24661723 fm 21 31 topographic symbols april 1961

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FM 21-31D E P A R T M E N T O F T H E A R M Y F I E L D M A N U A L

TOPOGRAPHIC

SYMBOLS

H E A D Q U A R T E R S , D E P A R T M E N T O F T H E A R M Y A P R I L 1 9 6 1

This copy is a reprint which includescurrent pages from Change 1.

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FM 21-31Cl

CHANGE HEADQUARTERSDEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY

No. 1 WASHINGTON, D.C., 31 December 1968

TOPOGRAPHIC SYMBOLS

FM 21-31, 19 June 1961, is changed as follows:



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Page 86. Paragraphs 23.1 and 23.2 and figures 243 through 332 are add ed as follows:

23.1. Joint Operations Graphics

a. Purpose and Scope. Joint Operations Graphics are produ ced in both ground and air versions.The ground version is designated as Series 1501; the air version is designated as Series 1501 AIR. Bothversions are designed to provide common base graphics for use in combined op erations by the groundand air forces of allied nations. The topographic information is identical on both the ground and airversions.

b. Unit of Vertical Measure. On the grou nd version, elevation and contour values are shown inmeters. These values are converted to foot un its on the air version.

c.Aeronautical Information. Both versions contain identical information regard ing aerodromes andobstructions to pilotage. The air version contains additional information concerning aids to air navigation.

d. Shaded Relief. Both versions contain an identical representation of shading, to provide a rapidrecognition of slope and landforms. The shading also serves as a means of correlating contours a nd eleva-tions, with emphasis on the more significant terrain features.

e. Elevation Tints. Both versions contain a representative system of color tints which d epict areasof the same elevation range. A key box on each version indicates the elevation ran ges and their corre-spond ing color tints.

j. Symbols. The following ap prov ed sym bols for Joint Opera tions Graph ics are in ad dition to, ordifferent from, the standard medium-scale symbols shown in figures 1 through 242:

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23.2. Pictomapsa. A pictomap is a map on which photographic imagery of a standard photomosaic has been con-

verted into interpretable colors and symbols.b. The components of the pictomap consist of three basic color tones photographically extracted

from a photomosaic, masked and drafted symbols, and names data. At the large scales used for citymap s (1:5,000 to 1:12,500), the light tones and shadows on th e photograp hic image serve to delineatemany of the map features. At scales of 1:25,000 and 1:50,000, however, most planimetric features areshown by drafted symbols, printed in specified colors.

c. Tones. The three basic color tones u sed for area featur es are as follows:

(1) Landtone, a bu ff-like color tone w hich represents uncovered earth.(2) Vegetone, green tones wh ich represent densities of vegetation.(3) Shadowtone, a black-green tone which represents shades and shadow s.

d. Symbols. The following pictomap symbols are different from the standard large-scale symbolsshown in figures 1 through 242:

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By Order of the Secretary of the Army:

Official:KENNETH G. WICKHAM,Major General, United States Army,The Adjutant General.

W. C. WESTMORELAND,General, United States Army,Chief of Staff.

Distribution:To be distributed in accordance with DA Form 12-11 requirements for Map Reading.

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*FM 21-31

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DISTRIBUTION RESTRICTION: Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.


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CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1. Purpose

This man ual d escribes the topograph ic sym-bols and abbreviations authorized for use by allechelons in the interpretation of military maps,overlays, and related features and activities.

2. ScopeThis manu al is divided into four chapters.a. Chap ter 1 contains general information

on the use of topographic symbols, gives the

basic scales for topograp hic maps, d efines topo-graphic maps, and discusses map detail, mapaccuracy, and map colors.

b. Chapter 2 gives examples and illustra-tions of topographic symbols arranged by cate-gories, such as d r a i n a g e features, relieffeatures, and roads.

c. Chapter 3 gives topographic abbreviations,their scope and app lication.

d. Chap ter 4 discusses marginal information.

3. References

App end ix I is a list of publications w hichgive detailed information on m aps and map -ping, foreign conventional signs and symbols,reference data for the various services, trans-portation and signal facilities, and abbrevia-tions for administrative and electricallytransmitted messages.

4. Symbols and Abbreviations

a. Some of the symbols app earing on pu b-lished m aps m ay not agree entirely with thoseshow n in this manu al, since it is necessary todevise or modify symbols to portray conditions

or features wh ich are u nique to the area beingmapped. Consequently, before any map is used,the symbol legend appearing in the marginshould be carefully stud ied.

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b. The symbols and abbreviations given inthis manu al are the result of stand ard izationproceedings and are in general agreement withthose employed by the British Army, the Cana-dian Army, the Aeronautical Chart and Infor-m ation Service of the U .S. Air Force, theHyd rographic Office of the U.S. Navy, the U.S.Coast and Geodetic Survey, the U.S. ForestService, the U.S. Geological Survey, and theTennessee Valley Authority.

C. Department of the Army units engagedin ma p making w ill be guided by AR 117-5,by TM 5-230 so far as the symbols given asexamples do not conflict w ith those given here,and by the specifications contained in technicalpu blications prep ared u nd er the direction ofthe Chief of Engineers.

d. Abbreviations given in this manual arefor topographic use only and in some instancesconflict with those given in AR 320-50, whichare auth orized for use in military records,publications, correspondence, messages, and infield w ork. In accord ance w ith AR 320-50,abbreviations will not be used if uncertaintymay result.

e. The information contained herein is ap-plicable without modification to both nuclearand nonnuclear warfare.

