level and open
country. Where certain conditions apply, the Director of Legal Surveys, SGD,
may allow a greater limit of error.

Tolerances

Errors

Plan
Submission

10. When a survey is performed, where a previously surveyed right of way

plan exists and numerous significant errors have been detected on the plan
such that a resurvey of a portion or all of the plan is required to confirm the
position of certain corners, the Surveyor shall contact the Director of Legal
Surveys, SGD, for authorization to resurvey a portion or all of the plan.
The portion or all of the previously registered plan surveyed will then be
abandoned in lieu of the new plan.
11. (1) All plans of survey prepared in accordance with this manual shall be
submitted to the Director of Legal Surveys, SGD, for examination and
approval. The Director may approve plans that do not conform to this
manual where special or peculiar circumstances exist justifying a
departure from the same.
(2) The plan of survey shall be accompanied by a Surveyors Report. The
report shall contain all information that may be pertinent to the plan of
survey and shall describe any unusual survey procedures or survey
evidence used in the re-establishment of monuments.
(3) The plan of survey shall be accompanied by a complete set of field
notes on 8 1/2 x 11-inch paper format.

Digital

12. Digital plans and field notes may be submitted in a format acceptable to the
Director.

Inspection

13. All surveys performed under this manual are subject to inspection by SGD.

PART II
Road Right of Way Surveys
The purpose of a road right of way survey is to physically establish the limits of the
new road and adjacent private and public property boundaries and to ensure the
necessary right of way interests are vested and show new areas taken for roadway.
The plan of survey is prepared to reflect the survey. During the course of
performing the legal survey, reference monuments are established to reference the
position of the new road monuments, which may be destroyed during road
construction. These reference monuments also enable Maintenance Surveys to be
conducted in the future.
1. (1) (a) Road right of ways shall be marked on the ground by establishing
monuments on the westerly and southerly limit thereof, wherever
possible, and at every change in direction, at the intersection of a
section line, previously surveyed line, and the intersection with
the monumented limit of a previously registered survey. All
measurements shall be made in reference to the monumented limit
of the road right of way.

Monuments

(b) A road right of way monument marking a deflection point shall be

extended to the nearest section line or quarter section line where
possible. If the deflection is too large to allow this, then a suitable
location shall be located, if conditions permit, so that the
monument shall not be disturbed by construction.

Deflections

(c) Where special circumstances exist, monuments may be established

on limits other than those prescribed in Sub-section 1. (1)(a), of
this Part. In these situations the Surveyor shall contact the
Director of Legal Surveys, SGD, for direction or authorization to
proceed.

Alternate
Direction

(d) Where a road right of way intersects a parcel that is not defined by
a plan of survey, the intersections shall not be monumented.
(e) Where the new road right of way passes through river lots, the
Surveyor shall contact the Director of Legal Surveys, SGD, for
direction on the number of intersections required for the particular
survey.

River Lots

(2) (a) Where a parallel extra width or restriction occurs on the

monumented limit of the road right of way, a monument shall be
established at each change of direction.
(b) Where a parallel extra width or restriction occurs on the unposted
limit of the road right of way, at minimum a single monument shall
be established on the monumented limit opposite one end of the
extra width or the restriction.
Numbering
Monuments

2. Monuments shall be numbered consecutively from the point of beginning to

the end of the survey. Each monument shall have the letter R, followed by
the number permanently marked thereon and the marking shall face toward
the road. The monuments may be marked in Arabic or Roman Numerals.

Curves

3. (1) Where simple curves are surveyed, such curves shall be monumented at
the beginning of curve (B.C.) and the end of curve (E.C.). Surveyed
lines intersecting such curves shall be monumented at the point of
intersection.
(2) Planned or constructed spiral curves shall be surveyed in accordance
with the prescribed tables (Arc definition) in use by SGD and shall be
monumented at the B.C., E.C. and at points of spiral curve (S.C.).
Surveyed lines intersecting such curves shall be monumented at the
point of intersection.
=
ST =
R =

=
ST =
R =

=
ST =
R =

T
=
T.S.T. =

(3) When a surveyed road right of way lies adjacent to a railway right of
way, where the title to the right of way was secured according to a plan
of survey showing spirals thereon, terminal curves as adopted by the
different railway companies shall be substituted therefore and shown on
the plan of survey.

Extra width
or
restrictions

(4) Where a curve is surveyed at the intersection of road allowances or

previously surveyed road right of ways and is not a portion of a longer
continuous surveyed right of way, such curve shall be monumented on
the boundaries of the land affected at the B.C. and the E.C.

Existing
surveys

New Survey

4. Where it is impossible or impracticable to establish a monument on the

new road right of way limit opposite a section or quarter section corner due
to a slough or marsh or other such obstruction, a monument shall be
established on the new right of way limit on either side of the obstruction
and a connection shown to the section or quarter section line. The
reference monument may be omitted.

