About DLS Coordinates

The DLS coordinate system = LSDLegal Subdivision - SEC - TWP - RGE W/MER

Valid numbers in each box are:

LSD: 1-16
SEC: 1-36
TWP: 1-126 (Mandatory)
RGE: 1-34 (Mandatory)
W: 1-6 (Mandatory)

Valid DLS Coordinates

The Dominion Land Survey (DLS) grid covers most of Western Canada's sedimentary basin, and it is the survey system used in Alberta, Saskatchewan, a portion of Manitoba, and the Peace River Block in British Columbia. DLS divides land into regular boxes called townships, which are 6 miles on each side. Three coordinates (Township, Range, and Meridian), identify each township. GeoVista uses a township and range coordinate pair, in conjunction with a meridian number, to identify a specific township in the DLS. The following explains the numbering, using the example 89-9-W-4.

89 (the township numbering) - Townships are numbered from 1 to 126, south-to-north. Each DLS township is divided into 36 sections, which are one mile on a side and numbered in a left-to-right/right-to-left pattern.
9 (the range numbering) - Ranges are numbered from 1 to 30, east-to-west, at township 1, and from 1 to 23, east-to-west, at township 126. Each DLS section is divided into 16 Local Subdivisions (LSD), which are 1320 feet on a side and numbered in the same way as the sections.

Due to the curvature of the earth, there are fewer ranges between meridians at the northern extreme of the DLS area than at the southern extreme.
W 4 (the meridian) - A meridian is a broad group of ranges, with W4 meaning west of the 4th meridian.

A DLS township showing section numbering

A DLS section showing LSD numbering