Bureau of Land Management in Partnership with the U.S. Forest Service


Frequently Asked Questions

Most Frequently Asked FAQs
General
Land and Mineral Use Records
Land Survey Information System
View all questions and Answers
Most Frequently Asked FAQs
How do I get the latitude and longitude to display at the bottom of the map viewer?
How do I set up my Internet Browser for use with GeoCommunicator (pop-ups, scripting, TLS)?
Can I download from the Land and Minerals Viewer?
General
+Data <- Click on any title to show/hide questions
+LR2000
+Reports (Linking to LR2000)
+Searching for data
+Identify Information
+Map Display
+Printing and Saving Files
+Internet Browser
+Error Messages
+BLM State Offices
+National Integrated Land System
+Help
+GIS
+Obtaining Public Land
Land and Mineral Use Records
+Data
+LR2000
+Reports (Linking to LR2000)
+Searching for data (Mining Claims, O&G, Solid Minerals, etc)
+Identify Information
+Map Display
+Printing and Saving Files
+Downloading
+Internet Browser
+Error Messages
+Help
Land Survey Information System
+Cadastral Survey Information
+Data Availability
+Data Downloading
+Data Formats, Projection, Quality
+Error Messages
+GIS
+Integrating PLSS Data With Other Sources
+Maps
+Obtaining Public Land
View All Questions and Answers
Data
Where does the data from the map viewers come from?

The data for this application comes from the BLM's National Integrated Land System (NILS). Case recordation data from the BLM's Land and Mineral Recordation System, called Legacy Rehost 2000, or LR2000 (www.blm.gov/lr2000) is converted into the NILS system and published to GeoCommunicator for distribution and interactive mapping. Not all records from LR2000 are available in GeoCommunicator. LR2000 is a text-based recordation system for processing information on leases, permits, contracts, grants, agreements, land/mineral patents, land classifications, land withdrawals, and other use authorizations, issued by the BLM. The LR2000 system also includes unpatented mining claim recordation. Other data in this system is coming from the BLM's Rangeland System (range allotments), BLM's Abandoned Mines System (abandoned mine sites), and BLM Facility Asset Management System (BLM roads, recreation sites, campgrounds, and facilities). Other data comes from BLM national datasets.


What is the relationship between the BLM's LR2000 System and GeoCommunicator?

The LR2000 system is the official BLM web site for public access to reports from the LR2000 System containing information on land and mineral use authorizations, title transfers, land withdrawals and classifications as well as unpatented mining claims. The GeoCommunicator web sites complements LR2000 by providing interactive mapping for the display of land and mineral use authorization and mining claim record data from NILS and offers an alternative way of linking into LR2000 for reports.


How often is the data updated?

Currently, the data on the site is updated about once a weeks. The "Data Last Published Date" is on the bottom of every map viewer. Remember that not all data is displayed on GeoCommunicator that is in LR2000. Always check the LR2000 system for the latest information.


What is BLM's responsibility for Land and Mineral Records?

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is responsible for cadastral survey, land and mineral use authorization, conveyances, and resource management of the public lands. In support of the development of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure, the BLM was given the lead by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB Circular A-16) for Public Land Conveyance, Federal Land Ownership Status, and Cadastral Survey. To meet these goals, the BLM is providing the public with spatial access to our land and minerals use authorization and mining claim record data.


How much of the data from LR2000 is on NILS and GeoCommunicator?

Data from LR2000 are being processed on a nightly bases to automatically generated the geometry for the record in the LR2000 system. About 85% of the LR2000 records are available on GeoCommunicator.

The data from LR2000 uses the land descriptions in the National Integrated Land System (NILS) to create the geometry for the land and mineral records. If we do not have the land description in NILS than we can't create the geometry for the case. If we have some of the land descriptions for the case in NILS but not all than the geometry that can be created will be created and the case will contain a "Partial" flag set to "Y" (yes). Also, some records are based on land survey types that might not be supported at this time. Records are continually being added, as more data are converted into the NILS geodatabase.


What are "Cases That Affect Land Status"?

Cases That Affect Land Status displayed under the CASES folder is a set of records on NILS' GeoCommunicator that include such things as land grants, land exchanges, land withdrawals, land/mineral patents, land disposals, etc. LR2000 is the definitive source for records that affect land status.

The Federal Surface Management Agency layer that we display in GeoCommunicator is the mapping product that we offer showing the Federal Agency boundaries. The BLM State Offices offer Master Title Plats for more status information.


I have a mining claim, lease, right-of-way, etc. issued by BLM but I can't find it on the map?

Not all of the mining claims or authorizations are in NILS' GeoCommunicator. The record may not be there for any of the following reasons:

  • The record has not been converted yet.
  • We do not have a land description for the area, so we can't display the record.
  • We haven't converted that land survey type yet.
  • The LR2000 has an error or no land description so the case can't convert.

I have a mineral patent, but I can't find it on GeoCommunicator. Where can I find information on it?

Some mineral patents are being displayed on GeoCommunicator. To see them, click the Layers tab and click on the + sign next to the folder called, "CASES". Click on the Mineral Patent box. As you zoom in, the mineral patents will be displayed if we have any for the area. We only have some of the mineral patents in GeoCommunicator at this time. Information about mineral patents or any other federal land patents issued prior to 1984 can be found on the Federal Land Records Patent Site or in the LR2000 system.

Where can I find out more information on how to file a mining claim?