Quarter Line

Dist.

Slough

90o

Obstructions

Unposted
Limit

5. (1) Where the unposted limit of a road right of way passes through a
previously surveyed subdivision, parcel, or railway station grounds, the
limit shall be monumented in accordance with Sub-section 1. (1) of this
Part, and the monuments need not be numbered. Adequate connections
shall be shown to connect the information to the survey.

Angle

Dist.

(2) Where the unposted limit of a road right of way passes through a
previously surveyed road right of way where the surveyed line is not
coincident with the section/quarter line, the intersection of the
production of the surveyed line and the monumented limit shall be
monumented.

Post intersection
with East/West road
on monumented
limit of new road

Section line
or
line

Intersection not required when

survey line and section/quarter
line are coincident.

10

(3) Where the unposted limit of a road right of way is not parallel to the
monumented limit, it shall be considered as a separate surveyed line
and sufficient monuments shall be established on this line to clearly
define the right of way limit by distance, angle and width with respect
to the survey line.
6. (1) In the case of subdivision lots an adequate number of intersections shall
be monumented with a sufficient number of measurements shown in
order that the location of the area of the road right of way may be
accurately determined in relation thereto. Where block boundaries
have been monumented, the monumenting of lot boundaries shall be
omitted. Where it is the opinion of the surveyor that lot boundaries
may require monumentation, the Director of Legal Surveys, SGD, shall
be contacted for direction.

LEROY

(2) Where the new road right of way intersects a previously surveyed
reservoir or drainage ditch where the entire perimeter has been
monumented and a deflection exists on that survey within the new right
of way, both limits of the new road right of way shall be monumented
at the intersections. All other registered plans shall be monumented as
stated in Sub-section 1. (1) of this Part.

Pipeline

Reservoir

11

Subdivision

(3) Except as stated in Sub-sections 5. (1), (3) and 6. (1), (2) of this Part,
only one limit of a road right of way shall be monumented, unless
separate instructions to the contrary are issued, and in all cases where a
new right of way follows a correction line or where there is a change of
systems of surveys, both limits are to be considered separate survey
lines and shall be monumented and numbered separately as in Section 2.
of this Part.
Reference
Monuments

7. (1) A reference monument shall be established on all section lines and

quarter section lines at a distance of 20 metres from the limit of the new
road right of way.
(a) In situations involving previously surveyed quarter section lines, a
reference monument shall be established on the quarter section line at
a distance of 20 metres from the limit of the new road right of way.
(b) In situations involving unsurveyed quarter section lines , a
reference monument shall be established at a distance of 20 metres
from the limit of the new road right of way at 90 from the
surveyed line. If a deflection exists at the quarter, the plan of
survey shall clearly indicate which line the right angle is from.
(2) In situations involving surveys as outlined in Sections 11. and 13. of
this Part, the reference monument shall be established at 20 metres
from the unposted limit of the road right of way.
(3) Where special circumstances exist, reference monuments may be
established on limits other than those prescribed in Sub-section 7. (1)
and (2) of this Part. In these situations the Surveyor shall contact the
Director of Legal Surveys, SGD, for direction or authorization to
proceed.

Primary
Monuments

Blind
Line

8. All section corner and quarter section corner monuments affected by the
new road right of way shall be found or their positions re-established.
Monuments do not have to be re-established at these positions. A
minimum of two monuments, one reference and one road monument is
required.
9. Where the road right of way intersects the boundary of a section where
there is no road allowance (Blind line), the said boundary is to be
measured. When a monument is established at the quarter section corner
then the monument shall be established in accordance with The Land
Surveys Act and the said monument shall be marked .

12

10. Where a road right of way is surveyed adjacent to the boundary of a section
where there is no road allowance, and the north or south boundary of the
road right of way is coincident with the section line, a monument shall be
established at the quarter section corner in accordance with the provisions
of The Land Surveys Act and said monument shall be marked . It is
preferable that the measurements be taken across the surveyed right of way.
Blind Line
Angle

90o

Angle

90o

Angle

90o

90o

Angle

Blind Line

11. (1) Where a road right of way is surveyed adjacent to a road allowance and
the unsurveyed limit crosses a previously surveyed quarter section line,
the surveyed quarter line is not required to be intersected. This also
applies when the unsurveyed limit crosses a section line.
(2) (a) Where a road right of way is surveyed adjacent to a road allowance
and begins or terminates at, or crosses a quarter section line that
has not been previously surveyed, a monument shall be established
on the surveyed limit at 90 degrees to the quarter section
monument.

