Terrain Features

Red-Brown Lines

Color that identifies cultural features, all relief features, non-surveyed spot elevations, and elevation, such as contour lines on red-light readable maps.

2 Supplemental Terrain Features

Cut, Fill

5 Major Terrain Features

Hill, Valley, Ridge, Saddle, Depression

Brown Lines

Identifies cultivated land on red-light readable maps. On older maps it identifies relief features.

Blue Lines

Identifies hydrography or water features such as lakes, swamps, rivers, and drainage.

Green Lines

Identifies vegetation with military significance, such as woods, orchards, and vineyards.

Black Lines

Indicates cultural (man-made) features such as buildings and roads, surveyed spot elevations, and all labels.

Saddle

Major. A dip or low point between two areas of higher ground. Not necessarily the lower ground between two hilltops; it may be simply a dip or break along a level ridge crest. There is high ground in two opposite directions and lower ground in the other two directions. Normally represented as an hourglass

Depression

Major. A low point in the ground or a sinkhole. It could be described as an area of low ground surrounded by higher ground in all directions, or simply a hole in the ground.

Ridge

Major. A sloping line of high ground. A continuous set of hills.

Valley

Major. A stretched-out groove in the land, usually formed by streams or rivers. High ground on three sides, and usually has a course of running water through it.

Hill

Major. An area of high ground. Shown on a map by contour lines forming concentric circles.

Cliff

Minor "C". A vertical or near vertical feature; it is an abrupt change of the land. When a slope is so steep that the contour lines converge into one "carrying" contour of contours.

Draw

Minor "D". A less developed stream course than a valley. A place between two spurs

Spur

Minor "S". A short, continuous sloping line of higher ground, normally jutting out from the side of a ridge.

3 Minor Terrain Features

Spur, Draw, Cliff

Cut

Supplemental "C". A man-made feature resulting from cutting through raised ground, usually to form a level bed for a road or railroad track. Shown on a map when they are at least 10 feet high.

Fill

Supplemental "F". A man-made feature resulting from filling a low area, usually to form a level bed for a road or railroad track. They are shown on a map when they are at least 10 feet high.

Red Lines

Was used on older maps classifies cultural features, such as populated areas, main roads, and boundaries