In this lesson, we will discuss the USGS Store and how it can be used to access the US Topo and historical USGS Topographic maps. Specifically, this lesson will talk about the USGS Store, both where it’s accessed and what’s available at the store, as well as how you can locate and download free topographic maps through the store.
How accurate are US Topo maps, and why don't they have an accuracy statement?
US Topo maps are as accurate as the data sources used to make them, but because these sources are many and varied, it is not possible to make a single simple statement that the map as a whole meets a particular level of accuracy. US Topo maps, therefore, do not have a traditional accuracy statement in the map collar. Accuracy information for individual data sources is included in the metadata file that’s attached to each US Topo’s GeoPDF file (open the file in Acrobat Reader and click on the paperclip icon) and each GeoTIFF file.
There are reasons to believe that the overall accuracy of the US Topo series is very good. High-accuracy geospatial data is increasingly common, mostly due to Global Positioning System (GPS) technology. The orthoimage layer in US Topo maps is derived from images of the National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP). The production of these images is well controlled; they have an accuracy of 6 meters (~20 feet) or better. The match between US Topo vector layers and the orthoimage layer is generally very good, evidence that the maps meet traditional accuracy standards for most feature classes in most areas.
Regardless of actual accuracy, USGS maps and geospatial products are intended for general reference and are not authoritative or official for navigation or for any regulatory purpose.
Learn more:
Related Content
How do I find, download, or order topographic maps?
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has been the primary civilian mapping agency of the United States since 1879. Some of the most well-known USGS maps are the 1:24,000-scale topographic maps, also called 7.5-minute quadrangles . In 2009, the USGS transitioned from our hand scribed historical topographic maps to US Topos , which are computer-generated on a regular schedule using national databases...
How do US Topo maps differ from historical USGS topographic maps?
Historically, USGS topographic maps were made using data from primary sources including direct field observations. Those maps were compiled, drawn, and edited by hand. By today's standards, those traditional methods are very expensive and time-consuming, and the USGS no longer has funding to make maps that way. A new USGS topographic map series was launched in 2009 and branded " US Topo ." Though...
How current are US Topo maps?
US Topo maps are updated on a three-year production cycle (maps covering one third of the country are updated each year). The US Topo production schedule follows the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Imagery Program (NAIP) collection schedule. This does not include US Topos for Alaska, which are on a different schedule . The linework features shown on the maps are generated...
How can I find the source and vintage of each US Topo data layer?
US Topo maps have a credit legend in the lower left-hand corner of the map collar. This includes a short summary of data sources and data currency. More detailed source information is in an XML metadata file attached to each GeoPDF file. This file contains series-level, quad-level, and layer-level metadata, but US Topo does not preserve or track feature-level metadata. Open the GeoPDF map file in...
Are there metadata files for USGS topographic maps?
GeoPDF files for both Historical Topographic maps (produced 1884-2006), U S Topo maps (produced 2009-present), and OnDemand Topo maps come with an XML metadata file attached to each GeoPDF file. To access the metadata file, download the GeoPDF file, open it in Acrobat Reader, click on the paperclip icon, then select a file from the list that appears (US Topo maps also come with a Map Symbols...
What is the vertical accuracy of the 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) DEMs?
As of 2022, the absolute vertical accuracy of the 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) 1/3 arc-second seamless DEM product within the conterminous United States is approximately 0.82 meters root mean square error (RMSE), based on a comparison to almost 25,000 NOAA National Geodetic Survey OPUS points . Accuracy has improved from a RMSE of 1.55 meters tested in 2013, due to the addition of lidar projects...
Why don't the elevations on your maps agree with those provided by my GPS system? Which are correct?
Elevations provided by your GPS receiver might disagree with elevations on a USGS map, but they could both be correct if they reference different vertical and/or horizontal datums. The default horizontal datum setting on most GPS receivers is the World Geodetic System of 1984 (WGS84) and the elevations are based on the NAD83 ellipsoid. USGS topographic maps published after 2009 are georeferenced...