90o

90o

90

90

Angle

(b) Where a new road right of way is surveyed superseding an existing

road right of way and begins or terminates at a quarter section line,
a monument shall be established on the surveyed limit at the
intersection of the new road right of way limit and a line from the
quarter section corner through the old road right of way
monument.
Angle
from
previous
plan
Angle
Angle

est. pt.
180o

13

Quarter
Lines

(c) In situations where the surveyed limit is not parallel to the road
allowance and where quarter section lines are significantly off
theoretic bearings, to an amount that the monument established at
90 degrees from surveyed limit is significantly off the theoretical
quarter line, the monument shall be established at an angle other
than 90 degrees, so that the monument will be established within
0.3 metres of the theoretical quarter line.

90o

When this distance is

greater than 0.300m, adjust
the angle to move the
monument closer to the
theoretic quarter line.

12. Where a road right of way is surveyed adjacent a quarter section line and
one of the limits of the right of way is coincident with the quarter line, two
monuments shall also be established on the said right of way limit
approximately equidistant from each other and from the section boundaries.
The two monuments in the interior may be omitted if the other quarter line
has been previously surveyed. It is preferable that the measurements be
taken across the surveyed right of way.
Quarter Line

Angle

Angle

Surveyed
Quarter Line
Angle
Angle

Angl
Quarter Line

Quarter Line

14

Angle

13. (1) Where a road right of way is surveyed through a section and the
surveyed limit does not fall on a section or quarter section line, or the
section or quarter section line does not fall within the right of way, two
monuments shall be established in the interior of the section, these
monuments being approximately equidistant from each other and from
the section boundaries. One or both monuments may be omitted
provided that the maximum distance between road monuments does not
exceed 800 metres or the length or breadth of a quarter section.
Intermediate posts may be omitted when the quarter section lines are
intersected and monumented.

(2) Where the road right of way crosses or is so close to the centre of a
section, or to one of the quarter section lines, so as to cause any doubt
as to the quarter sections affected, the necessary quarter section line or
lines are to be surveyed. The intersection of the right of way and the
quarter section line or lines shall be monumented and proper
measurements secured. Where both quarter section lines are surveyed,
the centre of the section shall be monumented, provided that if the
centre falls in the actual roadway the Surveyor shall omit the
monument if in his opinion it may create a hazard.

15

Cross
Country
Roads

Water
Boundaries

14. Where the road right of way or public improvement crosses or terminates at
any lake, river, stream, etc., the bank shall be defined at the time of the
survey. The bank is defined in accordance with the regulations prescribed
under The Land Titles Act.
(1) Where it is necessary to define the bank at the time of the current
survey, measurements are to be secured at each change of direction to
adequately define the bank.
(2) Where the title is based on the bank, the bank shall be shown according
to the township plat referred to on the title. A note shall be shown on
the plan stating: bank was plotted according to township plat dated
.. Field notes of the traverse are available from the office of the
Director of Legal Surveys, SGD.

Road
Diversions

15. (1) (a) Where a previously surveyed road right of way is to be retained
and not abandoned, the previous right of way plan shall remain
active and the new right of way shall restrict around the previous
right of way.

NOTE: Road Diversion not to be abandoned

Regd. Plan
No. ______

16

(b) If it is necessary to re-survey the entire road right of way for reestablishment purposes, then the previous right of way shall be reregistered on the new right of way plan.
NOTE: Road Diversion required for re-establishment purposes.

B
If entire diversion through
quarter is re-surveyed, reregister on the new plan.

(2) Where a previously surveyed road right of way, in a quarter section, is

to be entirely abandoned in favour of a new road right of way survey,
the previously surveyed road right of way does not have to be retraced
unless it is required for re-establishment purposes.

NOTE: Road Diversion not required for re-establishment purposes.

Road to be
abandoned
Not to be
shown on plan

17

PART III
Northern Road Right of Way Surveys
A road right of way situated on Provincial Crown Land that is not subdivided
by a sufficient number of surveyed base lines and meridians may be
designated a Northern Road Right of Way by the Director of Legal Surveys.
The provisions of this section shall be complied with on all Northern Road
Right of Ways.
Methods and Accuracy
Tolerances

1. Standard legal survey practice shall apply for the legal survey observations.
The maximum allowable error in misclosure shall not exceed one part in
ten thousand or 100 ppm.

Azimuth

2. An azimuth for a selected boundary at the beginning and end of the right of
way shall be obtained on each survey. Azimuths can be established from
available control monuments, a previous legal survey, astronomic
observations, Global Positioning Systems (GPS) or other suitable method.

Coordinate
Values

3. Coordinate values shall be derived for all legal survey monuments. The
coordinate values shall be based on the currently adopted datum and geoid
model, and derived using current methods prescribed by SGD. Copies of
all calculations and computer listings showing all input, adjustment
parameters, residuals and accuracy analysis shall be supplied as part of the
survey returns. The horizontal coordinate values shall be within 2.0 metre
error ellipse at a 95% confidence level relative to the existing control
monuments and proved by distortion analysis between coordinates
produced from a constrained and an unconstrained adjustment. The
maximum allowable distortion error shall not exceed 100 ppm.