5. Use of Special SymbolsWhere n o symbol is prescribed for a special-

ized local feature, the map maker is authorizedto use a special symbol, providing

a. There is no conflict with symb ols shownin this manual.

b. Any special symbol used is explainedeither in the legend of the map or by app ro-priate labeling within the body of the map, sothat no uncertainty may result.



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6. Scales of Topograp hic Map sa. Maps fall into the following general scale

categories:Small scale . . . . . . . 1:600,000 and smaller.Medium scale . . . . . Larger than 1:600,000

but smaller than1:75,000.

Large scale . . . . . . . 1:75,000 and larger.b. Standard scales for Department of the

Army topographic maps are 1:1,000,000, 1:250,-000, 1:100,000, 1:50,000, and 1:25,000. Mili-tary city map s norm ally are pu blished at thescale of 1:12,500. Pho tom ap s normally arepu blished at 1:25,000. General m aps at scalessmaller than 1:1,000,000 are issued for specialpurposes.

c. Depend ing up on the availability of map -ping information and the importan ce of thearea, the scale of 1:500,000 is sometimes sub-stituted for 1:250,000.

d. All of the above typ es and scales of mapswill not necessarily be available for a particulararea. Their issue will be governed by militaryand logistic considerations.

e. Map s with scales different from thosegiven above occasionally w ill be encoun tered.Usually, they are foreign military m aps. Themost common examples are 1:62,500 or 1 :63,-360 in p lace of 1 :50,000; 1:125,000 in p lace of1 :100,000; and 1:253,440 in place of 1:250,000,In the United States, nonmilitary governmentalmapping agencies may use other scales such as1:24,000 or 1:31,680 in p lace of 1 :25,000; an d1:48,000 or 1:62,500 in place of 1:50,000.

7. Topographic Maps

a. Introduction. A topograph ic map is agraphic representation to scale, horizontal andvertical, of some portion of the earths surface,systematically plotted on a plane surface. Theideal situation would be realized if every fea-ture on the p ortion of the earth being m app edcould be shown in its true shap e, orientation,and proportion. Unfortun ately, such a repre-sentation is imp ossible. This is evident w henone considers that on a map at the scale of1:50,000, a squar e mile mu st be condensed intoa small square approximately 1.27 by 1.27inches. If every feature were p lotted tru e toscale, the resulting m ap w ould be impossibleto read, for many items wou ld be draw n so

minu tely as to be un recognizable even w ith amagnifying glass. For a map to be intelligible,features m ust be ind icated by sym bols. Manyof these must necessarily be exaggerated insize for legibility. For example, on a map atthe scale of 1:50,000 the prescribed symbol fora small house covers an area corresponding toabout 85 feet square, the scaled w idth of a roadmeasures about 95 feet; the symbol for a single-track railroad occupies a w idth equivalent toabout 165 feet on the gr oun d. Consequen tly,only the landmarks and important features ofan area can be shown . Those shown on a maprepresent the characteristic pattern of the areaand are usually those most readily recognizedin the field.

b. Map Detail. Map detail represents groundfeatu res as they existed at th e date of mapcompilation or latest revision. Since man iscontinually building, demolishing, and changingground features, the d etail appearing on a mapmay n ot exactly match that app earing on the

grou nd . This is especially tru e in d evelopedareas. The amoun t of detail show n on a m apincreases with its scale. A map attempts toshow the maximum of detail without impairinglegibility. In areas of heavy cultural density,man y of the less imp ortant items m ust beomitted. In areas of sparse d ensity, fewer itemsare omitted. When deletions are necessary be-cause of the density of detail, care is taken toretain the general pattern of the features inthe area. For example, where all buildings ofa group cannot be shown, those retained p ortray

the general pattern of the group without exag-gerating the area covered. Similarly, wherenumerous ditches, streams, levees, and the likeexist, the less impor tant are om itted and themore important are retained to show th e char-acteristic pattern of the features in the area.

c. Symbols. So far as is practicable, amapp ed feature is shown by the same symbolon m aps of different scales, but certain m odifi-cations and departures are necessary becauseof varying map uses and scales. Normally,symbols resemble the features they represent.The center and the orientation of a symbolusually correspond to the true center and orien-tation of the feature represented. All linefeatu res such as road s, railroads, streams,pow er lines, and similar features retain, within

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the limitations of scale, the variations of aline-ment wh ich actua lly exist. Along such featuresas road s, the locations of buildings and otherfeatures are necessarily d isplaced because ofthe exaggerated size of the sym bols. Referenceto the positions of such features mu st be madewith caution.

d. Accuracy of Maps. On a map of 1:1,000,-000, a sixteenth of an inch represents ap proxi-mately 1 mile; on a map o f 1:250,000, a qu arter

of an inch represents approximately 1 mile. Itis app arent, then, that on su ch map s it isimpossible to obtain th e p recise accuracy inplotting possible on large-scale maps. Small-and medium-scale maps normally are compiledfrom the best available larger-scale maps. Sincethese sources vary in reliability, the map usershould study the coverage diagram shown inthe margin of the map to determine the generalreliability of the ma p. On most large-scalemap s of areas w ithin th e continental limits ofthe United States, 90 percent of all featuresshown are within 1/ 50 inch of their true geo-

graphic positions. The remaining 10 percentare within 1/ 20 inch. Ninety percent of thecontours are accura te within one-half of thebasic contour interval, and 90 percent of thespot heights (elevations of particular locations)are accurate w ithin one-fourth of the contourinterval. In comp iling large-scale maps cover-ing foreign areas, it is not always possible toachieve the high standa rd s of accuracy obtain-able on m aps of the United States. The accuracystandards of such maps u sually may be d eter-mined from the marginal coverage diagram.

e. Map Colors. Topographic symbols usuallyap pea r in cha racteristic colors: black for cul-tural (man-made) features other than roads,blue for waterfeatures, brow n or gra y forrelieffeatures, green for vegetation, and redfor road classifications. Modifications of thesecolors occasionally are u sed to p ortray u niquecircumstances. Consequently, the symbol legendand other marginal information should be care-fully studied before using any map.

