Home | Session 4 | Watersheds Pg 1, 2, 3

Watersheds

Presented by Ellen Metzger
San Jose State University and BAESI

2. Montara Mountain, Calif. Quadrangle

In this exercise, you will use a topographic map (a two-dimensional model of a three-dimensional land surface), to describe features of some real streams located south of San Francisco.

NOTE: Although these questions reference a particular topographic map, you can select any appropriate map and ask similar questions. Topographic maps are accessible on the US Geological Survey website.

A. First, you need to know a few things about how to read a topographic map:

1. The topography is portrayed using contour lines (lines of equal elevation). Contour lines are colored brown.
2. The contour interval is the difference in elevation between two adjacent contours.
3. Closed contours indicate a hill or a basin.
4. Contours are more closely spaced on steep slopes than on gentle slopes.
5. Contours "V" upstream. (Why would this be?)

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updated March 4, 2002

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