Used to survey a large section of southwestern Colorado and New Mexico. Certain portions of Mesa and Delta counties use the Ute Meridian as the main north-south survey line with an arbitrary baseline as the starting point. The original plan was to settle the Ute Indians in Western Colorado. Township lines run east-west parallel to baselines every six miles. They are designated as Township 1N, etc., or Township 1S, etc.
Range lines run north and south parallel to meridians.
They are designated as Range 1W, etc., or Range 1E, etc. Townships are created by the intersection of township and range lines. Each township is six miles square and divided into 36 sections. They are the smallest subdivisions that were actually surveyed on all four sides. Compass directions are used to locate parcels in sections.