You can find more information on Mining Claims from:

Mining and Minerals on BLM
BLM Minerals Program
Brochure - Mining Claims and Sites on Federal Lands

If you want more information about mining claims contact any BLM State Office as each has a public web site that usually contains information about mining claims. Go to any of the BLM State Offices for more information. All questions concerning mining claims should be directed to the BLM State Office having administration over the lands in question.

Where can I find information on old mining claims?

If you are looking for an ‘old’ mining claim, you need to go to the county office where the claim was located for information. Claimants were not required to file mining claims with the federal government, including the Bureau of Land Management or it's predecessor the General Land Office before 1976. The Federal Land Policy Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA) required the mining claimants to file existing and new claims with BLM by 1979. Many old mining claims, such as those owned by our ancestors, were no longer valid by 1979. Check the county records for information about these ‘old’ mining claims.

LR2000 Questions

What is LR2000?

LR2000 or Legacy Rehost 2000 (www.blm.gov/lr2000), is a text-based case recordation system for processing information on leases, permits, contracts, grants, agreements, land/mineral patents, and other use authorizations issued by the BLM. The LR2000 system also includes unpatented mining claim recordation. Use authorizations are issued to the public for commodities and uses such as oil and gas, coal, sand, gravel, grazing, communication sites, and roads. LR2000 is actually made of several separate applications:

  • Case Recordation
  • Mining Claims Recordation
  • Status Collection
The data in GeoCommunicator's Land & Mineral Use Records is a subset of the data that is contained in these three systems.The LR2000 system provides reports on the authorizations and mining claims. To access the reports and information go to the LR2000 web site at http://www.blm.gov/lr2000.

What is LR2000 - Case Recordation?

The LR2000 - Case Recordation System is a subsystem of Legacy Rehost 2000 (LR2000). Case Recordation contains current and historical information on leases, permits, contracts, grants, agreements, land/mineral patents, etc. issued by the BLM on federal actions affecting public lands of the United States. Authorizations are issued for the following activities: oil and gas, coal and other minerals, sand, gravel, rights-of-ways, land exchanges and acquisitions, land use withdrawals, mineral patents, land classifications, land claims, land sales, etc. Information on the use authorization includes customer data, location, date of issuance, the actions that have taken place, and other applicable information. The Case Recordation system is the source of data for some of the records in GeoCommunicator.


What is LR2000 - Mining Claim Recordation?

The Mining Claim Recordation System is a subsystem of Legacy Rehost 2000. Mining Claim Recordation contains information on unpatented mining claims located on federal lands including claimant name, approximate location, and other applicable information. Mineral patents are not contained in Mining Claim Recordation. The Mining Claim Recordation system is the source of the mining claim data on GeoCommunicator.


What is LR2000 - Status system?

The Status system is a subsystem of Legacy Rehost 2000. Status was a project to collect historical title transfer documents, land withdrawals and classifications, etc into a computerized system. The system contains historical records until the early 1990s. The Status System is the source of most of the data on GeoCommunicator for the "Cases that affect land status". Some examples of data contained within the Status System are:

  • Land Classifications for Recreation & Public Purpose, power sites, etc.
  • Land Withdrawals for the National Forest, National Park Service (NPS), National Monuments, reclamation and other uses.
  • Land Title Transfer for homesteads, sales, exchanges, etc.
Reports (linking to LR2000)

What is a LR2000 Serial Register Page or Township Geo Report?

The LR2000 Serial Register Page (SRP) and the LR2000 Township (TWP) Geo Report are reports run from the Legacy Rehost 2000 (LR2000) system. A summary of the information from the records is displayed in GeoCommunicator when searching or displaying information on the parcel. To view a complete SRP or TWP Geo Report for the actual record in LR2000, you must click the LR2000 Report link next to the record information on the Identify window. Under the PLSS tab on the Identify Window click the Mining Claim, Authorizations or Cases link under the Township Geographic Reports column to run a Township Geographic report. The links to the geographic reports are also available from the Township Search.

The LR2000 Serial Register Page (SRP) is an abstract of the Land and/or Mineral Case. The abstract includes the serial number, the type of case, the land description, customer name, and the many actions that happen to the case record. Examples of action records are dates tied to events such as application received, lease issued, effective date, rental paid, lease expired, etc.

The TWP Mining Claim Geo Report provides a listing of cases from the LR2000 Mining Claim System by land description, of the active and closed unpatented mining claims in the township (state, meridian, township, range, and/or section.) Mining Claims are recorded by the BLM to the nearest quarter section.

The Authorizations Geo Report provides a listing of cases from the LR2000 Case Recordation System by serial number displaying the land description, the type of case, and the disposition of a case within a specific township (state, meridian, township, range, and/or section.).

The CASES Geo Report provides a listing of cases from the LR2000 Status System by serial number displaying the land description, the type of case, and the disposition of a case within a specific township (state, meridian, township, range, and/or section.).


How do I see the full LR2000 report?

There are two kinds of LR2000 reports available a Serial Register Page (SRP) report and a Geographic Report. Both reports will give you an up-to-date report from the LR2000 system. The Geo Report includes a choice of Mining Claims or Case Recordation. For a description of these reports see the FAQ - What is a LR2000 CR Report or LR2000 Geo Report.

