What is TOPOGRAPHY?
Topography is the physical and natural features of the land
A topographic map shows natural features (such as elevation)
and man made features.
Topographic Map
Contour Lines
The squiggly lines on a topographic map are called contour
lines
Contour lines are lines that represent a certain height or
elevation
All points on a contour lines are the same elevation
Contour Lines and Elevation
Imagine a picture of a
mountain and then imagine
there were lines drawn around
it every 20 feet
What would the mountain
with the lines look like if you
stood on the side of it?
What would the mountain
with the lines look like if you
were looking down on it from
an airplane?
Contour Lines and Elevation
The closer the contour lines are to each other, the steeper the
slope is!
Other Topographic Terms
Map scale – compares distances on the map with distances on
earth.
Legend – explains symbols used on the map.
Index contours – contour lines that are labeled to help you
find the contour interval.
Relief – the difference in elevation between any 2 points
A contour interval is the difference in elevation between two
contour lines that are side by side.
Remember that a contour interval is not the distance
between the two lines – to get the distance you need to use
the map scale.
Answer the Following…
Circle the map scale
Is there a legend?
Circle at least one
index contour
What is the contour
interval?
Mountains
Mountains are represented by a series of circles
This is a top down view
Depressions
A depression, such as the inside of a dead volcano, is
represented by Hachure lines.
Hachure lines are regular contour lines with small segments
sticking out from it.
The first hachure line is at the same elevation as the contour
line before it.
Streams
Streams are found in areas of low elevation
Streams are sometimes represented by a dark line
Contour lines form Vs that point upstream (toward higher
elevation)
The Vs point in the
opposite direction that
the water flows
Answer the Following….
What letter represents the
stream?
What type of elevation is
here?
Which way is the water
moving: to the right or to
the left?
Topographic Symbols
Mappers, also called cartographers use symbols to represent
certain things on a topographic map
For example, the color green represents an area with lots of
trees or vegetation
Topographic Symbols
Red is used to show a road, highway or interstate
Topographic Symbols
Buildings are usually shown as little black squares
What landforms can be shown on a
topographic map?
Canyons – deep valleys with steep sides, often with streams
flowing through
River deltas – “end” of a river, where the river enters a larger
body of water
Mountains or hills – high elevation
Valleys/depressions – low elevation
Ridges – long, narrow elevation or chain of mountains
What’s happening here?
Which direction has higher elevation?
How do you know?
What’s happening here?
Is this steeper or more gradual than
the last slide? How can you tell?
Which direction has higher elevation?
What’s happening here?
Mountain or valley? How
can you tell?