Monument
Type

4. All new control survey points shall be permanently marked on the ground.
Wherever suitable, existing legal or control survey points should be used as
points for the survey. New control points may be either:
(1) An 8-foot helix pipe with brass cap.
(2) A brass survey Tablet Marker to be located in bedrock, or a stable
concrete structure. (Type 1 of EMR 1978 specs).
(3) A 4 foot, 5/8 diameter re-bar with SGD plastic cap.
(4) Standard iron post.

18

(5) Standard iron post cut down to 15 centimetres in length and set 8
centimetres into rock or brass caps cemented into bedrock.
5. Each new control survey monument that is coordinated shall be identified
in all documentation relating to the survey, including all field notes, by its
unique number. The unique number for a monument shall be a number
from the series allocated by the Director of Geodetic Surveys, SGD, except
where the point already has an official number or identifier.

Monument
Number

6. Station descriptions shall be prepared for any new stations on official SGD
approved forms with any attachments on 8 x 11 paper. The description
shall be complete and include: unique numbers, land location, monument
type, measurements to topographical features, or reference points. Digital
data may be submitted in a format acceptable to the Director of Legal
Surveys.

Station
Description

7. All control survey monuments, lost or found, shall be formally reported to

the Director of Geodetic Surveys, SGD, with the current condition, date of
inspection, reporters name, address and phone number on an official SGD
Station Inspection Form.

Monument
Condition

Connections:
8. Every survey shall be connected to the Geodetic Survey System. A
minimum of two (2) existing control stations shall be included in the
network to provide sufficient reliability in the solution.

Geodetic
Connections

9. A minimum of two (2) legal survey monuments shall be included and well
configured into the survey control network to allow accurate and reliable
geodetic coordinates to be calculated for all points connected.

Connections
to Legal

10. If connecting existing legal or control monuments to a new survey involves

significant amounts of additional work, the Controller of Surveys shall be
contacted to assess the necessity of the connection.

Special
Circumstances

Measurements:
11. Measurements can be derived by using conventional survey procedures and
equipment (measuring tapes, EDM, theodolites) capable of achieving the
accuracy specified in these instructions.

19

Conventional
Procedures

GPS

12. Measurements can be derived by GPS. The survey shall be performed

using proven GPS Techniques with sufficient independent check
measurements to eliminate the possibility of gross error in any
measurement. The control network configuration and survey practices
shall meet the currently adopted guidelines and specifications for GPS
Surveys.

Measurements

13. All measured lengths shall be reduced to horizontal at general ground level
and expressed in metres and decimals thereof on the plan of survey.
Legal Surveys

Procedures

14. Legal Surveys on Northern Road Right of Ways shall be performed in

accordance with the provisions of PART II of this manual except as noted
hereafter.

Curves

15. Simple curves shall be used except where, in the opinion of the Surveyor,
compound curves are required to properly retrace construction curves.
Constructed highway spirals shall be surveyed as outlined in PART II, Subsection 3. (2).

Monuments

16. (1) Legal survey monuments shall be established at the commencement and
end of the survey, beginning and end of curves, deflection points, and
adjacent to survey control. The maximum distance between
monuments shall not exceed 1000 metres.
(2) Where it is impossible or impracticable to establish a monument on a
new road right of way limit, the monument shall be established on the
right of way limit on either side of the obstruction or at 90 degrees from
the survey line opposite the point.

Monument
Exceptions

17. Monuments cut down to 15 centimetres in length and set 8 centimetres into
rock or brass caps cemented into bedrock may be substituted at positions
that fall in rock.

Topographical
Features

18. Sufficient measurements shall be taken to define the position of all major
topographical features adjacent to the road right of way, i.e., river banks,
lake shore, centre thread of named streams. Additional information of this
nature may be added by scaling from aerial photos when available.

Geodetic
Tolerances

19. A mathematical closure shall be obtained between the legal survey

measurements and the Geodetic coordinates obtained at the beginning and
end of the survey. The calculations shall include appropriate corrections
such as distance reduction to ellipsoid or UTM scale factor. The maximum
allowable limit of non-closure shall not exceed one part in ten thousand.
20

PART IV
Public Improvement Surveys
Public improvements are lands acquired for any public service pursuant to The
Highways and Transportation Act.
1. Public Improvements shall be marked on the ground by establishing
monuments at every change in direction, at the intersection of a section
line, previously surveyed line, and the intersection with the monumented
limits of a previously registered survey.

Monuments

2. Where a limit of a public improvement intersects a curve, the beginning

and end of curve shall be defined as stated in Part I, Sub-section 7. (2) to
establish the curve intersection.