  • SRP: There are two methods for accessing SRP's.
    • Open the viewer and click the desired map you wish to display from the map pull down: Mining Claims, Oil and Gas, geothermal, solid minerals, etc. Once you are in the desired map click the Search Tool icon that appears on the toolbar. It will say Energy Search, Record Search, or MC Search depending on the map view. Enter search criteria in at least one of the fields and click the "Search" button. Click the "LR2000 Report" link next to the case record whose full report you want to view. OR
    • Open the viewer. Zoom to your area of interest. Once you have the general area of interest in the viewer and parcels appear on the map you can use the "Identify" tool to get information about a parcel. Click on the Identify icon in the Map Tools toolbar and click on a feature on the map. The selected point will be highlighted on the map, and its attributes will be displayed in a the Identify window for the selected area. Click the "LR2000 Report" link next to the case record whose full report you want to view.
  • Geo Report:
    • Open the viewer and click the "township" icon in the Search Tools toolbar. Select a state from the pull-down menu. Then select a Principal Meridian. Enter Township and Range criteria to further specify the search. After clicking the "Search" button, all search results will appear at the bottom of the search window. Click "Authorization", "Mining Claim", or "CASES" next to the township whose full Geo Report you want to view. OR
    • Open the viewer. Once you have the general area of interest in the viewer, select the “Identify” icon in the Map Tools toolbar and click on a map feature. From the Identify Window under the PLSS Tab is a link to the "Authorizations", " Mining Claim" or "CASES" Geo Report.
Searching for Data

How do I locate Mining Claims, Oil & Gas leases or other data?

Once you open the viewer, use the pull down next to "select map" to set the map viewer to the type of use record or mining claim. Once you set the map there are five methods of searching for data on the Land and Minerals Use Records site.

  • Use the Interactive Map tools to zoom in to an area on the map. You will need to turn on the map layers you wish to display by clicking on the folder and also on the layers within the folder as there may be many map layers per folder. As you zoom in the records will be displayed on the map if any occur in the area. To find out information about the parcel click on the "Identify" button in the tool bar and then click on the parcel on the map.
  • Using Latitude/longitude
    Click on the "Lat/Long" tool from the Search toolbar and enter the lat/long information in any of the formats. Click zoom to go to the location.
  • Using Place Name
    Click on "Place name" from the Search toolbar and enter the name of a place, such as a city, state, county, etc. Click the "zoom" link next to the place you want to view. The map will zoom to the place name you selected from the list.
  • Using Township
    Click on "Township" in the Search toolbar and select a state and principal meridian. You can also enter a township and range to further specify your search. Click the "zoom" link next to the township you want to view. The map will zoom to the location you selected.
  • Using Feature Search
    On the Search toolbar the "Energy","Mining Claims", "Rangeland" or "Record Search" will be present depending on the selection you made for the map viewer display. Click on the search icon to bring up the Search text window. You can search for specific case information such as agreement, lease, mining claim, etc. using serial number, case type, dates, name, etc. Click the "zoom" link next to the record you want to view. If you would like to highlight the parcel on the map, click in the Select box next to the record. To clear the highlighted area on the map, select Clear from the tool bar. Use the Help for details on how the buttons work.

How do I find a location if I know only the State and Township where it is located?

Open the map viewer and select the "Township" button from the Search toolbar. Find the state from the drop-down menu (not all states are listed), and then select a Principal Meridian. Enter the Township and Range criteria to further specify the search. After clicking the "Search" button, all search results will appear at the bottom of the window. To zoom the map to a search area, click on the "zoom" link. If you would like to display the sections on the map, click on the + sign next to the PLSS Land Survey folder in the layers to open it. Click on the box next to sections to activate the display. If the "section" name is in light gray you will need to zoom in further for the sections to display. You can use toggle on and off the base maps for reference.


How can I find out if there are more mining claims, other uses, or authorizations on a piece of land than are not displayed on the map?

Select the Identify tool and click on a parcel on the map. From the Identify window select the Tabs for the type of information you are looking for. For example, select mining claim and a list of the active and closed mining claims will be displayed that are in GeoCommunicator. There may be more cases in our official case recordation system, LR2000, than show in GeoCommunicator. To see all of the cases in the LR2000 Mining Claim system, select the PLSS tab, under the Township you are interested in select ‘ Mining Claim’ under the LR2000 Township Geographic Reports column. This will go directly into LR2000 and get a geographic report showing both active and closed mining claim cases by land description for the selected township in the LR2000 mining claim system. The report contains many pages, so make sure you click on the page controls at the top of the LR2000 report. Only a percent of these cases are being displayed in GeoCommunicator. If you want to see the Use Authorization cases for Oil & Gas, Solid Minerals, etc.(leases, permits, use authorizations, etc.) from the LR2000 Case Recordation system, select ‘Authorizations’.

Another way to get the same report is to click the “Township Search ” icon on the Search Tools toolbar. Select a state from the pull-down menu. Then select a Principal Meridian. Enter Township and Range criteria to further specify the search. After clicking the “Search” button, all search results will appear at the bottom of the search window. Click “Mining Claim", "Authorization" or "CASES” next to the township whose full Geographic Report you want to view.

You can also use the sketch tool to draw a box on the map. Double click the next to last point when using the tool to close the polygon. The Identify window will pop-up and display information that occurs within or touches the sketch area. This is a very useful tool.

I have a mining claim but it doesn't appear on the map?

Most of the mining claims that BLM has recorded in the LR2000 Mining Claim system are mapped in GeoCommunicator but not all. So there are mining claims that have been recorded with the BLM that are not in GeoCommunicator. To get a complete list of the mining claims from LR2000, select “Township Search” in the Land & Minerals Use Records Viewer. Enter in the state, meridian, township, and range. From the search results, select “Mining Claim" under the Township Geographic Report column”. This link will take you to the BLM’s LR2000 Mining Claim reporting system and launch a Geographic Report listing all the active and closed mining claims in the township. Use the document tools at the top of the report page to go to the next page. This could be a long report.

