Cut. A cut is a man-made feature resulting from cutting through raised ground, usually to form a level bed for a road or railroad track. Cuts are shown on a map when they are at least 10 feet high, and they are drawn with a contour line along the cut line. This contour line extends the length of the cut and has tick marks that extend from the cut line to the roadbed, if the map scale permits this level of detail
Fill. A fill is a man-made feature resulting from filling a low area, usually to form a level bed for a road or railroad track. Fills are shown on a map when they are at least 10 feet high, and they are drawn with a contour line along the fill line. This contour line extends the length of the filled area and has tick marks that point toward lower ground. If the map scale permits, the length of the fill tick marks are drawn to scale and extend from the base line of the fill symbol
Understanding Cut and Fill on a Map
When reading a topographic map, identifying cut and fill on a map is essential for understanding man-made modifications to the terrain. Cuts indicate areas where elevated ground has been removed to create a level surface, while fills show where low areas have been raised. Recognizing these features helps in navigation, construction planning, and terrain analysis.
How to Identify Cut and Fill on a Map
Cuts and fills are represented by contour lines with tick marks that indicate elevation changes. In a cut, the tick marks extend toward the roadbed, while in a fill, they point toward the lower ground. These features appear on maps only if they are at least 10 feet high, ensuring they are significant enough for practical reference.
