Understanding and Interpreting Topographic Maps: A Comprehensive Lab Guide

Lab 2: Topographic Maps Learning Objectives ● Interpret topographic maps. ● Create a topographic profile. ● Understand different map scales Introduction Understanding the elements within a map allows the reader to understand the environment without having to visit the location. Being proficient with map interpretations empowers you to be able to observe a random topographic map and identify distances, locations, and physical features. In this lab, you will explore a variety of ways to interpret the Earth’s topography by gaining a greater understanding of topographic map reading. Instructions Topographic maps provide the geographic locations and elevation of a landscape by using contour lines, shaded relief, colors, and in some cases, digital elevation models (DEM). Refer to the Rules for Contour Lines document in D2L for additional tips. While viewing the Introduction to Topographic Maps by Seth Horowitz video, record answers for the following questions in Part A. Part A: Contour Lines 1. Why are only some contour lines labeled on a map? 2. What is the name for the heavy, dark contour lines that have elevation written? 3. On the Topographic Map Features slide in the video, what is the contour interval for the bottom left map that has contour lines marked 50 and 100 (in units)?

4. While the video is paused, answer the following questions: a. What is the contour interval? b. What is the elevation of point a? c. What is the elevation of point b? 5. Which way is Long Creek flowing? Explain what evidence you used to determine your answer. 6. Using the Mill River Map (below), label the following features: a. Steepest slope b. Hill c. Elevation of hill marked by the letter Z d. Depth of the depression marked by hachured lines.

Part B: Isolines Isolines are covered in the section “ Conveying Information on Maps” in Chapter 2 of your textbook. Topographic maps usually show elevation using contour lines (lines connecting points of equal elevation). This contour map represents a region of high relief along the continental divide near Estes Park, Colorado. The contour lines correspond to elevation in meters. In the space provided record A, B, C, or D to answer the questions below: 7. Which point has an elevation of 3100 meters? 8. Which point has an elevation of 2900 meters? 9. Which point has an elevation of 2800 meters? 10. Which point has an elevation of less than 2700 meters?

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Part C: Contour Lines and Profile Shapes 11. Match the contour drawings and profiles with the corresponding written description. Assume north is toward the top of the page. N  Contour (Number) Profile (Letter) It is a relatively round hill with twin summits. It has one summit - the steeper slope on the east side. It has two summits - the western one the higher. This single summit has its steepest slope on the north side; the other slopes are gentle. You would want to climb this summit’s gentle eastern slope, not its steep west slope. Part D. Determining Elevations from a Contour Map. Answer questions 12-21 using the topographic map (next page), and refer to the Rules of Contour Lines in the Lab Module for extra guidance. Hint : If a point is not directly on a contour line , you cannot determine the exact location; you only know the range between 2 values. Do not guess at the elevation; provide the range the point falls between.

12. What is the contour interval of the map? 13. What is the elevation of the contour at Point A? 14. Because point D lies between 2 contour lines, the elevation of point D is ________. Highlight the right answer.  the same elevation as the next contour line downslope.  the same elevation as the next contour line upslope.  somewhere between the elevations of the 2 contour lines between which it lies; you should give a range for its elevation.  somewhere between the elevations of the 2 contour lines between which it lies; you should make a best guess at its elevation.  If a point is not directly on a contour line, there is no way to determine its elevation. 15. What is the range of values for the elevation at Point D? 16. What do the concentric rings around point C indicate? Highlight the right answer  The concentric rings indicate that point C is on a very flat surface.  The concentric rings indicate that point C is at the bottom of a pit or a depression.  The concentric rings indicate that point C is a hill or a peak.  The concentric rings indicate that point C is in the bottom of a valley. 17. What do you know about the elevation of the summit at the point C? Highlight the right answer  Point C is the same elevation as the next contour line downslope.  Point C is the same elevation as the next contour line upslope.  The elevation of point C cannot be determined based on the information provided.  Because point C is not directly on a contour line, you cannot determine the exact location; you only know the range between 2 values. In this case you know point C is higher than the contour line that surrounds it. Also, because there is not an additional contour line, you know that the summit does not reach the elevation of the next higher contour line, and therefore point C has to be lower than the next higher contour line.  Because point C is not directly on a contour line, you can only guess at its location. 18. What is the range of values for the elevation at Point C? 19. What is the elevation of the hachured contour at Point E? 20. What is the range of values for the elevation at Point F? 21. Assuming the top of the map is north, in which direction does the major stream flow?

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Part E. Visualizing Relief – The Topographic Profile. (a) Topographic Profiles One of the best ways to show relief is to draw a topographic profile across the mapped area. A topographic profile is a diagram of the land surface as it would appear in a silhouette. Profiles can be constructed from topographic maps along any desired line. The simplest way to construct a topographic profile is to think of it as a graph in which the vertical axis represents the elevation and the horizontal axis represents the distance across the map. In drawing profiles from a contour map, the scale of the map is commonly used as the horizontal scale. The vertical scale is often exaggerated to emphasize the surface features. (b) Drawing a Topographic Profile View a short (5 minutes) video on how to construct a topographic profile by earthsciencevids at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StDYPIuk25M To draw an accurate profile, follow the instructions below: (1) On the map locate the 2 points which will be the ends of your profile. (2) Place a sheet of paper, with an appropriate vertical scale marked off, along the profile route and mark the 2 ends of the profile. (3) At the points where each contour line intersects the profile line, mark the point on the paper at the appropriate vertical height. (4) Connect the points with a continuous line representing the land surface.

Construct the Topographic Profile ( from USGS Mount Antero Quadrangle) 22. What is the contour interval of the map below? 23. On the graph above draw a topographic profile from point A to B (along the line on the map above). A B 10000’ 9800’ 9600’ 9400’ 9200’ 9000’ 8800’ 8600’ 8400’ 8200’

Part F. Map Scales.  Read the “Map Scale” section of Chapter 2 in your textbook.  Answer questions 1-4, using the learned information and the conversion tables in the Appendix at the end of your textbook.  Show your work on all calculations. Show your work means that you must write out your calculations. 24. On a map with a scale of 1:62,500 a. A measured distance of 1 inch represents an actual distance of how many inches? b. A measured distance of one inch represents an actual distance of how many miles? c. A measured distance of 3 inches represents an actual distance of how many inches? d. A measured distance of 3 inches represents an actual distance of how many miles? e. A measured distance of 6.5 inches represents a distance of how many inches? f. A measured distance of 6.5 inches represents an actual distance of how many miles? g. A measured distance of 6.5 inches represents an actual distance of how many km?

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25. On a map with a scale of 1: 24,000 a. A measured distance of 1 cm represents an actual distance of how many cm? b. A measured distance of 1 cm represents an actual distance of how many km? c. A measured distance of 4 cm represents an actual distance of how many cm? d. A measured distance of 4 cm represents an actual distance of how many km? e. A measured distance of 3.5 cm represents an actual distance of how many cm? f. A measured distance of 3.5 cm represents an actual distance of how many km? g. A measured distance of 3.5 cm represents an actual distance of how many miles? 26. What is the fractional scale of the map: a. If a measured distance of 6 cm represents an actual distance of 10 km, what is the fractional scale of the map? b. If a measured distance of 9 inches represents an actual distance of 3.5 miles, what is the fractional scale? 27. Express the fractional scale as a verbal scale a. 1:200,000: One centimeter represents ___________km b. 1: 190,080: One inch represents __________mile

Lab 2_Topographic Maps

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