You can also use the Mining Claim Density map layer in GeoCommunicator's Mining Claim, Energy, or Site Mapper viewers. The MC density is visible at three levels: township, section, and quarter-quarter level. The MC density information is coming directly from our LR2000 system so the density will reflect mining claims that do not occur in GeoCommunicator. The MC density is updated weekly. The density may not display at the quarter-quarter or section level if we don't have the land descriptions in GeoCommunicator to support the drawing. The MC density labels will show the number of claims in the area.

I have a lease but it doesn't’t appear on the map?

Most of the leases issued by the BLM and recorded in the LR2000 Case Recordation system are in GeoCommunicator, but not all. To get a complete list of the cases from LR2000, select “Township Search” in the Land & Minerals Use Records Viewer. Enter in the state, meridian, township, and range. From the search results, select “Authorizations” under the Township Geographic Reports column. This link will take you to the BLM’s LR2000 Case Recordation reporting system and launch a Geographic Report listing all of the use authorizations in the township by serial number. Use the document tools at the top of the report page to go to the next page. This could be a long report.

There is land on the map that doesn't show the township and range grid but I know the BLM has cases on the land.

We have most of the PLSS data for the west but there are many holes in the data that you will notice. Areas where we do not have the township broken down into sections is a good clue we don’t have the data for the area. This may be because we have not collected the data for the area yet or the data is not in GeoCommunicator. Although we don’t show the PLSS data, mining claim data, or other cases on the land, there might actually be leases, recorded mining claims, etc. on the land you are viewing. To get a complete list of the cases from LR2000 that may actually be on the land but that don't appear in GeoCommunicator, select “Township Search” in the Land & Minerals Use Records Viewer. Enter in the state, meridian, township, and range. From the search results, select “Mining Claim", "Authorizations" or "CASES" under the Township Geographic Report column". These links will take you to the BLM’s LR2000 Mining Claim reporting system, the LR2000 Case Recordation System, or the Status Reports and launch a Geographic Report. The report will give you an up-to-date listing of the mining claims, the use authorizations for the township, or the cases that affect the status of the land. Use the document tools at the top of the report page to go to the next page. This could be a long report.

Identify Information

What will the Identify button show me?

The Identify button is located in the Map Tools toolbar on the map viewer. Click on the Identifier tool and than click on a parcel (oil and gas agreement or lease, or mining claim) on the map. Information about the parcel will be shown in a new Identify window. The Identify window has four or more tabs. Information on each tab is described below.

1. Mining Claims Tab – The Identify Window will display a list of Mining Claims records found on the land if you selected Mining Claims as your map view. A subset of information from the LR2000 system is displayed for each record. To find out more information about a record, click “Select” next to the record to highlight the area on the map; click “Zoom” to go directly to the record on the map; and/or click ““LR2000 CR Report” to link directly to the LR2000 System to get a Serial Register Page report for the record. Click "More Info" to get the the list of claimant for the claim. To sort the records, click on any of the column heading arrows.

2. Oil and Gas Tab – The Identify Window will display a list of the Oil & Gas leases and agreement records found on the land if you selected Energy or Site Mapper as your map view. A subset of information from the LR2000 system is displayed for each record. To find out more information about a record, click “Select” next to the record to highlight the area on the map; click “Zoom” to go directly to the record on the map; and/or click ““LR2000 CR Report” to link directly to the LR2000 System to get a Serial Register Page report for the record. Click "More Info" to get the the list of customers for the record. To sort the records, click on any of the column heading arrows.

3. Rangeland Tab - The Identify Window will display a list of the BLM and USFS allotments and pastures and the BLM Wild Horse and Burro herd areas and herd management areas. A subset of information is displayed for each record. To find out more information about a record, click “Select” next to the record to highlight the area on the map; click “Zoom” to go directly to the record on the map. To sort the records, click on any of the column heading arrows.

4. Geothermal Tab- The Identify Window will display a list of the Geothermal leases and agreement records found on the land if you selected Energy or Site Mapper as your map view. A subset of information from the LR2000 system is displayed for each record. To find out more information about a record, click “Select” next to the record to highlight the area on the map; click “Zoom” to go directly to the record on the map; and/or click ““LR2000 CR Report” to link directly to the LR2000 System to get a Serial Register Page report for the record. Click "More Info" to get the the list of customers for the record. To sort the records, click on any of the column heading arrows.

5. Minerals Tab- The Identify Window will display a list of the solid mineral leases and agreement records found on the land if you selected Solid Minerals or Site Mapper as your map view. A subset of information from the LR2000 system is displayed for each record. To find out more information about a record, click “Select” next to the record to highlight the area on the map; click “Zoom” to go directly to the record on the map; and/or click ““LR2000 CR Report” to link directly to the LR2000 System to get a Serial Register Page report for the record. Click "More Info" to get the the list of customers for the record. To sort the records, click on any of the column heading arrows.

6. Surface Management Agency Tab – Clicking on the Surface Management Agency tab will display the federal surface management agencies having jurisdiction on the land you selected. Data on Forest Service Regions, BLM Districts, National Parks, National Forests, and Other Federal Lands is provided.

7. PLSS (Public Land Survey System) Tab - Clicking on the PLSS tab will display the land description for the land you selected including State, Township, Section, and Aliquot. Click on the “zoom” link to go to the parcel on the map. Under the Township Geographic Report Column click on “Authorizations” to get a geographic report from LR2000 Case Recordation system showing all of the use authorization case records that occur in the township. This could be a long list. Click on “Mining Claim” to get a geographic report from the LR2000 Mining Claim system showing all of the active and closed mining claim records in the township. Click on "CASES" to get a geographic report from the LR2000 Status System showing all of the historical land conveyances, classifications, and withdrawals.