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CHAPTER 2

TOPOGRAPHIC SYMBOLS

8. ScopeThis chap ter illustrates and explains the

topographic symbols used on military maps ofall scales. The symbols are in general the samefor all categories, but because of differences inuse an d scales, certain sym bols are m odifiedor omitted on medium- and small-scale maps.

9. Drain age Features

a. A perennial feature contains water during

most of the year.

b. An intermittent feature contains water

du ring only p art of the year. The shoreline ofan intermittent lake or pond is represented asindefinite and app roximate.

c. A dry or cyclical feature or a wash is

usu ally d ry. The limits of such features are

represented as indefinite.

d. Symbols. The following p ages contain the

approved symbols for drainage features:

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10. Relief Features

a. Methods of Showing Relief. Dependingup on th e accuracy of information, the shapesof the terrain are shown on a map by linesrepresenting contours, approximate contours,an d form lines. Any one or all of these method smay be used on a single map . On medium- andsmall-scale maps, significant relief featuresmay be shown by hachures when available dataare insufficient to w arran t the u se of contours.

On large- and medium-scale maps, the linesusually are printed in brown. Also, on medium -scale map s, hill shading usu ally is add ed overthe brow n lines, to print gray. This creates athree-dimen sional effect and perm its a read yappreciation of the terrain, since the hills andridges stand out mu ch as they would on a reliefmap. On small-scale maps the contour linesusually are printed in gray. Normally, onsmall-scale maps, the contours are supple-mented by layer tints. A key box on each m apindicates the elevation bands and their cor-responding tints.

b. Units of Measure. Except in the UnitedStates and a few other countries where thefoot is the standard unit of measure, the eleva-tions on m ilitary map s are in term s of themeter(39.37 inches or 3.28 feet).

c. Contours. Relief norm ally is show n bycontour lines. A contour line on a map rep-resents an imaginary line on the earths surface,all points of wh ich, w ithin p ermissible toler-ances, are of the same elevation above a fixeddatu m, usu ally mean sea level. To aid the m apuser, every fifth contour is a heav ier line. These

are commonly referred to as index contours.The remaining contour s are called intermediatecontours. In certain areas on a map, the normalcontour interval is sometimes too large to pre-ent significant topographic formations cor-ectly an d supplementary half-interval contours

are added. On small-scale maps, index contoursare shown by using layer tints.

d. Approximate Contours. Whenever theres any qu estion as to the r eliability of the source

material or of the survey, approximate con-ours are substituted for normal contours. An

app roximate contour on a m ap represents anmaginary line on the earths surface, all points

of which are estim ated to be of the sameelevation. As w ith norm al contours, a d istinc-

tion is mad e between ind ex, intermed iate, andsupplementary contours.

e. Contour Intervals. Contour lines aredrawn on a map at definite elevation intervals.Using a given contour interval, the lines arefar apart in flat areas and close together inhilly areas. Consequently, to present th e bestpicture, the size of the contou r interval usedvaries with the nature of the terrain, althoughnormally a contour interval is constant in a

series of map sheets. On sheets where th erelief is generally flat or gently rolling, asmaller contour interval is used th an on sh eetswhere the relief is generally hilly. Scale alsoaffects the contour interval; if the contour in-terval on a 1:25,000 scale map w ere 5 meters,for example, the interval used on a 1:50,000map covering the same area would be 10 meters.

f. Form Lines. When available information isinsufficient to warrant the u se of either norma lor approximate contours, form lines are used.Norm ally, form lines are used only in areasoutside the United States. Form lines collec-tively portray the general shapes of topographicfeatures, but with little or no reference to adatum plane. They do not present an accuraterepresentation of the terr ain, but m erely illus-trate the general topograp hic shap es of anarea. Since the lines are based on little or nocontrol, their intervals cannot be u sed to esti-mate differences in elevations.

g. Hachures. Hachures are used on medium-and small-scale maps to indicate promontories,where available data are insufficient to warrantthe use of normal or approximate contours, but

are su fficient to d etermine th e location of thepromontories. Hachures also are used in con-junction with n ormal or ap proximate, contoursto indicate important promontories which wouldnot be prop erly depicted otherw ise, because ofthe contour interval and the nature of theterrain.

h. Marginal Notes. Before read ing relieffrom the m ap, the user should d etermine thecontour interval and the nature of any othermethod s used to show relief. This informationis found in the margin of the map either inthe contour interval note or the layer tint box.Other special notes pertaining to relief aresometimes found in the lower margin. The usershould also stud y the coverage diagram or re-

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liability diagram in the m argin to obtain i. Symbols. The following pag es containadd itional evaluation of contour accuracy. the app roved symbols for relief featur es.

