These quarters can be subdivided into quarters over and over, if need be. R2E. State the township, range and section of the Stewart Ranch. Interpreting Topography from Topographic Maps Topographic maps show topography , or variations in land surface elevation, and are the type of map most commonly used by geologists. Geologists working in the field need to get to remote locations, often by hiking, so they need detailed maps that show paved and unpaved roads, jeep trails, streams and other features used for navigation. Having a map that shows topography is ideal because the terrain can be assessed and the best route from point to another chosen.
Geologists also use topographic maps as base maps for plotting data or localities they have visited.
In this lab we'll learn to read and make topographic maps. The land surface elevation is the same everywhere along a contour line. Each contour line separates areas with higher elevations, on one side of the contour line, from areas with lower elevation, on the other side of the contour. Figure 1 shows a portion of the Oswego West, NY 7 minute quad. Notice that not all contours are labeled.