8. Cases Tab – provides a list of cases that affect the status including: exchanges, grants, corrective patents, withdrawal and classifications, mineral patents, acquisitions, land disposals, designated areas, pending exchanges, and public law 167 cases. Select zoom to go to the parcel on the map and click the box under Select to highlight the parcel on the map. Click LR2000 to get a current report for the case directly from the LR2000 System.

9. Wind and Solar Energy Tabs - The Identify Window will display a list of the wind and solar rights-of-way records found on the land. A subset of information from the LR2000 system is displayed for each record. To find out more information about a record, click “Select” next to the record to highlight the area on the map; click “Zoom” to go directly to the record on the map; and/or click “LR2000 CR Report” to link directly to the LR2000 System to get a Serial Register Page report for the record. Click "More Info" to get the the list of customers for the record. To sort the records, click on any of the column heading arrows.

10. ROW Tab - The Identify Window will display a list of the rights-of-way records found on the land. A subset of information from the LR2000 system is displayed for each record. To find out more information about a record, click “Select” next to the record to highlight the area on the map; click “Zoom” to go directly to the record on the map; and/or click “LR2000 CR Report” to link directly to the LR2000 System to get a Serial Register Page report for the record. Click "More Info" to get the the list of customers for the record. To sort the records, click on any of the column heading arrows.

For more information on the Identify button, go to the Land and Minerals Help page and click on the Identify Information link in the menu.

When I select the Identify tool and then click on a parcel nothing happens, why?

GeoCommunicator requires pop-ups and works best in Internet Explorer. You will need to make sure that your browser allows pop-ups to work correctly.

To learn how to add pop-ups see "Internet Setup for NILS GeoCommunicator"

Map Display

What do the lines on the map mean?

To view a legend of the map, click the Legend tab on the Map Viewer.


What is PLSS?

Public Land Survey System (PLSS) is the land grid displayed as Township, Range, Section, and Aliquot. The data is computed from the Bureau of Land Management's survey records (official plats and field notes), local survey records, and geodetic control information. PLSS data are stored as Geographic Information System (GIS) features that can be incorporated into various GIS systems.


What is the PLSS availability index?

The Public Land Survey System (PLSS) availability index identifies whether or not there is BLM or alternate source PLSS data available to download. Alternate source data comes from other federal or state agencies.


What does it mean if there is a Land and Mineral case on non-federal land ?

Lands and Mineral use records may occurs on lands where the surface is non-federal but the subsurface minerals are owned by the federal government. This is called split estate lands. The split estate lands are not shown on the Surface Management Agency layer. This is especially true for leaseable minerals such as Oil and Gas and coal. It could also be that the Surface Management Agency layer is incorrect. The Land and Mineral case information should take precedence over the surface management agencies boundaries.


Why does the map not display and I get a message saying the "Requested Image is too big"?

There is a maximum image size that the GeoCommunicator map viewer can load based on ArcIMS - Get Image Requests. The maximum size is 4 MB or 1,048,576 pixels. If your get the error "Requested Image is too big" then you will need to adjust your monitor settings or the size of the GeoCommunicator Map Viewer window or the size of the Map Viewer frames.

To resolve the problem you may need to try one or more of the following:

  • Make the GeoCommunicator map viewer window smaller. Drag the corner of the map viewer to make it smaller.
  • Reset your monitor screen resolution setting to 1280 x 1024 or below.
  • Modify the Frames in the GeoCommunicator map viewer. To modify the GeoCommunicator Frames - drag the left side of the "Layers Frame" to the left. The "Layers Frame" is the frame on the right side of your map viewer- the left frame edge is on the left side of the "Layers" tab name. This will make the map frame area smaller and the layers frame larger.

Back to Frequently Asked Questions

Printing and Saving Files
How do I print a map?

Once the area that you want to print is in the map window, click the "PDF" button in the Map tools toolbar. You can type in a title and description for your map, and also select the layout. If the PDF print doesn't work correctly use the Alt-Print-Screen method to capture your active map window and paste the image into a word document for printing.


Why can't I print to 11x17 paper in PDF?

To print on 11 x 17 paper, set the paper size to "tabloid".


Can I save my map?

A map can be saved as a PDF. To do this, click the "PDF" button in the Map tools toolbar. You can type in a title and caption for your map, and also select the layout. Click the "Create" button when you are satisfied with your map. When the PDF map is displayed use the File/Save button to save the map. The PDF file can be printed.

Downloading
Can I download from the Land and Minerals Viewer?

You can't download from the map viewers except for PLSS data. You can export from the map feature services if you have GIS software. Refer the Map & Data Services Section for information on using the map image and feature services. Only the PLSS data is downloadable. Select Download PLSS from the home page.

Internet Browser
Does the GeoCommunicator web site work best with certain browsers and connection speeds?

GeoCommunicator works best in Internet Explorer (IE) 6 and above. Pop-ups must be allowed. Scripting must be enabled. If you are using IE 7 read the next message on displaying the latitude and longitude on the map viewer.

How do I get the latitude and longitude to display at the bottom of the map viewer?