Curve
Intersection

3. The monuments marking the limits of a Public Improvement shall not be

numbered.

Monument
Numbering

4. Where it is impossible or impracticable to establish a monument on the

Public Improvement limit due to a slough, marsh or other obstruction, a
monument shall be established referencing the obstructed corner on either
limit and measurements shown to the referenced monument.

slough

Dist.

21

Obstructions

PART V

Road Maintenance Surveys

Maintenance surveys are performed where roads are re-constructed within
existing right of ways or where new road widenings are secured by easement.
The surveys are designed to protect and maintain the provinces legal survey
system and to facilitate efficient surveys in the future.
There are two types of Maintenance Surveys:
Maintenance Type 1 Survey:
Type 1 surveys, which replaces Reference Surveys, establishes reference
monuments to reference and protect from road construction the position of
section corners, quarter section corners, and road monuments opposite section
and quarter section corners.
Maintenance Type 2 Survey:
Type 2 surveys are basically retracement surveys that are done after
construction and include the re-establishment of all monuments shown on
previous surveys affecting the road limit. Type 2 maintenance surveys can
only be done when there is adequate survey information existing prior to
construction that can still be used after construction to easily re-establish the
lost or damaged monuments.

Maintenance Type 1 Survey

Sufficient measurements shall be derived and shown to connect all found or
re-established monuments to the survey.
Maintenance Surveys on Road Allowance
Monuments

1. Where the original road allowance has not been widened by the registration
of a road right of way plan, it shall be required that all section, quarter
section and secondary monuments on the section line being referenced be
found or re-established.

Reference
Monuments

2. All section and quarter section corner monuments affected by the road right
of way shall be referenced by a monument at a distance of 20 metres from
the section line being referenced.

22

3. Reference monuments established opposite a section corner shall be

established on the section line.
4. Reference monuments established opposite a quarter section corner shall be
established at 90 degrees from the section line being referenced unless the
quarter section line has been previously surveyed, then a reference
monument shall be established on the quarter section line.

Previously
run quarter

Unsurveyed
quarter line

angle
Dist.

90o
20m
angle

20
angle

5. Where field conditions are inadequate or where there is insufficient

monumentation, reference monuments may be established on the opposite
side of the section or quarter section line being referenced. In these cases
in the Third System of Survey the offset distance shall be 40.117 metres
and in the First and Second Systems of Survey the offset distance shall be
50.175 metres from the section line being referenced.

40.117

180o

River

23

Alternate
Direction

Correction
Lines
Range Lines

6. Correction Lines shall be referenced both north and south and Range Lines
where there is a change in the systems of surveys shall be referenced both
east and west of the section lines affected, in the manner prescribed above.
A connection shall be made between both lines as stated in PART I,
Section 8.
Maintenance Surveys on existing Right of Way Plans
All right of way plans not previously monumented with reference
monuments shall be surveyed as Maintenance Type 1 Surveys as outlined
hereafter. These instructions cover previous road surveys that were
monumented with intermediate monuments, had monuments established at
90 degrees to the section and quarter section corners and were done under
the previous manual with no reference monuments established.

Primary
Monuments

Secondary
Monuments

7. All section and quarter section corner monuments affected by the

Maintenance survey shall be found or their position re-established.
Monuments do not have to be re-established at these positions. A
minimum of two monuments, one reference and one road monument is
required at each corner.
8. (1) All right of way monuments shall be found or re-established on all
section lines and at 90 degrees from the right of way line opposite a
quarter section corner. Where the quarter section line has been
previously surveyed, the right of way monument shall be established on
the quarter section line.
(2) In situations involving intermediate monuments, any monument that is
found shall be connected to the survey. If an intermediate monument is
lost, it is not required to be re-established unless it is intended to mark a
deflection point.
(3) All secondary monuments marking the intersection of any subsequent
surveys crossing the road right of way shall be found or re-established
and connected to the survey.

24

9. Where an existing right of way monument does not fall on the section line
or 90 degrees from the road line in the case of a quarter corner monument,
the Surveyor shall move the right of way monument onto the appropriate
line. This is to avoid situations where the monuments can cause confusion
due to minor differences with the previous survey. The distance and
direction of the movement of the monument shall be shown on the plan of
survey.

est. pt.

90o

FRX (moved
0.120 west)

90o

angle

10. Notwithstanding Sub-section 9. (2) of this Part where a right of way

monument does not exist opposite a quarter section corner, a monument
shall be established either at 90 degrees from the right of way line or on the
quarter line if the quarter line has been previously surveyed. The
monument shall be marked with the lower of the two numbered monuments
on the intersected surveyed line, followed by the letter A.

est. pt.

90o

Monuments
at 90o

est. pt.

Intermediate
Monument

est. pt.

