topographic survey
/təˈpɒɡ.rə.fɪk ˈsɜːr.veɪ/ · to·pog·ra·phic sur·vey
noun
- A detailed measurement and representation of the physical features of a land area, especially its elevations and contour lines. Before the highway was built, engineers commissioned a topographic survey to locate the steepest grades.
- The process of collecting and recording data about the terrain for purposes such as engineering, construction, or scientific research. The university’s geology department uses a topographic survey to model watershed runoff.
Synonyms
Did you know? The first nationwide topographic survey in the United States was carried out by the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey in the 1870s, producing the iconic 1:250,000 scale maps that guided early railroad and settlement planning.