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11. Vegetation Features

a. General. Although special care is takenin mapping woodland cover, vegetation in manyareas is subject to rapid growth or to elimina-tion by cutting or burn ing. Before using themap , the user should d etermine the last dateof information of the map (found in the notes inthe lower left margin) and gage the reliabilityof the wood land inform ation accordingly. Thesymbols used indicate such features as coversuitable for the concealment of troops, obstaclesto free passage, and landmarks in areas bearinglittle vegetation. On small-scale maps, par-ticularly the 1:1,000,000 scale, the vegetationis usually omitted en tirely.

b. Growths Shown. Only perennial types ofgrowth are mapped. Isolated trees and lowscattered grow ths usu ally are om itted. Smallclum ps of growths are usua lly omitted, except

where they serve as land marks in areas oflittle wood land cover. Small clearings u suallyare also omitted. In certain areas, the limitsand types of growth are fairly constant. Insuch cases, a distinction may have been madeon the map between deciduous, coniferous, andbrushw ood grow ths. In m any other cases, lackof inform ation and th e chan ging nature ofgrowths make it imp ractical to make su ch a

distinction.c. Continuous Cover. The presence of avegetation symbol d oes not n ecessarily meanthat th e area is comp letely covered. Depend ingup on the area, growth having as little as 20to 35 percent canopy cover is symbolized ascontinuous.

d. Symbols. The following pages containthe approved symbols for vegetation features.

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12. Coastal Hydrograp hy

a. General. Coastal hydrographic featuresand notes pertinent to those features usu allyare shown on all sheets showing navigablewaters. Sheets showing land areas borderingon inland bod ies of water, such as lakes, con-tain only offshore data. Sheets showing landareas bordering on oceans, seas, bays, or similarbodies of water contain both offshore and

foreshore data.b. Definit ion of Coastal Terms (fig. 82).(1) Coastal hydrographic features. All

shore areas, including p erman ent cul-tural and natural features which affectthe navigability of the area.

(2) Foreshore area. That area w hich isbare or awash at the hyd rographicdatu m (low w ater) but w hich is cov-ered at mean high water.

(3) Offshore area. That area which iscovered at the hydrographic datum.

(4) Hydrographic datum. That stage oflow tide to which depths are referred.This varies somew hat in different

features w ithin the foreshore and off- parts of the w orld .

c. Symbols. The following pages contain the approved symbols for coastal hydrographicfeatures.

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13. Roads in th e United States on Large- andMediu m-Scale Maps

(5) Trails.

a. Road Classifications on Large-scale Maps.Roads w ithin the limits of the United States areclassified on large-scale maps as

(1) Hard-surface, heavy-duty roads.(a) Four or more lanes wide.(b) Two or three lanes wide.

(2) Hard-surface, medium-duty roads.(a) Four or more lanes wide.

(b) Two or three lanes wide.(3) Improved, light-duty roads.(4) Unimproved dirt roads.

b. Road Classifications on Medium-Scale Maps.The classifications on m edium -scale map s are th esame, except for hard -surface road s, where adistinction is made between roads two lanes wideand road s more than two lanes wide.

c. Hard-Su rface, Heavy-Duty Roads. Roads ofthis classification carry heavy truck loads in allweather with a minimum of maintenance. Theconstruction is u sually of portland-cement con-

crete, bituminous concrete, or sheet asp halt, rockasphalt, bituminous penetration, or mixed bitu-minou s on a h eavy foun dation. Brick or blockroads are also included in this category.

d. Hard-Surface, Medium-Duty Roads. Theseroads carry med ium-heavy truck loads in allweather. Occasional maintenance is required.Construction is usually a bituminou s-penetrationor mixed-bitum inous surface, or bituminou s-treated surface on a light foundation.

e. Improved, Light-Duty Roads. These roadscarry light loads in all weather. Periodic maintenance is usu ally necessary. Construction consistsof stabilized or oiled-sur face gravel or stone,

graded and drained gravel or stone, or gradedand dra ined soil surface. Included in this cate-gory are hard -surface roads less than two laneswide and improved private roads which normallyare not practical for use in rerouting of traffic inemergencies.

f. Unimproved Dirt Roads. These roads aresuitable only for light loads in dry weather. Theyare without surface improvement and are seldommaintained. Includ ed are aband oned road s, fireroads, and lumber roads.

g. Trails. The map shows important foot paths,foot trails, and pack trails which can accommo-

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/4-ton trucks in d ry weath er. Minor andshort connecting trails usually are omitted.

h. Symbols. The follow ing p ages contain theapp roved sym bols for roads in the United States.

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. Roads in Foreign Areas on Large- and Medi-um -Scale Map s

a. Road Classifications. Roads outside the lim- of the Un ited States are classified on bothge- and medium-scale maps as

(1) Hard -surface, all-weather roads.(a) Two or more lanes wide.(b) One lane wide.

(2) Loose or light surface, all-weather roads.

(a) Two or more lanes wide.(b) One lane wide.(3) Loose sur face, fair- or d ry-weather roads.(4) Tracks.(5) Trails.

b. Hard-Surface, A ll- Weather Road. Theseads carry fairly heavy tru ck loads in all weath-. Minimum maintenance requirements areriodic inspection and repair. The constructionusu ally concrete or asp haltic concrete, bitum i-us macadam, surface-treated oiled gravel, and

ght tar-bound macadam.c. Loose or Light Surface, All-Weather Road.

hese carry light loads in all weather. The roads

generally are drained and graded. Periodic main-tenance is required. Construction is usually ofgravel, stone, or some stable material, such assand -clay, on a light found ation.

d. Loose Surface, Fair- or Dry- Weather Road.These road s carry light loads in dry weath eronly. The road m ay or may n ot be graded ordr ained and requires continual maintenan ce.Any sur facing consists of gravel, or sand-claywith a poor foundation.

e. Tracks. Tracks include winter roads, caravanroutes, and natural roadw ays and can accommo-date very light vehicles, such as

1/4-ton trucks, in

dry weather. Tracks are normally shown only inareas having poor road systems.

f. Trails. Trails include imp ortan t foot trails,foot paths, and pack trails. Minor trails andun impor tant connecting trails are om itted. Inareas with good road systems, tracks are includedin this category.

g. Symbols. The following pages contain theapp roved sym bols for roads in foreign areas.