RIX
90o

90o

11. (1) All right of way monuments on section lines and opposite all quarter
section corners shall be referenced with a monument at a distance of 20
metres from the limit of the right of way being referenced. All
measurements shall be shown to the right of way limit.

25

Reference
Monuments

Alternate
Direction

(2) Where special circumstances exist, reference monuments may be

established on limits other than prescribed in Sub-section 12. (1) of
this Part. In these situations the Surveyor shall contact the Director
of Legal Surveys, SGD, for direction or authorization to proceed.

Maintenance Type 2 Survey

These surveys are basically retracement surveys that can only be done after
construction when there is adequate survey information existing prior to
construction that will still be available after construction to easily re-establish
the lost or damaged monuments.
Monuments

12. (1) All monuments on the property limit and their reference monuments
shall be found, re-established or restored.
(2) Intermediate road monuments established on the road limit between
section corners do not have to be re-established unless the monument
is intended to mark a deflection point on the road limit.
(3) All secondary monuments on the road right of way limit shall be found
or re-established and connected to the survey.

Measurements

Special
Circumstances

13. Measured roadlines and tie lines shown on existing plans do not have to be
re-measured unless the measurements are required for re-establishment
purposes or there are uncertainties in the accuracies of the measurements or
survey procedures. e.g. Measurements prior to electronic distance
measurements (EDM).
14. Where special or peculiar circumstances exist during the performance of a
survey or preparation of a plan, the Surveyor shall contact the Director of
Legal Surveys, SGD, for direction or authorization to proceed in another
manner.

26

PART VI
Plans of Survey
General
Unless otherwise specified the following requirements shall apply to all plans
of survey made under this manual:
1. (1) Headings for plans shall read Plan of Survey showing .......... New
Road ......... Public Improvement ..... as the case may be, in Township
..... Range ..... West ..... Meridian, Surveyor, date and scale.

Headings

(2) Headings for Maintenance Survey plans shall read Maintenance

Survey in Township .. Range .. West ..Meridian.
(3) Adjoining maintenance and right of way surveys shall be shown on a
single plan rather than two separate plans. The heading on the plan
shall read Plan of Survey showing New Road.
2. (1) All survey information on the plan shall be shown in a minimum of 80
CL (2mm) template size.

Lettering

(2) To facilitate reproduction at a smaller scale, the minimum lettering size

shall be as follows:
Template
size
Metric
Heading
240 CL
6mm
Sub-heading
175 CL
4.5mm
Survey Information
80 CL
2mm
Section Numbers
240 CL
6mm
Surveyors Certificate
80 CL
2mm
Area
175 CL
4.5mm
3. Widths of standard road allowances shall be omitted on plans and a note
made under the plan heading in lieu thereof, e.g. - Standard road
allowances on this plan are 20.117 (or 30.175) metres in width.
4. All distance measurements shall be shown in metres and three decimals
thereof, and a note made under the plan heading to that effect.
5. (1) All monuments found or evidence thereof shall be shown on the plan
by a solid black diamond, thus .

27

Monument
Symbols

(2) All monuments established or re-established excluding reference

monuments shall be shown on the plan by a solid black square, thus

(3) Reference monuments established shall be shown on the plan by a solid

black circle, thus .
(4) Control survey monuments shall be shown thus
reference monuments thus .

and control

(5) Monuments shall be drawn at a suitable size so as not to be obliterated

by plan lines, road lines or registration lines.
Abbreviations

6. In preparing a plan of survey, the following abbreviations shall apply:

Appr. ...........Approach
Az. ..............Azimuth
B.T. ..............Bearing Tree
Bdy. ............Boundary
C.S.M. ..........Control Survey Monument
Cal. .............Calculated
Conc. ...........Concrete
Cop. ............Copied
c.s. ...............Countersunk
Cor. .............Corner
Cult. ............Cultivation
Ded. ............Deduced
Evid. ...........Evidence
F. .................Found
Frac. ............Fractional
ha .................Hectare
I.P. ..............Iron Post
I.R. ..............Indian Reserve
L.S. .............Legal Subdivision
Mkd. ...........Marked
M. ...............Mound

Monument
Description

Mer. .............. Meridian

Mon. ............. Monument
Mr. ............... Marker Post
Obl. .............. Obliterated
P. .................. Standard Post
Pit ................. 4 Pits
Pl. ................. Planted
Pr. ................. Principal
R. .................. Range
R ................... Radius or Road Monument
R/W .............. Right of Way
Re-est. .......... Re-established
Res. .............. Restored
RM ............... Reference Monument
Sec. .............. Section
St. .................. Stone
T. .................. Trench
Tp. ................ Township
W.P. ............. Wooden Post
Wit. .............. Witness

7. (1) Complete information shall be shown on the plan as to the type,

condition, markings, including the year on posts, and position of all
monuments found on the ground, and by which the boundaries of the
land were determined. When measurements are required, showing the
position of the monuments, and when such monuments lie outside the
quarter from which area shall be taken for the right of way or public
improvement, the lines may be shown broken.
(2) Sufficient information shall be shown, along with the monument
notation, to clearly define the manner in which each monument has
been re-established.

