Topographic Maps
Show Ups & Downs of Land
Topographic Map
Contour Lines
• Connect points of equal elevation
• form loops
• Smaller loops usually mean you are
going up.
Contour Interval
• is the change in elevation between
one contour line and the adjacent
contour line.
• In this map = 20 feet
(What is the contour interval on this map?)
Depression Contours &
Hachure Marks
Depression
Contour
Hachure
Marks
Topographic Profile
• Shows land from side view. (Topo
maps are bird’s-eye views!)
Topographic
Profile
Rivers don’t fork downstreamthey converge.
Correct
Not This
Downstream
Magnetic Declination
• is the difference (direction and
degrees) between where compasses
point and true North.
Different areas have different
Amounts of declination.
Sometimes the compass
is off to the East; other
times, to the West.
12 degrees west
E
A
B
C
D