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15. Roads on Small-Scale Maps

a. Road Classifications. Road s on small-scalemaps are classified as

(1) Dual or sup er highw ays.(2) Main roads.(3) Secondary road s.(4) Other road s.(5) Tracks or trails.

b. Main Roads. Main road s are those which

serve as the main thorou ghfares between th eimportant populated places of an area. Wellalined road s of a substantial width an d su rfacewhich connect a number of populated places,and cross-coun try road s wh ich form a d irectroute connecting with roads and trails leadingto importan t features are included in th is cate-gory. Main roads are generally hard-surfacedexcept in areas w ith poor road systems.

c. Secondary Roads. Secondary roads in-clud e those road s connecting the m inor citiesand town s of an area. A road connecting tw oma in road s, at least one of w hich is higher in

classification than the connecting road, is in-cluded in this category. In comparison withmain roads, secondary roads have less reporteduse and less substantial construction, and aregenerally loose-surfaced roads.

d. Other Roads. Includ ed in th is categoryare local comm un ity roads serving the villagesand settlemen ts of an area. Also included arethose connecting roads important to the com-mu nications netw ork but obviously of a lowerclassification than the secondary roads. Suchroads may be loose-surfaced or dirt roads.

e. Tracks or Trails. Tracks and trails aresymbolized alike. Both normally are shownonly in areas of sparse culture w here theysupply the only means of communication. Minortracks and trails are omitted. Includ ed in th iscategory are winter roads and caravan routes.Norm ally, the roadw ay is natural with little orno improvements.

f. Symbols. The following pages contain theapproved symbols for roads on small-scale maps.

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17.a.

b.

RailroadsGage.

(1) Norm al gage is the gage u sed on thema jority of the m ainline ra ilroad s ofa country. Norm al gage in the UnitedStates is stand ard (4 8

1/2") gag e.

(2) Broad gage is any gage greater thanthe normal gage used in a country.

(3) Narrow gage is any gage lesser than

the normal gage used in a country.(4) Either the sym bol legend in the m ar-gin or labeling on the m ap identifiesthe gage of the railroads.

Multiple-Track Railroad.A multiple-trackrailroad contains three or more m ainline trackspara lleling each oth er. The n um ber of tracksof a multiple-track railroad is indicated bylabeling p laced p arallel to the symbol.

c. N onoperating Railroad.A nonop eratingrailroad is one not in u se. Includ ed in th iscategory are railroads under construction, aban-doned railroads, and destroyed railroads. Label-

ing placed parallel to the symbol indicateswh ether the line is aband oned , destroyed, orunder construction.

(1)

(2)

An abandoned railroad is one whichis no longer in use, but the ballast,bridges, and tracks remain in majorpart and could be p ut into limited orfull operation with a minimu m ofrepair.Only those railroads on w hich actualwork is un der w ay are symbolized asunder construction. Proposed lines are

not shown . An operating line some-

times has additional tracks under con-struction. The symbol for the operatingline is shown with appropriate label-ing to ind icate the construction.

d. Dismantled Railroad. A dismantled rail-road is one which is no longer in use and whichhas the m ajor part of its tracks and bridgesremoved. If the right-of-way is being usedas a road only, the proper road symbol will beshown . If there is no road and the feature isof land mark importan ce, it is symbolized by adashed line and labeled.

e. Electrified Railroad. Electrified railroadsare shown by the proper symbol indicating thegage and number of tracks, with the wordElectrifiedadded parallel to the symbol.

f. Developed Areas.(1)

(2)

(3)

Minor line and sidings sometimes areomitted in congested areas. Throughlines are always shown.Railroads which run underground forlong distances in a city are not shown.

The dashed lines indicating tunnelsare omitted. Only the headwalls andwings of the tunnel entrances areshown.Rapid transit lines, when located insubways, are not shown. They areshown by the appropriate railroadsymbol when located in open cut, onthe surface, or on above-surface struc-tures.

g. Sy mbols. The following pages containthe app roved symbols for railroads and related

features.

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19. Build ings an d Pop ulated Places on Large-Scale Maps

a. Built-Up Areas.(1) A built-up area is a large continuous

area w hich is developed or is in theadvanced stage of developm ent foroccupancy by concentrated populations.It usually is laid out in a definite streetpattern and normally contains a busi-ness or industrial district. Since allbuildings cannot be shown individual-ly, the area is ind icated by an overa llscreened red tint.

(2) Only land mark buildings are shownindividually in built-up areas. Theseare buildings which are prominent be-cause of size, location, or usage, suchas government or public buildings,colleges, schools, churches, hospitals,railroad stations, markets, factories,and buildings of historical or culturalinterest.

(3) Within the general outline of thebuilt-up area, individual symbols areused and the built-u p area tint isgenerally omitted for the followingfeatures:

(a) Parks and cemeteries equivalent toor larger than one block.

(b) Institutions such as colleges, schools,and hosp itals possessing o p e nground areas equivalent to or largerthan one block.

(c) Section with little construction ordevelopment if equivalent to or

larger than two blocks.(4) All woodland cover is omitted in built-

up areas.b. Native Settlements. These include native

settlements in foreign areas in which the build-ings are not usually of permanent construction.Kampongs in southwestern Asia and encamp-ments in western Africa are examples. Thesymbol legend of the map defines the symbolproperly.

c. Buildings in General.(1) Conventional symbols are used to

show a small building or a small struc-ture similar to a bu ilding. The symbolis shown in correct orientation and itscenter usu ally coincides w ith the cor-

rect location of the center of thestructure.

(2) Buildings and similar stru ctures wh oseplotted size exceeds th e conventionalsymbols are shown in correct orienta-tion and shape and usually in correctlocation.