When using the NILS GeoCommunicator map viewers in Internet Explorer (IE) Version 7 the status bar at the bottom of the map viewer is no longer visible and therefore the latitude/longitude coordinates will not be displayed as you scroll around on the map. Microsoft has removed the status bar in IE 7 as part of their new security features. If you would like the coordinates to display in the status bar at the bottom of the map viewer you will need to do the following:

1. Open Internet Explorer, click the Tools button, click Internet Options, and then click the Security tab.
2. Click Internet and then click the Custom level button.
3. Scroll down near the bottom to Allow status bar updates via script, select Enable. Click Yes.
4. Click OK, click Apply and click OK.
5. Refresh your browser window. The Latitude/Longitude should appear at the bottom of the window as you scroll around on the map

If this still doesn't work you may have to "Allow Status Bar Updates Via Script" from the "Trusted Sites" and the "Restricted Sites". Follow the instructions above but select "Trusted Sites" or "Restricted Sites" instead of Internet for your first option.

For more information on IE 7 refer to the following web site:http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/ie/aa740486.aspx

How to set up my Internet Browser for use with GeoCommunicator (pop-ups, scripting, TLS)?

Refer to Internet Browser Set-up Document.

Error Messages
Why is there no data returned when using the identify button? The column headings are displayed for the fields but there is no data.

GeoCommunicator requires pop-ups and works best in Internet Explorer. You will need to make sure that your browser allows pop-ups to work correctly.

Refer to Internet Browser Set-up Document.


When linking to LR2000 serial register report or the LR2000 Geo Report I get the following message: Could not find a Hyperion Performance Suite server running on niop3app22 at port 1800. What does this mean?

The LR2000 system which we link to from GeoCommunicator is not available from 11:00 PM MT to 4:00 AM MT. If you tried to link to the LR2000 reports at this time from GeoCommunicator you will get this error. You will also get this error if the LR2000 system is down for any reason.


When I click on the link to the LR2000 report or the LR2000 Geo report the system asks me for a password?

You should not be required to submit a password when linking to the LR2000 system from GeoCommunicator.

If you tried to go directly into www.blm.gov/lr2000 after you got a LR2000 report from GeoCommunicator you will have to close your GeoCommunicator browser window. Going back and forth between the two systems confuses the access permissions.

BLM State Offices

Where are the BLM state offices located?

A list of the BLM state offices, address, phone and fax numbers can be found at the BLM directory.

National Integrated Lands System (NILS)
What is NILS?

The National Integrated Land System (NILS) is a joint project between the BLM and the USDA Forest Service in partnership with the states, counties, and private industry to provide business solutions for the management of cadastral records and land parcel information in a Geographic Information System (GIS) environment.

The goal of NILS is to provide a process to collect, maintain, and store parcel-based land and survey information that meets the common, shared business needs of land title and land resource management. NILS consists of four modules: Survey Management, Measurement Management, Parcel Management, and GeoCommunicator. GeoCommunicator is the publication web site for data from the NILS system.

Help
Do you offer any kind of training guides or tutorials to help me get started?

The GeoCommunicator Reference and Map & Data Services Sections provides many how-to guides, reference documents and much more to help you use the site and understand the business processes. There is also online Help which describes the layout and the functionality of each map viewer.

In addition, each viewer also has a Quick Start Guide, which gives step-by-step instructions for the most basic uses of the viewer. In the map viewers, click the "Quick Start" tab on the right side of your map viewer.


If I have a question, who do I contact?

Click the "Contact Us" button to send us a help message.

Cadastral Survey Information
Where can I find general information about the BLM GCDB program?

General information about the BLM GCDB program and data can be found on the Web at http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/more/gcdb.html. If you click on "GCDB Offices," you'll see contacts to all the BLM GCDB State Offices. Clicking the links on the GCDB Offices Web page will take you to the specific state office web pages. Some of the state office sites have GCDB User Guides, which provide detailed information about the GCDB data.

Where can I find GCDB data?

The GCDB data is processed through the National Integrated Land System (NILS) and posted for download/export by the public on GeoCommunicator's Land Survey Information System Web site. PLSS (township/range/section/subdivisions of sections) shape files are available for downloading and survey coordinates, all points, and all points/lines are available for exporting. Click on the link from the home page called Download PLSS to get to the site with the interactive map for downloading and exporting. The map viewer displays the townships that are available for downloading. We have both BLM and data from other sources. The easiest and fastest way to download the data is to use the State or County download buttons on the upper right of the map to download the data. You can get an entire state or download by individual county. This method uses pre-package zip files that are very fast to download. From the download window you will also have the option to download the survey coordinates, points or points/lines. When downloading the PLSS data you may have to do two downloads if the data set contains both BLM data and data from other sources.

You can also download the data for an individual townships by selecting the 'Rectangle Select' tool and clicking in a township or drawing a box in the townships you want. This is a much slower method as the township data is created on the fly. You can't export the survey point/coordinate data using this method.

Where can I get a copy of the 1973 Survey Manual and other cadastral survey references?

Go to the Cadastral Section in the Reference Section of GeoCommunicator for many cadastral references.

Data Availability
How can I get PLSS data for the entire U.S. from GeoCommunicator's Land Survey System?

You can download all of the PLSS data from the LSIS Viewer, one state at a time, by using the "State" selection tab in the upper right portion of the web page above the map layers. We have BLM PLSS or PLSS data from other sources for most of the U.S. You will need to do separate downloads - one for the BLM data and one for the alternate source data. The separate download files will all work together once they are downloaded.
Data Download
Is there a limit to the number of townships I can download at one time?

Use the State and County download method as they have been prepackage by state or by state/county and are very fast to download. If you need just a few townships use the "Select by Township" tool to highlight the townships.
I used to be able to search by date. Does this search method still exist?