28

(3) Where informal referencing is used, the monument notation on the plan
shall show the date of reference and date of re-establishment
e.g.
OR
F.Pits June 1, 1998
F.Pits June 1, 1998
PI.I.P.Mr. Sept. 1, 1998
Destroyed by construction
(4) Where monuments have been destroyed by a Surveyor, a note to that
effect shall be made on the plan.
8. (1) Angles shall be shown at the intersection of all lines of surveys, and at
deflection points and intermediate monuments.

Angles

(2) All angular measurements shall be shown in degrees, minutes, and

seconds.
9. (1) To link plan and detail together road monuments and angles shall be
shown on the main plan if sufficient space exists.

Details

(2) All details shall be drawn outside of the quarter affected by the new
right of way.
(3) Details shall be numbered or lettered in a consecutive manner and
shown adjacent to the affected quarter.
10. Railway right of way limits shall be shown by a fine solid line with the
centre line being shown by a heavier solid line or

Railways

11. Retracement of existing replacement curves based on prescribed tables

(Arc definition) shall show three simple curves, and shall include the Total
Sub-Tangent (T.S.T.) and Total Delta (T ).

=
ST =
R =

=
ST =
R =

Curves

=
ST =
R =

T
=
T.S.T.=

12. (1) All plans submitted shall be clear in detail, complete as to information
and shall scale accurately. Plans that reproduce illegible or in a faint
manner will be returned to be redrawn or replotted.
(2) Plans in freehand drafting will not be accepted without prior approval
of the Director of Legal Surveys, SGD.
29

Survey
Plan

Plan
Submission

13. Initial submission of plans for examination may be in one of the following
formats:
(1) reproducible vellum,
(2) 3 mil matte two sides drafting mylar,
(3) three blueprints or three paper prints.
14. Final plan submission for examination shall be on 3 mil matte two sides
drafting mylar, signed in black permanent ink and sealed by the Surveyor.

Plan
Certification

15. The plan shall be certified using Form B of The Land Surveys Act.
Road Right of Way Survey and Public Improvement Plans:

Plan Size

16. (1) Plans shall not be greater than 841mm in width. It is preferable that
plans of road right of ways do not exceed one township or range in
length, but in certain instances this may be increased by one section on
either side of the township or range. In order to accommodate
computer-plotting limits, more than one plan will be allowed per
project.
The maximum length of the plan shall not exceed 3 metres.

Land
Registration
Districts

North
Arrow

Headings

(2) Plans of road right of ways shall not affect more than one land
registration district unless the road parallels the land registration
districts. If more than one land registration district is affected they
shall be identified.
17. (1) The top of the plan shall be north. A north point shall be placed in a
conspicuous position and shall clearly indicate the direction north. All
information shall be readable from the southeast corner of the plan.
(2) Headings shall be placed at the north end of a north-south road and at
the east end of an east-west road.

Scale

18. The plan scale shall be 1:5,000, 1:2,000 or 1:1,000 depending on the detail
to be shown. Scale 1:2,000 is recommended for portions of a road survey
passing through subdivisions.

Section
Information

19. (1) The plan shall show complete quarter sections on either side of the new
road right of way.
(2) The plan shall show all surveys in the quarter sections affected by the
new road right of way. The names of all railways, townsites, creeks,
rivers or lakes shall be shown, together with registered plan numbers of
30

previously surveyed road right of ways, Certificates of Title (metes and

bounds descriptions) (CofTs) and all other plans.
(3) In cases of extensive subdivision, only those portions lying within 200
metres of the new road right of way or tie lines have to be shown.
20. (1) The sections affected by the new road right of way shall be indicated
and completely described in each case, that is, the particular section,
township, range and meridian shall be shown.
(2) Minimum letter size for this designation shall be 140 CL Template
(3.5mm). The section number should be 240 CL Template (6mm).
eg.

23
26-14-2

21. Wherever a new road right of way cuts a township or range line the number
of both townships or ranges shall be shown on each side of the road
allowances, in a minimum template size of 175 CL (4.5mm).
22. When it is desirable to break a survey on the plan, it shall be done at the
section line, or quarter section line only. In certain cases the break may
occur at the boundary of a parcel of land shown on a registered plan. This
shall be done in such a manner that all areas for one quarter section are
shown in one place and that quarter section is drawn entirely at scale.
23. (1) The surveyed line of the new road right of way shall be shown heavier
than the opposite side.
(2) Monuments on the new road right of way shall be shown on the plan by
solid black squares, thus and a description of the monument RXX
Mr. or R20 Cult., etc., as marked on the monument.
24. (1) The width of the new road right of way and the width of any other
roads, streets, lanes and pipelines, etc. other than road allowances, in
the vicinity shall be shown at suitable points, preferably near the
intersection of section boundaries.
(2) The total width of a new road right of way shall be shown at least once
per section.
In-lining

25.