(3) Buildings an d structures located a longroads a re shown in their correct loca-tion unless they would then fall within

the road . In su ch cases, the symbolis moved back.(4) In many cases it is impossible to show

all buildings because of congestion.The map retains the general shapeand pattern of the area and omits theless important buildings.

d. Structures Similar to Buildings.(1) These ar e features of su bstantial con-

struction not definable as buildings.In many instances they are roofed,although not necessarily enclosed onall sides. The term includes barns,grandstands, railroad sheds, largeopen sh eds, fruit packing shed s, snowsheds, open-air refineries, and similarstructures.

(2) Structures w hich are smaller than th eaverage dwelling in the locality arenot shown.

(3) In foreign areas, w hen inform ation isunavailable, no distinction is made be-tween buildings and structures similarto buildings.

e. Schools and Churches.

(1) When a bu ild ing is used both as achurch an d a school, it is symbolizedas a school.

(2) In th e United States, the church sym-bol is used commonly for all denomina-tions. On maps of foreign areas, thissymbol usually denotes a Christianplace of worship, with other symbolsbeing used to denote places of worshipof other sects. In such cases, the mar-ginal symbol legend should be con-sulted for detailed information.

(3) When a school has numerous buildings,the flag symbol is show n only on th eadm inistration bu ilding or th e mostprominent building in the group.

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(4) When there ar e nu merous religious can no longer be u sed for their original pu r-buildings in a group , as in a convent pose. Ruins which are smaller than the averageor m onastery, the cross symbol is dwelling in the locality are not shown unlessshown on ly on the building u sed forreligious services or the most p rom-

they p ossess unu sual significance.

inent building in the group . g. Symbols. The following p ages contain the

f. Ruins. Ruins are buildings or structures approved symbols for buildings and populated

in such a state of dilapidation or d ecay that they places on large-scale map s.

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0. Buildin gs and Pop ulated Places onMed ium- and Small-Scale Maps

a. Reduced Scale. Because of the reducedcale, it is impossible to show the bu ildings andopulated places on medium- and small-scale

map s in great detail. Consequently, the sym-ols are truly symbolic or representative. Thenly buildings show n are those wh ich serve asutstanding landmarks in isolated areas.

b. Populated Places. A small populated places shown by a small circle. A larger pop ulatedlace is show n, generally tru e to shap e, by anutlined and tinted area. Within the outline,he only features usually shown are the main-ne railroads and through-route roads. On:250,000 scale map s, the tin t is u sua lly show nn yellow; on sma ll-scale maps, it is show n ined.

c. Use of Tint ed Squares. In many areas,there is insufficient information available toplot the correct ou tlines of pop ulated places.In such cases, tinted squares of vary ing sizesare used a s symbols, with the size depend ingupon the population or importance. Explanationof these squa res is contained in the m arginallegend of the map .

d. N ames of Populated Places. The namesof popu lated places are shown in type of vary-ing size, with the size depending u pon popu la-tion or imp ortance. When information is avail-able, the m arginal legend show s the d ifferentsizes keyed to a population breakdown. Wheninformation is not available, the sizes arekeyed to an important breakdown.

e. Symbols. The following pag es containthe approved symbols for buildings and p opu-lated places on medium- and small-scale maps.

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21. Industrial and Public Works

The following sym bols ind icate the indu strial and pu blic works shown at the various scales.

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22. Control Points and Elevations in some cases, may be less than th ird ord er

a. Application of Definitions. The definitions accuracy. Whenever information is available.of horizontal and vertical control stations which exceptions are noted in the m arginal legendfollow are generally applicable only to the of the map .United States. c. Symbols. The following p ages contain the

b. Exceptions. In foreign areas, horizontal approved symbols for control points and eleva-control stations may n ot be monm ented and tions.

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23. Boundaries of the symbol is shown. The intervening symbol

a. Where two or m ore bound aries coincide, un its are omitted, except w here the om ission

only the symbol representing the higher-ranking w ould create un certainty as to the alinement

boundary is shown. of the bound ary.

b. Boundaries which are approximate ord. Terminology of boun daries in foreign

areas varies; see the m ap legend for the correctindefinite are appropriately labeled. terms.

c. In cases where a bou nd ary follows a road, e. The following p ages contain the ap provedstream, or river, usually only every third unit symbols for boundaries.

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I

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CHAPTER 4

MARGINAL INFORMATION

26. Scopea. This chap ter explains the m ap identifica-

tions and other marginal data app earing ontopographic maps prepared for use by theDepartment of the Army.

b. These marginal items are illustrated inthe charts which appear in appendix III. Theyare

Chart 1 large-scale and 1:100,000 scalemaps.

Chart 2 med ium -scale (except 1 :100,-

000) ma ps.Chart 3 1:1,000,000 scale maps.c. The arrangemen t of marginal items w ill

vary. For example, on sheets having a narroweast-west neatline dimension, certain items willapp ear in the right-hand margin rather thanin the low er marg in. The comp osition is gen-erally the sam e for map s of like scales.

d. Detailed information on marginal datawill be foun d in AMS techn ical manu als andstyle sheets published u nd er the direction ofthe Chief of Engineers.

27. Map Id entificationsa. Purpose. Map identifications are those

tems appearing in the margins of map s whichserve to identify any individual map completely.On m aps prepared for the Department of theArmy , these identifications are the series nam eand scale, the series number, the edition num-ber, the sheet name, the sheet num ber, the unitmprint, and the geographic location name.

b. Series Name and Scale. A map series,wh ich n ormally consists of a common scale ofmaps which collectively cover a specific area,s generally assigned the geograp hic or political

nam e of the area covered. The map scale iswr itten as a ratio of map distance to grounddistance. Example: GERMANY 1:25,000.