Search by date is no longer available. When downloading the data the last updated date is displayed next to the township in the table.
What is the quickest way to get the files for an entire state?

The quickest way to download is to use the State Download method to select a state. The "State Download" button located in the upper right of your map above the map layers will quickly download all data for the state in a pre-packaged zip file. This is very fast and reliable. The data you receive includes Townships, Sections, Quarter-quarters, and other files.

After I downloaded data, I open the zip file and can see the contents, but when I extract the data all the files are empty. What happened?

This is a known problem with earlier versions of WinZip. Please upgrade to the latest version of WinZip. You can download WinZip from the following link:

http://www.winzip.com/
How do I open a zip file?

A zip file is compressed to make it smaller for downloading. The zip file contains many files. To unzip the file you must have zip software installed. You can download free software from:

http://www.winzip.com (for Windows)

http://www.maczipit.com (for Macs)
Why don't the flat files load into WinGMM?

The data is served in the format it is delivered to us. In some cases, this means the data is in a Unix file format. The carriage returns that WinGMM looks for may have been removed when the data was moved from a PC operating system to a Unix operating system. WinGMM has a box in which the "Check Mark" must be enabled to successfully use data from UNIX in the PC environment.

Select "Extract files from a ZIP archive" option from the "File" pull down window. Next, select the zip file and make sure the "Convert LF to CRLF" option is selected at the bottom of the "Extract .Zip file" window. The user should be able to then open up the project in WinGMM.
Can I download the Principal Meridians and Base lines?

Use the 'Contact Us' to request the Principal Meridians and Base lines shapefile. You can stream the Meridians and Base Lines into GIS software by supplying the following info to the "Add Internet Server" dialog. For information on using the map services, see the Map & Data Services Section on GeoCommunicator.
URL: www.geocommunicator.gov
Map Image Service: BLM_MAP_PLSS, Map Feature Service: BLM_FEATURE_PLSS
Data Formats, Projection, Quality
What is the projection of the township data?

PROJECTION: Geographic
DATUM: NAD83
UNITS OF MEASUREMENT: Decimal Degrees
How do I convert from a Shapefile to an ArcInfo coverage?

If you are using ArcGIS, select Arc Toolbox and double-click "Conversion Tools." Next, double-click "Import to Coverage" followed by double-clicking "Shapefile To Coverage." Select the Input shapefile and provide a destination for the Output coverage, then click OK.

If you are using Workstation ArcInfo, you can use the SHAPEARC command as follows: 'SHAPEARC {out_subclass} {DEFAULT | DEFINE}'

How do I find the GPS coordinates for the corner of a specific Section/Township/Range?

You can get latitude/longitude by hovering your mouse over the area and looking at lat/long in your bottom status bar. You can also click on the Identify tool to active the tool and then on the corner on the map. A 'Callout' will appear with the latitude and longitude displayed. The latitude/longitude will also be displayed in different formats in the lower right corner of the map. If you can't see the coordinates displayed at the bottom of the map window as you move your cursor on the map you will need to do the following:

1. Open Internet Explorer, click the Tools button, click Internet Options, and then click the Security tab.
2. Click Internet and then click the Custom level button.
3. Scroll down near the bottom to Allow status bar updates via script, select Enable. Click Yes.
4. Click OK, click Apply and click OK.
5. Refresh your browser window. The Latitude/Longitude should appear at the bottom of the window as you scroll around on the map

If this still doesn't work you may have to "Allow Status Bar Updates Via Script" from the "Trusted Sites" and the "Restricted Sites". Follow the instructions above but select "Trusted Sites" or "Restricted Sites" instead of Internet for your first option.

IF you use GIS software you can export the survey coordinates using the Land Survey System Viewer and download from GeoCommunicator.

Where can I get the elevation for a specific latitude/longitude point?

"USGS -The National Map" has an Elevation Query Web Service that will return the elevation in feet or meters for a specific latitude/longitude point from the USGS Seamless Elevation data sets, hosted at the EROS Data Center. The website is:

http://gisdata.usgs.net/XMLWebServices/TNM_Elevation_Service.asp

How do I change between different coordinates?

You may find the utilities at the following link helpful for converting between different Coordinate systems:

http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/PC_PROD/pc_prod.shtml
How do I get the coordinates for the corners?

The coordinate data is available for export from GeoCommunicator's Land Survey System map viewer. You can download by State or County. Once the state or state/county is selected a download window will pop-up. From the download window you have the option to download the PLSS shapefile data or export the survey coordinates coordinates, points/lines, or all points. The coordinates, points, and points/lines are downloadable in different formats (kml,txt, xml, gpx).

Where can I get measurements of a given area using the orthophoto?

While you can get a coordinate readout from the Land Survey Information System (http://www.geocommunicator.gov), we did not add any analytic or measurement functionality to the system, in the interest of keeping the interface as simple as possible. If you need to obtain measurements from an orthophoto, there are other tools such as ArcMap or ArcExplorer (free) that would be more appropriate to use.

You can get the free viewer from:

http://www.esri.com/software/arcexplorer/index.html
I would like to use PLSS data in coverage format. What should I do?

Shapefiles can be converted to coverages using ArcGIS. GCDB coverages in coverage or E00 file format can be obtained on CD by requesting the data via the "Contact Us" link. The cost of the CD is determined by the time required to extract and save the data to CD, plus administrative costs.
Where can I find more information related to the content of downloaded data, including the flat files?