The portion to be registered, including details, will be inlined in red

after approval for registration. Information is not to be placed within
the portion to be registered so as to conflict with the red border.

31

Township &
Range

Plan
Breaks

Survey
Line
Road
Monuments

Widths

Curves

26. (1) Curve intersection measurements to survey lines shall include:

(a) distance from B.C. and/or E.C. to intersection on sub-tangent or
chord.
(b) angle with sub-tangent or chord at intersection.
(c) distance from intersection on sub-tangent or chord to intersection
on curve.
(2) Curve information shall be shown as follows:
(a) Simple curves
....
Deflection angle between tangents (Delta)
S.T . . . .
Sub-tangent
R ....
Radius

=
ST =
R =

(b) Replacement of planned or constructed spiral curves shall show

three simple curves as stated in Sub-section 26.(2)(a) of this Part
and shall include the total Deflection Angle and total sub-tangent.
T
. . . . Total Deflection Angle
T.S.T. . . . . Total Sub-tangent

=
ST =
R =

=
ST =
R =

T
=
T.S.T.=

32

=
ST =
R =

27. (1) Quarter section designations and areas shall be shown in a 175 CL
(4.5mm) Template; Block and Lot designation should be as large as
spacing permits. e.g. SE 14 - 0.00 ha

Areas

(2) Areas to be secured for road right of way shall be shown in the quarter
section affected and shall be shown to the second decimal point for
Municipal Roads and third decimal point for Provincial Highways and
Public Improvements.
(3) (a) Where a road right of way in any one quarter section is divided
into two or more portions by other title boundaries such portions
shall be lettered A, B, C, etc., and the area for each portion shown
in hectares. Letters already assigned to parcel designations within
the quarter section shall not be used for area designations. Area
letter designations shall be different in adjacent quarter sections.
eg.

N.E. 36 - A = 0.00 ha
- B = 0.00 ha
- C = 0.00 ha

OR
N.E. 36 - A = 0.00 ha
Regd Plan No. 98SC00000
Parcel X - B = 0.00 ha
(b) Where a road right of way affects blocks with lots in a subdivision, the area designation shall be shown to the third decimal
point for Municipal Roads and to the fourth decimal point for
Provincial Highways.
eg.

S.E. 36
Registered Plan No. 98SC00000
Block 12, Lot 1 = 0.000 ha
Lots 2 to 12 incl. = 0.000 ha each

OR
S.E. 36
- A = 0.00 ha
Registered Plan No. 98SC00000
Block 12, Lot 1 = 0.000 ha
Lots 2 to 12 incl. = 0.000 ha each
28. Plans dealing with northern road right of way surveys:
(1) The plan of survey shall show Latitude and Longitude coordinates
taken at beginning and end of survey.

33

Northern
Road
Right of Way

(2) The calculated or observed azimuth shall be shown on the plan at the
beginning and end of the survey plan.
(3) The plan of survey shall show both the legal road right of way and
control monuments.
(4) The plan of survey shall include a key map shown at a suitable scale so
that the exact location can be determined on maps and aerial
photographs.
(5) The plan of survey shall show all named lakes and streams within 200
metres of the road right of way.
Endorsement

29. The Saskatchewan Highways and Transportation endorsement and seal

shall be shown on the plan as follows. Sufficient space shall be left for the
SGD Plan Approval and the Registrars Memorial.
Saskatchewan Highways and Transportation
SEAL

_______________________________ Date _______________________

Examined and Approved Pursuant to The Highways Act.

Road Maintenance Survey Plans

Maintenance Type 1 Survey:
30. (1) The plan of survey shall be drawn in standard Township Plan format of
dimensions 381 x 457 mm. A scale is not required, however, sections
shall be of sufficient size and proportion and Road Allowances shall be
exaggerated to present plan information in a clear manner.
(2) A larger dimension plan not exceeding 841mm in width, drawn to
1:5,000 scale, may be substituted when excessive detail is required.
31. Sufficient space shall be left on the plan for the SGD plan approval.

34

Maintenance Type 2 Survey:

32. (1) The plan of survey shall be drawn on 11 x 17 3 mil matte two sides
drafting mylar.
(2) A larger dimension plan may be substituted when excessive detail is
required. Plans may:
(a) be in standard township plan format of dimensions 381 x 457mm
as per Sub-section 30. (1) of this Part.
(b) not exceed 841mm in width.
33. Sufficient space shall be left on Road Maintenance Plans for the SGD plan
approval.

m:\Manual Version 4.doc

35