88

c. Series N umber. The series number is acomprehensive reference composed of four andsometimes five elements, usually four numeralsor a letter and three nu merals. The num ber isun ique for the series. It identifies the ar ea andscale of the series. Example: M841.

d. Edition Number. The edition number isa specific identification based on the publicationsequence of a particular map . Edition nu mbersrun consecutively; thus, it can be assum ed th ata map labeled w ith a higher edition n um ber

contains more recent information than an otherprinting with a lower edition number. Theedition num ber also identifies the agency w hichproduced the map. Example:Edition 4-AMS.

e. Sheet Name. Generally, a map is namedafter its outstanding cultural or geographicfeature. The name of a cultural feature iscustomarily chosen, but if a geographic featureis better known than an y cultural feature ap-pearing on the map, the geographic name ischosen. Example:FORT KNOX.

f. Sheet Number. Sheet numbers for large-scale maps are based on an arbitrary geographiccoord inate system covering the area to bemapped. The sheet number of a 1:25,000 scalesheet is directly related to the number of a 1 :50,-000 scale sheet covering the same area, whichin turn is directly related to the sheet numberof a 1:100,000 scale sheet covering the samearea. Sheet numbers for 1:250,000 and 1 :1,000,-000 scale map s are based on th e InternationalMap of the World (IMW) numbering system.Examples: 1:25,000 6123 III NW; 1:50,000 6123 III; 1:100,000 6123 ; 1:250,000 NJ16-4 ; 1:1,000,000 NJ 16.

g. Unit Imprint. The unit im print is thesignature of the agency responsible for printingthe m ap. This is followed by the d ate identify-



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ing the p articular p rinting. Example:Printedby Army Map Service, Corps of Engineers, 7-60.

h. Geographic Location N ame. The geo-graph ic location nam e indicates the coun try,state, or general geograph ic area within wh ichthe m ap lies. The geographic location nam eincludes the sheet name, which is repeated inthe lower m argin. Large-scale map s of theUnited States which cover an area entirelywithin one county or parish, carry the countyor parish name below the sheet name and geo-grap hic location n am e. Example: FUJI SAN , JAPAN .

i. Refer to Note. In the up per right cornerof the map m argin, the sheet num ber and seriesnumber are grouped under a note, REFER TOTHIS MAP AS. This group prov ides the p ri-mary identification for ordering copies of a map.Example: REFER TO THIS MAP AS:

SHEET NJ 16-4SERIES V501

j. Identification Panels. For qu ick id entifi-cation of m aps w hen filed or stacked, identifi-cation pan els in op posite corners of the m apsheet, outside the printed limits of other mar-ginal information, are provided. These panelscontain the series number, sheet number, andedition number.

Example: SERIES 1301SHEET NK52EDITION 2-AMS

28. Other Marginal DataIn add ition to the identifications described

above, the margin of a map contains other in-formation important to the user in evaluatingand interpreting the map (table I).

a. Credit Note. The credit note aids inevaluating the map an d contains interpr etiveinformation. The note d escribes the method ofpreparation, identifies the source material usedin compilation, gives the dates of aerial photog-raph y, and lists the source of horizontal andvertical control. It notes w hether t he m apconforms w ith national map accuracy requ ire-ments and whether the map has been field

checked. It includes any special informationpertinent to the particular sheet.b. Symbol Legend. The symbol legend de-

fines and illustrates the sym bols most commonlyused su ch as popu lated places, roads, and rail-

roads. It also contains sym bols for itemspeculiar to the area being map ped.

c. Index to Adjoining Sheets. The index toad joining sheets, or on 1:250,000 scale mapsthe location diagram, identifies the surroundingsheets.

d. Index to Boundaries. The index to boun-daries identifies the po litical areas appea ring

in the body of the map. The boundaries in thediagram are schematic but serve as aids inlocating the boundar ies on the map . On the1:250,000 scale maps this inform ation is sh ownin the location diagram.

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e. Coverage Diagram. The coverage dia-ram, shown on large-scale maps, portrays inraphic form the methods of compilation, noteshe dates of any photography u sed, and identi-es and evaluates any m aps u sed as bases.f. Reliability Diagram. The reliability d ia-ram, shown on med ium- and small-scale map s,ontains graphic references to the reliability ofhe sources used and identifies the scale, methodf survey, and date of the basic sources.

g. Datum Notes. The h orizontal, vertical,nd hydrographic datum notes identify theontrols used for these items on th e map . Gen-rally, horizontal and hydrograph ic datum notesre not shown on medium- and small-scale maps.

h. Grid Notes and Data. Maps of 1:1,000,-000 and larger scale contain grid n otes and agrid reference box with samp le reference, toexplain the grid data on the map. Maps carry-ing 1,000-unit-interval grid lines also show ad eclination diagram and a protr actor scale inthe margin. The declination diagram shows therelationship bet w ee n true north, magneticnorth, and grid north for the major grid at the

center of the sheet. Maps carrying 10,000-unit-interval grid lines show a m agnetic declinationnote. This note indicates the variation in theeast and west map edges. It also shows themean ann ual change.

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APPENDIX I

REFERENCES

1. Army Regu lations (AR)

AR 117-5 Military Map ping and Su rvey-ing.

AR 320-5 Dictionary of United StatesArmy Terms.

AR 320-50 Authorized Abbreviations andBrevity Codes.

2. Departmen t of the Army Pamp hlets (DA Pam)

DA PAM 108-1 Index of Army Motion Pic-tures, Film Strips, Slidesand Phono-Recordings.

