USGS topographic maps use dozens of symbols to convey geographic features. Following is a complete listing of symbols and their meanings. |
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On a standard large-scale topographic map, the colors used and the features each represent are:
a. Black. Indicates cultural (man-made) features such as buildings and roads, surveyed spot elevations, and all labels.
b. Red-Brown. The colors red and brown are combined to identify cultural features, all relief features, non-surveyed spot elevations, and elevation, such as contour lines on red-light readable maps.
c. Blue. Identifies hydrography or water features such as lakes, swamps, rivers, and drainage.
d. Green. Identifies vegetation with military significance, such as woods, orchards, and vineyards.
e. Brown. Identifies all relief features and elevation, such as contours on older edition maps, and cultivated land on red-light readable maps.
f. Red. Classifies cultural features, such as populated areas, main roads, and boundaries, on older maps.
g. Other. Occasionally other colors may be used to show special information. These are indicated in the marginal information as a rule.
TOPOGRAPHIC CONTOURS (land elevation) |
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Index |
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Intermediate |
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Supplementary |
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Depression |
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Cut; Fill |
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VEGETATION |
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Woodland |
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Scrub |
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Orchard |
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Vineyard |
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Mangrove |
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SURFACE FEATURES |
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Levee |
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Sand or mud area, dunes or shifting sand |
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Intricate surface area |
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Gravel beach or glacial moraine |
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Tailings pond |
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MINES AND CAVES |
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Quarry or open pit mine |
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Gravel, sand, clay, or borrow pit |
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Mine tunnel or cave entrance |
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Prospect; mine shaft |
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Mine dump |
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Mine tailings |
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GLACIERS AND PERMANENT SNOWFIELDS |
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Limit |
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Form lines |
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BUILDINGS AND RELATED FEATURES |
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Building |
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School; church |
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Built-up Area |
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Racetrack |
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Airport |
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Landing strip |
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Well (other than water); windmill |
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Tanks |
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Covered reservoir |
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Gaging station |
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Landmark object (feature as labeled) |
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Campground; picnic area |
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Cemetery: small; large |
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ROADS AND RELATED FEATURES |
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Primary highway |
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Secondary highway |
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Light duty road |
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Unimproved road |
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Trail |
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Dual highway |
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Dual highway with median strip |
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Road under construction |
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Underpass; overpass |
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Bridge |
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Drawbridge |
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Tunnel |
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RAILROADS AND RELATED FEATURES |
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Standard gauge single track; station |
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Standard gauge multiple track |
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Abandoned |
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Under construction |
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Narrow gauge single track |
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Narrow gauge multiple track |
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Railroad in street |
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Juxtaposition |
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Roundhouse and turntable |
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TRANSMISSION LINES AND PIPELINES |
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Power transmission line: pole; tower |
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Telephone line |
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Aboveground oil or gas pipeline |
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Underground oil or gas pipeline |
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BOUNDARIES |
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National |
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State or territorial |
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County |
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Civil township |
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Incorporated city |
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Park, reservation, or monument |
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Small Park |
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LAND SURVEY SYSTEMS |
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U.S. Public Land Survey System |
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Township or range line |
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Section Line |
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Found section corner; found closing corner |
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Witness corner; meander corner |
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Other land surveys |
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Township or range line |
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Section line |
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Land grant or mining claim; monument |
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Fence line |
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CONTROL DATA AND MONUMENTS |
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Horizontal control |
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Third order or better, permanent mark |
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With third order or better elevation |
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Check spot elevation |
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Coincident with section corner |
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Unmonumented* |
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Vertical control |
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Third order or better, with tablet |
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Third order or better, recoverable mark |
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Bench mark found at section corner |
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Spot elevation |
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Boundary monument |
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With tablet |
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Without tablet |
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With number and elevation |
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U.S. mineral or location monument |
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RIVERS, LAKES, AND CANALS |
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Intermittent stream |
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Intermittent river |
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Disappearing stream |
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Perennial stream |
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Perennial river |
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Small falls; small rapids |
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Large falls; large rapids |
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Masonry dam |
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Dam with rock |
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Dam carrying road |
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Perennial lake; Intermittent lake or pond |
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Dry lake |
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Narrow wash |
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Wide wash |
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Canal, flume, or aquaduct with lock |
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Elevated aquaduct, flume or conduit |
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Aquaduct tunnel |
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Well or spring; spring or seep |
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SUBMERGED AREAS AND BOGS |
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Marsh or swamp |
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Submerged marsh or swamp |
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Wooded marsh or swamp |
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Submerged wooded marsh or swamp |
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Rice field |
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Land subject to inundation |
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MARINE SHORELINE |
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Approximate mean high water |
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Indefinite or unsurveyed |
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BATHYMETRIC FEATURES (water depth) |
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Area exposed at mean low tide; sounding datum |
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Channel |
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Offshore oil or gas: well; platform |
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Sunken rock |
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BATHYMETRIC CONTOURS |
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Index |
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Intermediate |
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Supplementary |
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See USGS Brochure for complete topographic map symbol