Documentation related to the content of downloaded data can be found at the following link:

Content of Shapefiles: http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/more/gcdb/blm_gcdb_standards.html

Content of the flat files:

Brief description of the flat files (ASCII file) formats

Full Description of the flat files (ASCII file) formats
How can I learn more about how to use shapefiles?

The shapefile is an open file format. A technical description is available at the following link:

http://www.esri.com/library/whitepapers/pdfs/shapefile.pdf

There are a number of free shapefile viewers available, including one from ESRI at the following link. For information on using GeoCommunicator data on other viewers refer to the Map & Data Services Section of GeoCommunicator.

http://www.esri.com/software/arcexplorer/index.html

What geographic transformation method was used to convert the GCDB data from NAD27 to NAD83?

The geographic transformation method used to convert the GCDB data from the NAD27 datum to NAD83 datum was "GCS_NAD_27 to GCS_NAD_83_NADCON".

How reliable are the GCDB survey-based coordinates?

The Public Land Survey System (PLSS) data served to the public via the Land Survey Information System (LSIS) website varies in reliability from township to township. Most of the PLSS data distributed through LSIS is Geographic Coordinate Data Base (GCDB) data in GIS shapefile format. Flat files (ASCII) is available upon request.

The reliabilities information is stored with the coordinate data that can be exported and is not in the shapefiles that are available for downloading. The control point error estimates are an educated guess of the amount of adjustment that would be expected to occur during the least square adjustment, while the PLSS coordinate reliabilities are determined from the least square adjustment process. For both reliabilities and error estimates, the coordinates reported are expected to fall within an error ellipse defined by the Error N (YACC) and Error E (XACC) 95% of the time.

In the GCDB flat files, the Reliabilities of each survey-based point is stored in the fields called Northing Error in Feet and Easting Error in Feet. If this field is 40, the survey-based point is expected to exist within 40 feet of the geographic position of the point. This value is determined by the Cadastral Surveyor that abstracts the GCDB data. Factors that effect the Reliabilities include the year of the survey, the reputation of the surveyor, the terrain, and the amount and quality of the Horizontal Control Points with observed geographic positions. See pages A - 20 through A - 23 of Appendix A in the GCDB Software Requirements Specifications Document.

Link to GCDB standards website: http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/more/gcdb/blm_gcdb_standards.html.

GIS
What is GIS?

GIS is a Geographic Information System of computer software, hardware and data, and personnel to help manipulate, analyze, and present information that is tied to a spatial location (geographic location). A GIS combines layers of information about a place to give you a better understanding of that place. What layers of information you combine depends on your purpose - finding the best location for a new store, analyzing environmental damage, viewing similar crimes in a city to detect a pattern, and so on.

For more information on what GIS is, visit http://www.gis.com/whatisgis/index.html

Integrating PLSS Data With Other Sources

Where can I find more information on how to get the PLSS data into my GIS project?

You may add the PLSS as an internet map service. Internet map services stream live data to the your GIS project. For detailed information on using the GeoCommunicator map services see the Map & Data Services section in GeoCommunicator. Handouts in this section describe how to bring in the map image, feature, and wms services into your GIS project.

Maps
Where can I buy BLM maps?

Maps depicting recreation, surface and mineral jurisdiction, and wildernesses are normally available at any BLM office.


What would be the best internet source for showing Federal lands information?

The data layer in GeoCommunicator showing federal lands is called Surface Management Agency (SMA). The data layer is in all map viewers and is also available as a map service (image and feature). For information on using the map services in your GIS see the Map & Data Services section of GeoCommunicator for details.

BLM collected the Surface Management Agency data at a scale of 1:24,000 - 1:100,000. This may be the "best available" seamless BLM layer for the US.

The National Atlas also has a Federal Lands and Indian Reservations of the United States:

http://nationalatlas.gov/mld/fedlanp.html

The National Atlas data has been assembled by the USGS, from data collected from various federal agencies. It is suitable for plotting at a 1:2,000,000 scale or smaller. Polygons have been generalized to the nearest 1 square mile.

Obtaining Public Land
Am I entitled to free land from the BLM?

No. While that was true at one time, there is no free land.
Is homesteading still an option?

Congress abolished homesteading in 1976 with passage of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, which made it national policy to retain the public lands in Federal ownership. Today, the BLM manages the public lands for all Americans, who enjoy numerous benefits from these lands, including recreational opportunities such as camping, hiking, hunting, and fishing.
I have seen an advertisement that says I can obtain low-cost land from the BLM. Is this true?

No. The BLM occasionally sells land - but only at fair market value, as required by law. The advertisement by private companies not associated with the Federal government may ask you to send in money for information about how to buy land for $1.25 an acre (or a similarly low figure). The BLM recommends that you read carefully any advertisement on this subject and be cautious about sending money. The BLM will provide you free and accurate information about land sales.
Can you get land if you have a mining claim?

No. Although current law allows you to stake a mining claim on Federal lands that are open to mineral entry, beginning in 1994 and in each subsequent year, Congress declared a moratorium on applying for a mineral patent to a properly located and recorded mining claim. While this moratorium is in effect, the BLM cannot accept mineral patent applications. You may obtain further information on locating mining claims from any BLM State Office.
How can I get a copy of a land or mineral patent?

You may obtain microfilm copies of land and mineral patents from any BLM State Office Information Center. In addition, some land patent records are available for selected states on the BLM's Web site at http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/.
Where can I get additional information on acquiring land?

You should contact your local BLM office. You can obtain the address from the BLM's Web site, or call 202-452-5125.