1. Topographic Maps

2. What are topographic maps?

3. What are topographic maps?
A topographic map is a two dimensional map that can be used to show elevation, relief, and landforms.

4. Rules of Topographic Mapping!!

5. Rules of Topographic Mapping!!
A contour line connects the points of equal elevation.
Contour lines that are close together represent steep slopes; those that are far apart represent gentle slopes.
gentle slopes
Steep slopes

6. Rules of Topographic Mapping!!
Closed contour lines represent hills.
Contour lines form V’s when they cross rivers. If the river is wide, the lines may look more like a U. The V’s always point upstream.

8. Every fifth
contour line is
called and index
contour line. It is
darker than the
others

9. Rules of Topographic Mapping!!
Hachures on contour lines indicate the elevation is decreasing. This is called a depression.
Skip #7 – It is a repeat
8. The elevation at the first hachured contour line is the same as the adjacent, lower regular contour line.
Hachure

11. This is a mountainous island
This is a mountainous island. Imagine that someone has painted lines on the mountains, and that each line is 500 feet higher than the line before.

13. Steep slope
The distance between the contour lines is known as the contour interval. The contour interval of this map is ________ feet. Notice that there are two peaks of the mountain. On the right side, the lines are closer together, indicating that the right side of the mountain as a steep slope.