Types of contour lines: How to Read a Topographic Map? As there are no contours present on the left side I can say that the distance between the two contours (contour marked with yellow and some other contour located far away towards the left, if present) is very large because I can’t see any contour in the vicinity. Spaces with no lines indicate flat ground. Remember contour numbering reads up hill – in other words the top of the number is uphill and the bottom is downhill.
Fishidy's online waterway pages offer fishing maps that provide all sorts of information to help anglers catch more fish and have more fun on the water. September 30, 2019 by TylerDickow. Do you know how to read the contours on a map though? In brief, a contour line is drawn between points of equal height, so any single contour line will be at the same height all the way along its length. Contour Lines. How to Read a Topographic Map . To read the contour lines on a map, first note the direction your map faces. Reading and interpreting contour lines may seem intimidating at first, but it’s actually quite simple and is a valuable skill for learning to how to read a topographic map. Most maps are oriented with north at the top of the map. The cornerstone for all topo maps is the contour line. Topographic maps primary purpose is to represent Earth’s three-dimensional surface in two-dimensional form. Contour lines spaced narrowly between one another indicate areas of steep transition – meaning the depth of the water column changes from shallow to deep (or vice versa) quickly within a short distance. Because it's impractical to mark the elevation of every contour line on the map, the index contour lines are the only ones labeled. Not all contour lines are created equal. Ideally you don't want to actually read all the contour lines labels to understand the terrain. By examining these lines, you can see exactly where all the hills and valleys are, thus avoiding any steep hills or cliffs.

Contour lines are imaginary; they are map artifacts used to represent paths or segments of Earth at an equal elevation. Contour Lines. How to Read Topographic Maps Contour Lines.

Anyone who plans to travel though the backcountry – whether hiking or hunting – should be able to read a topographic map. Contour lines can also be used to depict dramatic changes of the plane within the form. The index contours are a darker or wider brown line …
Using contour lines you can calculate the elevation of your route, or height of travel. Not all contour lines are created equal. Recent Posts. Contour lines close together represent a steep increase or decrease in elevation, while lines further apart represent a gentle slope. Contour lines spaced narrowly between one another indicate areas of steep transition – meaning the depth of the water column changes from shallow to deep (or vice versa) quickly within a short distance. One of the most significant features of our maps are contour lines, which show bottom depth in gradients (usually of 5 or 10 feet) from the shoreli

Lines spaced widely apart indicate more gentle slopes. Index contour lines: Every fifth contour line is a thicker, “index” line.At some point along that line, its exact elevation is listed. When studying topographic lines, be sure to take into account the contour interval found in the legend.

Contour lines give you a mental picture of the shape of the ground. The vicinity of contour lines to one another indicates the elevation lost or gained on any slope aspect. But one thing’s for sure— knowing a full range of navigational skills, including how to read a topographic map, will help you stay on course no matter what the earth’s electromagnetic field, or the weather, or the terrain, is up to.

how to read contour lines