US Topo Cartographic Specifications - Version History

Click a version number to jump to the associated history notes:

 1.0  |  1.1  |  1.2  |  1.3  |  1.4 |  1.41  |  1.5  |  1.5  |  1.6  |  1.7  |  1.8  |  1.9  |
 

2026:

Version 1.9
Published: 08/31/2026

Summary: Converted Structures cartographic specifications theme to a bullet-list.

Structures

• Converted table into a bullet-list to improve site accessibility across platforms
• Standardized annotation and annotation image descriptions
• Rescaled and reprocessed symbol images for improved display

Version 1.8
Published: 08/24/2026

Summary: Converted Transportation cartographic specifications theme to a bullet-list and added a Map Symbol Guide for US Topo. 

Map Symbol Guide

• Created a Map Symbol Guide image card on the US Topo Cartographic Specifications landing page
• Published both map symbol guide pages and text consistent with other USGS map products

Transportation

• Converted table into a bullet-list to improve site accessibility across platforms
• Standardized annotation and annotation image descriptions
• Standardized layer names, including dash/gap patterns for dashed symbology

Version 1.7
Published: 08/19/2026

Summary: Converted Government Units cartographic specifications theme to a bullet-list. 

Government Units (Boundaries)

• Converted table into a bullet-list to improve site accessibility across platforms
• Standardized annotation and annotation image descriptions
• Standardized layer names, including dash/gap patterns for dashed symbology

Version 1.6
Published: 08/18/2026

Summary: Converted Geographic Names cartographic specifications theme to a bullet-list. 

Geographic Names

• Converted table into a bullet-list to improve site accessibility across platforms
• Standardized annotation and annotation image descriptions

Version 1.5
Published: 08/13/2026

Summary: Converted Land Cover and Elevation cartographic specifications themes to a bullet-lists. 

Elevation

• Converted table into a bullet-list to improve site accessibility across platforms
• Removed annotation specifications for non-index contour features
• Standardized annotation image descriptions

Land Cover

• Converted table into a bullet-list to improve site accessibility across platforms. 

Version 1.41
Published: 08/10/2026

Summary: Added "The White House" map symbol and cartographic specifications to Structures. 

Structures

• Added The White House map symbol cartographic specifications and symbol image

Version 1.4
Published: 07/21/2026

Summary: Added Contacts, Other Resources, and Related Information sections to pages. 

Elevation

• Added Contacts block
• Added Other Resources links

Geographic Names

• Added Contacts block
• Added Other Resources links

Government Units (Boundaries)

• Added Contacts block
• Added Other Resources links

Hydrography

• Added Contacts block
• Added Other Resources links

Land Cover

• Added Contacts block
• Added Other Resources links

Structures

• Added Contacts block
• Added Other Resources links
• Added links to National Structures Dataset - Data Model Poster

Transportation

• Added Contacts block
• Added Other Resources links
• Added links to National Transportation Dataset - Data Model Poster

Version History

• Added Contacts block
• Added Other Resources links

Version 1.3
Published: 2/13/2026

Summary: Version History tracking page publicly released for US Topo Cartographic Specifications. 

Version History

• New Version History tracking page for cartographic specifications publicly released for US Topo

2025:

Version 1.2
Published: 5/9/2025

Summary: Reformatted landing page with an image card layout with unique images for each cartographic specification theme.
 

Layout

• Image card layout redesign with links to each cartographic specification theme

Version 1.1
Published: 2/20/2025

Summary: Replaced all images and supplemented tags for improved display and content discovery for all cartographic specification themes including Elevation, Geographic Names, Government Units (Boundaries), Hydrography, Land Cover, Structures, and Transportation published on 2/20/2025.
 

Elevation

• Replaced all symbols with higher resolution images for an improved display on all platforms
• Supplemented tags to improve content discovery
• Spelling and general format improvements

Geographic Names

• Replaced all symbols with higher resolution images for an improved display on all platforms
• Supplemented tags to improve content discovery
• Spelling and general format improvements

Government Units (Boundaries)

• Replaced all symbols with higher resolution images for an improved display on all platforms
• Supplemented tags to improve content discovery
• Spelling and general format improvements

Hydrography

• Replaced all symbols with higher resolution images for an improved display on all platforms
• Supplemented tags to improve content discovery
• Spelling and general format improvements

Land Cover

• Replaced all symbols with higher resolution images for an improved display on all platforms
• Supplemented tags to improve content discovery
• Spelling and general format improvements

Structures

• Replaced all symbols with higher resolution images for an improved display on all platforms
• Supplemented tags to improve content discovery
• Spelling and general format improvements

Transportation

• Replaced all symbols with higher resolution images for an improved display on all platforms
• Supplemented tags to improve content discovery
• Spelling and general format improvements

2023:

Version 1.0
Published: 9/25/2023

Summary: Complete set of cartographic specifications for Elevation, Geographic Names, Government Units (Boundaries), Hydrography, Land Cover, Structures, and Transportation published on 9/25/2023.