250K OnDemand Topo Cartographic Specifications

By NGP Standards and Specifications

This page and associated links define the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 250K OnDemand Topo cartographic specifications including feature symbology and labels. The specifications are organized by data sets and themes listed below.

ELEVATION

GEOGRAPHIC NAMES

GOVERNMENT UNITS (BOUNDARIES)

HYDROGRAPHY

LAND COVER

STRUCTURES

TRANSPORTATION

MAP SYMBOL GUIDE

Additional Information

OnDemand Topo maps are intended to serve conventional map users by providing geographic information system (GIS) information in symbolized form in the customary topographic map layout. The maps are not intended for advanced GIS analysis applications. These products are built on standard coordinate systems and include full U.S. National Grid (USNG) lines, making OnDemand Topo maps particularly useful for emergency first-response operations. These maps are also used by traditional topographic map users, such as resource managers, planners, and recreational users who continue to have a need for the symbolized feature data contained. Images of symbols and labels are automatically scaled and optimized for your device and may not be representative of actual size and placement on a map.

This page and its links replace the cartographic specifications query from the Specification Explore web application (Spec-X).

Maintenance

The National Geospatial Program (NGP) of the USGS maintains standards for The National Map (TNM; https://nationalmap.gov/), including map standards for OnDemand Topo products, US Topo products, and Historical Topographic Map Collection products. Submit questions and comments concerning this page to the U.S. Geological Survey National Geospatial Program contact information in the sidebar.