What S in Your Neck of the Woods? a Local Topographic Map Exercise

Name ______Per _____Date ______

WHAT’S IN YOUR NECK OF THE WOODS? A LOCAL TOPOGRAPHIC MAP EXERCISE

ESSENTIAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Topographic maps are useful in a variety of ways. They tell us not only the shape of landforms they represent, but also the height, steepness, size, and whether such landforms are natural or man-made. Different colors are used on the map to show many different things. Contour lines are printed in brown, with every 4th or 5th line darkened and labeled for easier reading. These darker lines are called INDEX CONTOURS. Roads are printed in red. Areas covered in vegetation are printed in green, water bodies printed in blue, and man-made structures are printed in black. Other colors are also used to denote various special purposes. Different symbols are used to identify the features found in the area of land covered by the topographic map.

PROBLEM:

What information is present on a topographic map?

OBJECTIVES:

After completing this exercise, I should be able to:

1)Determine the elevation of various places on the map

2)Determine what maps border this topo map

3)Use the map scale to accurately measure distance on the map

4)Determine what some of the map symbols represent

5)Determine the shapes and slopes of various features located on the map

MAYBROOK QUADRANGLE MAP QUESTIONS – PLEASE DO NOT MARK THE MAP!

PLEASE PLACE ANSWERS ON THE REPORT SHEET. GOOD LUCK, AND HAVE FUN FINDING OUT WHAT’S IN YOUR NECK OF THE WOODS!!

1)What is the contour interval of this map?

2)What is the name of the map that adjoins this map to the north?

3)What is the name of the map that adjoins this map to the southeast?

4)According to the information on the bottom of the map, what is the scale of the map?

5)What is the width IN MILES (nearest tenth of a mile) of Maple Avenue (in the 3rd Quadrangle, upper right corner)?

6)Name the railroad found on this map.

7)When was this map photorevised (see lower right corner)?

8)What is the elevation of Tomahawk Lake (located in lower left of map near quadrangle 7).

9)A benchmark elevation (a KNOWN, reported elevation) is shown on the map by an X. What is the benchmark elevation of Round Hill (bottom center of map, quadrangle 8)?

10)Locate Washingtonville High School (along Route 94 in quadrangle 5). What is the likely elevation of the ground the school is built on?

11)What is the name of the swampy area to the west of Buchanan Hill (top right of map, quadrangle 3)?

12)Locate Browns Pond. What direction is it from Washingtonville High School?

13)What is the highest possible elevation of the hill between Korby Lake and the railroad?

14)Find Woodcock Hill (quadrangle 9). Which side of it has the steepest slope, and how do you know?

15)What is the highest possible elevation of the hill directly west of the word “GREAT” in “Great Swamp”?

16)Calculate the gradient of the land from the X on top of Round Hill to the Southeast corner of Round Hill Elementary School (the little purple Lego man looking thingee)?

17)Find Cromline Creek (in between Tomahawk Lake and the Moodna Creek). What direction does it flow?

18)Find the name “Montgomery” in the top left corner (quadrant 1). There is a contour line that runs through the first M. What is the elevation of this line?

MAYBROOK QUADRANGLE MAP REPORT SHEET