Table of Contents Course Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 1 Instructor Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 1 Course Objective ....................................................................................................................................... 2 Maps Defined ............................................................................................................................................ 4 Google Maps Example .............................................................................................................................. 5 Basic Tools ................................................................................................................................................. 6 Engineer’s Scale .................................................................................................................................... 7 Protractor .............................................................................................................................................. 8 Carson City, Nevada Quad .................................................................................................................... 9 Pencil ................................................................................................................................................... 10 Lesson 1 Map Reading & Interpretation, Part 1 ......................................................................................... 11 Lesson Objectives .................................................................................................................................... 11 Types of Maps ......................................................................................................................................... 12 Planimetric Maps ................................................................................................................................ 12 Topographic Maps .............................................................................................................................. 13 Terminology ............................................................................................................................................ 19 Cardinal Coordinate System ................................................................................................................ 21 Degrees, Minutes and Seconds ........................................................................................................... 22 Marginal Notations ................................................................................................................................. 25 Exercise 1 Map Terms ............................................................................................................................. 27 Exercise 1 Map Terms – Answer Key ...................................................................................................... 28 Lesson 1 Map Reading & Interpretation, Part 2 ......................................................................................... 29 Introduction to Symbols ......................................................................................................................... 29 Types of Symbols .................................................................................................................................... 29 Area Features ...................................................................................................................................... 29 Line Features ....................................................................................................................................... 29 Point Features ..................................................................................................................................... 30 Symbology ............................................................................................................................................... 30 Basic Map Reading i July 2010 Exploring the USGS Topographic Map Symbols .................................................................................. 31 Exercise 2 Symbols .................................................................................................................................. 39 Exercise 2 Symbols - Answer Key ........................................................................................................... 40 Lesson 1 Map Reading & Interpretation, Part 3 ......................................................................................... 46 Use and Application ................................................................................................................................ 46 Magnetic Declination .............................................................................................................................. 48 Lesson 1 Map Reading & Interpretation, Part 4 ......................................................................................... 50 Map Series .............................................................................................................................................. 50 Lesson 1 Map Reading & Interpretation, Part 5 ......................................................................................... 52 Map Reading Process .............................................................................................................................. 52 Distance................................................................................................................................................... 52 Applying Distances to Maps .................................................................................................................... 56 Applying Distances to the Ground .......................................................................................................... 60 Scale Verification .................................................................................................................................... 62 Distance Unit Conversions ...................................................................................................................... 64 Exercise 3 Distance, Scale Verification and Conversion .......................................................................... 66 Exercise 3 Distance, Scale Verification and Conversion – Answer Key ................................................... 69 Lesson 1 Map Reading & Interpretation, Part 6 ......................................................................................... 72 Direction .................................................................................................................................................. 72 Directions in the Field ............................................................................................................................. 79 Magnetic Declination .............................................................................................................................. 84 Lesson 1 Map Reading & Interpretation, Part 7 ......................................................................................... 88 Hands On ................................................................................................................................................. 88 Exercise 4 Direction ................................................................................................................................. 95 Exercise 4 Direction – Answer Key .......................................................................................................... 96 Lesson 1 Map Reading & Interpretation, Part 8 ......................................................................................... 97 Map Coordinates..................................................................................................................................... 97 Lesson 1 Map Reading & Interpretation, Part 9 ....................................................................................... 102 Datums .................................................................................................................................................. 103 Lesson 1 Map Reading & Interpretation, Part 10 ..................................................................................... 110 Lesson 1 Map Reading & Interpretation, Part 11 ..................................................................................... 115 Lesson 1 Map Reading & Interpretation, Part 12 ..................................................................................... 125 Basic Map Reading ii July 2010 Contours ................................................................................................................................................ 129 Lesson 2 Determining a Location .............................................................................................................. 136 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 136 Lesson Objectives .................................................................................................................................. 136 Where am I on this map? .....................................................................................................................