NCEES Principles and Practice of Surveying Practice Exam

What do meander lines typically account for in surveying?

1. Static property boundaries

2. Dynamic outlines of water bodies

3. Urban planning requirements

4. Geological stability

The correct answer is: Dynamic outlines of water bodies

Meander lines are crucial in surveying as they are used to represent the dynamic outlines of water bodies, particularly rivers and streams. These lines help to demarcate the limits of a river's movement and the changes in its course over time due to natural processes like erosion and sediment deposition. This is particularly important because the legal boundaries associated with water bodies can shift, affecting property rights and ownership, which necessitates the use of meander lines for clarity and legal precision. In the context of land surveying, understanding meander lines allows surveyors to provide accurate descriptions of property adjacent to bodies of water, ensuring that property rights are appropriately established relative to these ever-changing features of the landscape. This adaptability is essential in managing land development, conservation, and resource use effectively.