What do Elevation Contours show?
The 5′ Contours are derived from the Digital Elevation Model (DEM), which was created for the 2000 orthophotography flight. The orthophotography vendor generated the contours in the eastern half of the County. The contours for the western half of the County were generated in-house using the ESRI 3D Analyst Extension. The accuracy of the contours has never been verified. Contours can be used to provide a general topography of the land. If contour lines are close together, then a slope or ridge exists in that location. Contour lines also point upstream so users can determine the general drainage pattern of the area.
