How to Read a Topographic Map (Adapted from USGS)
Part 1: One kind of map is called atopographic map. It has contour lines to show the shape and elevation of the land. They are sometimes called "level lines" because they show points that are at the same level. The top drawing is a topographic map showing the hills illustrated at the bottom. On the map, the vertical distance between each contour line is 10 feet (around 3m). If the contour lines are close together, that means the hill is steep. Contour lines that are further apart show that elevation is changing more slowly.
1. How many feet of elevation are there between contour lines?
2. Which is higher, hill A or hill B? How do you know?
3. Can you tell exactly how tall hill B is? Why or why not?
4. Which is steeper, hill A or hill B?How do you know?
Part 2: Look at this picture. It shows a river valley and several nearby hills. On the illustration, locate the following things:
§ A church
§ A bridge over the river
§ An oceanside cliff
§ A stream that flows into the main river
§ A hill that rises steeply on one side and more smoothly on the other.
Here is atopographic mapof the same place. Find the items you located on the illustration on the topographic map.
On the topographic map on the previous page:
1. Circle the symbol for a church.
2. Draw the church symbol on your paper.
3. Put a square around the map symbol for a bridge.
4. Draw a bridge symbol on your paper.
5. Put an X on the oceanside cliff. Because the cliff is so steep, the mapmaker uses diagonal lines to show the drop-off.
6. What is the elevation of the contour line at the top of that cliff?
7. Locate a stream that flows into the main river. Draw a blue line down that stream and color the river blue too. On a realtopographic map, streams are shown in blue and contour lines are shown in brown.
8. Put an X where the stream joins the main river.
9. Find the hill that rises steeply on one side and more smoothly on the other. On thetopographic map, first draw a path up the gentler slope of the hill to the highest point. (Hint: remember that when contour lines are close together, the ground is very steep.) Then draw a path showing a very steep way up the hill.
10. Draw a house symbol on the map where you think it would be a good place to build a house.
Part 3:
1. Write a few sentences to answer each of the following. Tell how you might use atopographic mapif you were selecting:
a. A route for a hike.
b. The best location for an airport.
c. A route for a new road.
2. Use thetopographic mapof Salt Lake City (on the wiki, or on paper) to answer these questions:
a. What is the approximate elevation of the State capitol building of Utah?
b. Would you be walking uphill or downhill to go from the State capitol building to Pioneer Park?
c. Suppose you lived by Fremont School. Find at least three ways you could get from your house to the State capitol building.
d. List things you would see along the way.