Who Would Use A Topographic Map

The best known usgs maps are the 1 24 000 scale topographic maps also known as 7 5 minute quadrangles.

Who would use a topographic map. As mentioned before topographic maps use a system of lines to indicate elevation. Whereas regular maps only allow you to think in terms of length and width these add height into. They use a national projection system called egsa 87 which is a transverse mercatorial projection mapping greece in one zone. A few areas are also available at 1 25 000.

Topo maps come in several scales but the detail most relevant to hiking is 1 25 000 and 1 50 000 which we ll explain in a bit more detail. Topo maps can also show you whether you will be traveling uphill or downhill on a particular road or trail. A person who can read a topo map can find out the location of peaks valleys ridges and saddles among other land features. From approximately 1947 to 1992 more than 55 000 7 5 minute maps were made to cover the 48 conterminous states.

They also use contour lines to give us an indication of the steepness of the terrain. Dropcap o dropcap ne of the most important skills that an infantryman uses is their ability navigate. This is a bit of a complex process and has a few major steps. Topo maps detail all the natural and human made features in a defined area such as trails roads peaks and rivers.

The 7 5 minute series was declared complete in 1992 and at that time was the only uniform map series that covered the united states in considerable detail. We cannot rely on technology to save our ass when the shit hits the fan so within our first weeks of basic training we are taught how to effectively use a topographic map. Use the tips below to help you form the mental picture that topographic maps allow you to create. Topographic maps for general use are available at 1 50 000 and 1 100 000 from the hellenic military geographical service hmgs.

Topographic maps are an important tool because they can represent the three dimensional landscape in two dimensions. Similar maps at varying scales were produced during the same time period for alaska hawaii and us territories. What s so neat about the topographic map of course is that it allows you to visualize a given area in a three dimensional manner as opposed to the two dimensions that other maps can offer. Engineers use a topographic map for every project they are going to build.