Why don’t the boundaries on US Topo maps match and why are some missing?
Improving boundaries for USGS topographic maps is an ongoing effort. Boundaries have been added to computer-generated US Topo maps (published 2009-present) as digital versions become available: 2009-2010 – The U.S. national boundary was the only boundary shown. 2011 – State and county boundaries added using TIGER/Line data from the U.S. Census Bureau . 2011 – U.S. Forest Service areas added. 2013...
Lesson 9a: Accessing US Topo and Historical USGS Topographic Maps
In this lesson, we will discuss the USGS Store and how it can be used to access the US Topo and historical USGS Topographic maps. Specifically, this lesson will talk about the USGS Store, both where it’s accessed and what’s available at the store, as well as how you can locate and download free topographic maps through the store.
TopoView - A look at version 2.1
A tutorial by USGS scientist and topoView developer Chris Garrity demonstrating how to use topoView version 2.1. TopoView let's you access and download maps free of charge from the USGS's Historical Topographic Map Collection, published between 1884 and 2006.
Resources:
An Introduction to TopoView (version 1.0)
A tutorial by USGS scientist and topoView developer Chris Garrity demonstrating how to use topoView version 2.1. TopoView let's you access and download maps free of charge from the USGS's Historical Topographic Map Collection, published between 1884 and 2006.
Resources:
An Introduction to TopoView (version 1.0)
US Topo
US Topo is the next generation of topographic maps from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Arranged in the familiar 7.5-minute quadrangle format, digital US Topo maps are designed to look and feel (and perform) like the traditional paper topographic maps for which the USGS is so well known.
US Topo is the next generation of topographic maps from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Arranged in the familiar 7.5-minute quadrangle format, digital US Topo maps are designed to look and feel (and perform) like the traditional paper topographic maps for which the USGS is so well known.
Engineer's and Surveyor's Transit
Manufactured by C.L. Berger & Sons, Boston, Massachusetts, serial #27124. The company was founded by Christian Louis Berger (1842-1922) who was born at Stuttgart, Germany and moved to Boston in 1866. In 1871 he joined with George Louis Buff, and began trading as Buff & Berger.
Manufactured by C.L. Berger & Sons, Boston, Massachusetts, serial #27124. The company was founded by Christian Louis Berger (1842-1922) who was born at Stuttgart, Germany and moved to Boston in 1866. In 1871 he joined with George Louis Buff, and began trading as Buff & Berger.
Related Content
How do I find, download, or order topographic maps?
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has been the primary civilian mapping agency of the United States since 1879. Some of the most well-known USGS maps are the 1:24,000-scale topographic maps, also called 7.5-minute quadrangles . In 2009, the USGS transitioned from our hand scribed historical topographic maps to US Topos , which are computer-generated on a regular schedule using national databases...
How do US Topo maps differ from historical USGS topographic maps?
Historically, USGS topographic maps were made using data from primary sources including direct field observations. Those maps were compiled, drawn, and edited by hand. By today's standards, those traditional methods are very expensive and time-consuming, and the USGS no longer has funding to make maps that way. A new USGS topographic map series was launched in 2009 and branded " US Topo ." Though...
How current are US Topo maps?
US Topo maps are updated on a three-year production cycle (maps covering one third of the country are updated each year). The US Topo production schedule follows the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Imagery Program (NAIP) collection schedule. This does not include US Topos for Alaska, which are on a different schedule . The linework features shown on the maps are generated...
How can I find the source and vintage of each US Topo data layer?
US Topo maps have a credit legend in the lower left-hand corner of the map collar. This includes a short summary of data sources and data currency. More detailed source information is in an XML metadata file attached to each GeoPDF file. This file contains series-level, quad-level, and layer-level metadata, but US Topo does not preserve or track feature-level metadata. Open the GeoPDF map file in...
