D -1000: #1 E -800- C H #3 #4 1200 G N #2 -1000 800 Contour Interval: 40 feet GENERAL RULES FOR READING CONTOUR LINES 1. A contour line connects points of equal elevation. 2. A contour line never branches or splits. 3. Steep slopes are shown by closely spaced contours. 4. Hills are represented by closed contour lines. 5. Closed contours with hachure marks on the downhill side represent a closed depression. 6. When contour lines cross streams or dry stream channels, they form a "V" that points upstream. 7. Contour lines that occur on opposite sides of a valley always occur in pairs. upstream 50 downstream
1. The difference in elevation between adjacent contour lines is called the contour interval. Look at the bottom of this map to identify the contour interval.
Contour interval: ________
2. What is the difference in elevation between Points A and B?
Difference in elevation: _____ feet
3. Notice that every fifth contour line, called an index contour, is printed as a bold brown line, and the elevation of that line is provided (in feet). List the elevations for each index contour shown on this map.
_____________ feet, ___________ feet,___________feet
4. Closely spaced contours indicate steep slopes. Which of the four slopes shown with red arrows labeled 1-4 is the steepest? Which is the least steep?
Steepest: _______
Least steep: _____
5. One or more roughly circular closed contours indicate a hill. Which of the landforms labeled B-E are hills?
Hill landforms: ______
6. Closed contours with hachures (short lines) that point downslope indicate depressions (basins without outlets). Which of the landforms labeled DD are depressions?
Depression: _______
7. When contour lines cross streams or dry stream channels, they form a V that points upstream. Draw arrows next to three of the streams (shown in blue) to indicate the direction in which each is flowing.
8. Estimating the elevations of places not located on a contour line involves extrapolation. For example, a point halfway between the 500- and 600-foot contour lines would have an elevation of approximately 550 feet. Which of the following elevations is the best estimation for Point N: 830 feet, 870 feet, or 890 feet?
Elevation of Point N: _______ feet
9a. What is the relief from the top of the volcanic cone (Point G) to the valley (Point H) below?
Relief: _____feet
9b. What is the relief from the top of the hill (Point D) to the valley (Point H) below?
Relief: _____ feet
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