MARSHALL — Survey corners play an important role in marking the boundaries of parcels of land in Minnesota counties. However, in many places there isn’t good data on exactly where those corners are, surveyor Dan Bueltel told Lyon County commissioners.

Now, the county will be seeking grant funds to help address the problem. This week, commissioners voted to give their approval to apply for a Public Land Survey System (PLSS) Monument Grant.

This spring, the Minnesota Geospatial Information Office is accepting grant applications for projects to preserve survey corner markers in Minnesota counties, or to update county records on survey markers.

At Tuesday’s county board meeting, Bueltel said updating PLSS data in Lyon County would help make land ownership and property records more secure. Out of 2,400 original survey corners in Lyon County, only 950 had a geodetic position, Bueltel tsaid.

“I would like the county’s approval to move forward,” with a grant application, Bueltel said.

The Public Land Survey System is used for a few different purposes, like making property descriptions, keeping records of land ownership, and locating public infrastructure. According to the Minnesota Geospatial Information Office, less than half of the more than 300,000 survey monuments set in Minnesota’s original Public Land Survey have a certified location today.

The PLSS Monument Grant Program was created during the 2023 Minnesota legislative session, Bueltel said. Counties could request between $50,000 and $300,000 in grant funds. Grants would be awarded on April 30.

Bueltel recommended that the county apply for a $300,000 grant.

Commissioner Todd Draper said he thought the grant project would be good for Lyon County, if they could meet the application deadlines. Commissioners voted to approve moving forward with a PLSS Monument Grant application.