Are there metadata files for USGS topographic maps?
GeoPDF files for both Historical Topographic maps (produced 1884-2006), U S Topo maps (produced 2009-present), and OnDemand Topo maps come with an XML metadata file attached to each GeoPDF file. To access the metadata file, download the GeoPDF file, open it in Acrobat Reader, click on the paperclip icon, then select a file from the list that appears (US Topo maps also come with a Map Symbols...
What is the vertical accuracy of the 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) DEMs?
As of 2022, the absolute vertical accuracy of the 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) 1/3 arc-second seamless DEM product within the conterminous United States is approximately 0.82 meters root mean square error (RMSE), based on a comparison to almost 25,000 NOAA National Geodetic Survey OPUS points . Accuracy has improved from a RMSE of 1.55 meters tested in 2013, due to the addition of lidar projects...
Why don't the elevations on your maps agree with those provided by my GPS system? Which are correct?
Elevations provided by your GPS receiver might disagree with elevations on a USGS map, but they could both be correct if they reference different vertical and/or horizontal datums. The default horizontal datum setting on most GPS receivers is the World Geodetic System of 1984 (WGS84) and the elevations are based on the NAD83 ellipsoid. USGS topographic maps published after 2009 are georeferenced...
Why don’t the boundaries on US Topo maps match and why are some missing?
Improving boundaries for USGS topographic maps is an ongoing effort. Boundaries have been added to computer-generated US Topo maps (published 2009-present) as digital versions become available: 2009-2010 – The U.S. national boundary was the only boundary shown. 2011 – State and county boundaries added using TIGER/Line data from the U.S. Census Bureau . 2011 – U.S. Forest Service areas added. 2013...
Lesson 9a: Accessing US Topo and Historical USGS Topographic Maps
In this lesson, we will discuss the USGS Store and how it can be used to access the US Topo and historical USGS Topographic maps. Specifically, this lesson will talk about the USGS Store, both where it’s accessed and what’s available at the store, as well as how you can locate and download free topographic maps through the store.
In this lesson, we will discuss the USGS Store and how it can be used to access the US Topo and historical USGS Topographic maps. Specifically, this lesson will talk about the USGS Store, both where it’s accessed and what’s available at the store, as well as how you can locate and download free topographic maps through the store.
TopoView - A look at version 2.1
A tutorial by USGS scientist and topoView developer Chris Garrity demonstrating how to use topoView version 2.1. TopoView let's you access and download maps free of charge from the USGS's Historical Topographic Map Collection, published between 1884 and 2006.
Resources:
An Introduction to TopoView (version 1.0)
A tutorial by USGS scientist and topoView developer Chris Garrity demonstrating how to use topoView version 2.1. TopoView let's you access and download maps free of charge from the USGS's Historical Topographic Map Collection, published between 1884 and 2006.
Resources:
An Introduction to TopoView (version 1.0)
US Topo
US Topo is the next generation of topographic maps from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Arranged in the familiar 7.5-minute quadrangle format, digital US Topo maps are designed to look and feel (and perform) like the traditional paper topographic maps for which the USGS is so well known.
US Topo is the next generation of topographic maps from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Arranged in the familiar 7.5-minute quadrangle format, digital US Topo maps are designed to look and feel (and perform) like the traditional paper topographic maps for which the USGS is so well known.
Engineer's and Surveyor's Transit
Manufactured by C.L. Berger & Sons, Boston, Massachusetts, serial #27124. The company was founded by Christian Louis Berger (1842-1922) who was born at Stuttgart, Germany and moved to Boston in 1866. In 1871 he joined with George Louis Buff, and began trading as Buff & Berger.
Manufactured by C.L. Berger & Sons, Boston, Massachusetts, serial #27124. The company was founded by Christian Louis Berger (1842-1922) who was born at Stuttgart, Germany and moved to Boston in 1866. In 1871 he joined with George Louis Buff, and began trading as Buff & Berger.