DA PAM 310-1 Military Publications: Index ofAdministrative Publications.

DA PAM 310-3 Military Publications: Index ofTraining Publications.

DA PAM 310-4 Index of Technical Manuals,Technical Bulletins, SupplyBulletins, Lubrication Or-ders, and Modification WorkOrders.

DA PAM 310-5 Military Publications: Index ofGraph ic Training Aids andDevices.

DA PAM 310-7 Military Publications: Index ofTables of Organization andEquipment, Type Tables ofDistribution and Tables ofAllowances.

DA PAM 310-25 Military Pu blications: Index ofSup ply Manuals, Corps ofEngineers.

3. Field Manuals (FM)

FM 5-1 Engineer Troop Organizationsand Operations.

FM 5-30 Engineer Intelligence.

FM 21-5FM 21-6

FM 21-26FM 21-30FM 30-5FM 30-10FM 101-10,

Part 1

Military Training.Techniques of Military

Instruction.Map Reading.Military Symbols.Combat Intelligence.Terrain Intelligence.Staff Officers Field Manual:Organization, Technical and

Logistical Data.

4. Techn ical M anu ais (TM )

TM 5-230 General Drafting.TM 5-240 A Guide to the Compilation

and Revision of Maps.TM 5-244 Multiplex Mapping.TM 5-245 Map Reproduction.TM 5-248 Foreign Maps.TM 5-9990 Kit Instruction Map Reading.TM 30-246 Tactical Interpretation of Air

Photos.

5. Tables of Organization an d Equ ipment

TOE 5-55D Engineer Topograp hic Battal-ion, Army.

TOE 5-56D Headquarters and Head-quarters Company,Engineer Topograp hic Bat-talion, Army.

TOE 5-57D Engineer Map Reprodu ctionand Distribution Company,Army.

TOE 5-59D Engineer Photomapping Com-pany, Army.

TOE 5-167C Engineer Topographic Compa-ny, Corps.

TOE 5-344R Engineer Base Map DepotCompany.

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OE 5-446D Headquarters and Headquar-ters Detachment, EngineerBase Topographic Battalion.

OE 5-347D Engineer Base ReproductionCompany.

OE 5-348D Engineer Base Survey Com -pany.

OE 5-349D Engineer Base Photomap pingCompany.

OE 5-500C Engineer Service Organiza-tion:1A Engineer TopographicStaff Team.

lB Engineer Survey Team.lC Engineer Survey Pla-

toon.lD Engineer Photomap-

ping Platoon.1E Engineer Reproduction

Platoon.lF Engineer Map Distri-

bution Platoon.lG Engineer Relief MapMaking Team.

lH Engineer Relief MapMaking Platoon.

lN Engineer HydrologyTeam.

1P Engineer Geodetic Sur-vey Team.

Graphic Training Aids

TA 5-2 Elementary Map Reading.TA 5-12 Coordinate Scales and Pro-

tractor.

Motion Pictures, Film Strip s, Slides, andPhono-Recordings

F 5-1788 Topographic Symbols.F 5-1789 Elevation, Distance, and Grid.F 5-1791 Direction, Orientation, and

Location With Compass.F 5-1790 Direction, Orientation, and

Location Without Compass.F 5-1792 Photos and Photomaps.F 5-1270 British Conventional Signs

and Symbols.F 5-2406 Azimuth.F 5-2409 Contour Lines and Intervals.F 5-2410 Direction.F 5-2411 Elevation.

TF 5-2412TF 5-2413TF 5-2415TF 5-2416TF 5-2417TF 5-2407TF 5-2414TF 5-2408

TF 55-2365TF 5-1546TF 5-1549MF 5-8275

Intersection.Location.Resection.Scale and Distance.Using the Protractor.Azimuth Conversion.Percent o f Slope.Characteristic of Contour

Lines.

Sextant Adjustment.Multiplex Mapping, Part II.Multiplex Mapping, Part I.Maps for the Army.

8. Army Map Service Techn ical Manuals

AMS TM 22 Map Iden tification and OtherMarginal Information.

AMS TM 23A Symbols for Large-ScaleMaps, No Reduction.

AMS TM 33A Symbols for Medium -ScaleMaps, No Reduction.

AMS TM 43A Symbols for Small-ScaleMaps, No Reduction.

9. Supply Manuals (Sets of Equ ipmen t)

SM 5-4 Series3610-S01 Reprodu ction Set, Amm onia

Process: Reprodu ction ofLine Tracings.

3610-S02 Reprod uction Set, Black andWhite Process: Draw ingTracings.

3610-S07 Reproduction Set, Topogra-

phic, Photolithographic:Reproduction Comp any.

3610-S13 Reproduction Set, Silk ScreenProcess: Sign Reproduction.

6675-S02 Computing and DraftingEquipment Set: Field Sur-vey Data.

6675-S03 Drafting Equipment Set, Bat-talion: For Charts, Sketches,and Overlays.

6675-S12 Drafting Equipment Set, Top-ograp hic Battalion, H ead-quarters and Service Com-pany: For OperationalPlans, Maps, Drawings, andCharts.

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APPENDIX II

TOPOGRAPHIC ABBREVIATIONS

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INDEX

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AG 353 (2 Feb 61)

BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY:

Official:R. V. LEE,

Major General, United States Army,The Adjutant General.

G. H. DECKERGeneral, United States Army,

Distribution:In accordan ce with surv ey conducted by AG Publication Centers.

102

Chief of Staff.

*US GOVERN MEN T PRINTING OFFICE: 1994 O 368-105 QL 3



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24661723 fm 21 31 topographic symbols april 1961

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