' Fit I'M':

E.V. •Villard.
Topographic ] , ¦ 0f Hinessota.
Wan. ,1919.

"Igwe th
; for- the founding of at., - , Colony'

• iLLUBH&aiEir •

Gift of

19 "UQ

FEBRUARY, 1919

TDn© IB on Un<Bifc-nim
OF THE
AFFILIATED ENGINEERING SOCIETIES OF MINNESOTA

VOLUME i NUMBER 2

Entered ae Second Ctaie Matter, May 5th, 1316, at the Poatoffice at St. Paul, Minn., under act of March Srd, 1879
Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Section 1103, Act of October 3, 1917.
Authorized fitly 25, 1918.

TOPOGRAPHIC MAPPING

MINNESOTA

By
E. V. WILLARD
Reprint from The Bulletin for February, ioio

TOPOGRAPHIC MAPPING OF MINNESOTA
By E. V. Wili.ard, Acting State Drainage Engineer
The federal government through the IT. S. Geological Survey
is perfecting a topographical survey of the area of the nation.
The work of surveying and mapping is being done by the Survey
working, in co-operation with the governments of the several
states. The field work is carried on under expert topographers
who have been trained for this class of work through a period of
many years, and tire engraving division of the Geological Survey
devotes its time to the engraving and publication of the maps.
These topographic maps are examples of the highest art of map
making. They not only show }hc usual features of a map, such
as lakes, rivers, swamps, creeks and cultural features, including
cities, towns, highways, railways and houses, but a system of eon-
tour lines printed in brown which delineate the various natural
relief features. By means of these contours the relative areas of
valley and uplands, the direction and height, of bluffs, the shape
of mountains, the gradient of streams, railways and highways
can all be easily ascertained by an examination of the maps.
HISTORY OF WORK IN MINNESOTA
From and including 1909 tu and including 1916 topographical
surveys were carried on in the state under a co-operative agree
ment between the state drainage commission and the U. S.
Geological Survey. Under the terms of this agreement the drain
age commission was to allot the amounts appropriated by the
legislature for this class of work and the U. S. Geological Survey,
according to the language of the contract "shall . . make
allotments necessary to complete the work-herein provided and
which eventually shall equal in the aggregate the contribution
of the party of the second part (State of Minnesota).
It will be seen that under this agreement each party was to
allot an equal amount for the work. The amount appropriated
by Congress for the use of the Tr. S. Geological Survey over the
entire nation would control the allotments that could be made
to the several states by the federal. government under this agree
ment, the amount that each state would receive being dependent
on the funds such state would allot on is own account. The state
making the largest appropriation would under this arrangement
receive the largest allotment from the federal government.
It did not take long before tbe states began to see the ad
vantage of making large appropriations for topographical sur
veys under this arrangement and thereby realize a substantial aid
from the government. As a result the demands on the U. S.
Geological Survey became so great that it could not always allot
sufficient to the co-operating states to meet its dollar-for-dollar

4 History of Work in Minnesota
agreement. As the writer understands it, it became a matter for
the states to decide whether the progress of topographic mapping.
should be made commensurate with the liberality of Congress to
supply funds for the U. S. Geological Survey, or whether the fifty-
fifty agreements should be ignored and the states take up this
work, make appropriations on their own accounts and speed the
surveys and mapping to completion as fast as the organization of
the U. S. Geological Survey could handle the work.
When it was discovered that Minnesota was expending more
money under the co-operative agreement than the federal govern
ment there was a disposition on the part of the drainage com
mission to curtail the state's allotment in order to give the Survey
an opportunity to "square accounts." This tendency on the part
of the commission was not due to its lack of appreciation of the
value of these surveys to the state, but rather because of the
difficulty of securing the necessary appropriations from the legis
latures due to lack of support from individuals and organizations
throughout the state who should have manifested a particular
interest. As long as the state received one dollar from the
federal government for every dollar it appropriatd on its own
account, it was not difficult to convince the legislature of the
propriety of providing funds.
According! y the Legislature of 1917 made no appropriation
for topographical mapping and the co-operative agreement which
had been in effect since 1909 lapsed on account of the state's
failure to make appropriation for the work.
The state must adopt a more liberal policy with reference to
securing this valuable data. It should not only make sufficient
provision so that it may lay claim to its share of the federal
allotments, but should ignore the agreements which have been
in effect in the past and speed to completion the work of topo
graphic mapping with funds appropriated on its own account.
No satisfactory progress can be made under the dollar-for-dollar
agreement. Too many states are making large appropriations
for themselves and accepting as much as the Survey can allot,
and are having their areas completely mapped. If Minnesota is
to insist on limiting the work to whatever funds can be secured
from the federal government on the fifty-fifty basis, the time will
soon come when the demands of the more liberal states will
prevent the Survey from giving Minnesota much, if any, attention.
COMPARISON OF PROGRESS WITH OTHER STATES
The following table shows a graphic comparison of the per
centage of areas of the several states covered by topographical
mapping. A study of this table ought to convince anyone that
something should be done to bring Minnesota in the class she be
longs as a leading state in the Union.

Comparison of Progress With Other States

Graphic Comparison Of The Percentage Of Areas Of
The Different States Covered By Topographio Map
ping Up To And Including June 30, 19 ia. *

States.

10

Percentage Of Areas Mapped.
20 30 40 50 60 70

Alabama .
Arizona .
Arkansas*
California.Colorado.Connecticut.
Delaware*Dist. of Columbia.
Florida.Georgia. Idaho.
Illinois.
Indiana. Iowa.
Kansas.Kentucky. Louisiana.
Maine.Maryland .
Massachusetts Michigan.Minnesota. Mississippi .
Missouri. Montana .
Nebraska.Nevada .
New Hampshire.
New Jersey.
New Mexico.
New York.
North Carolina.
North Dakota.
Ohio.Oklahoma .
Oregon. Pennsylvania.
Phode Island.
South Carolina.
South Dakota.
Tennessee.Texas •
.Utah. Vermont .
Virginia.Washington.West Virginia.
Wisconsin.
Wyoming. United States .

* Thirty-ninth Annual Report of the United States Geological
Survey, for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1918.

The study of the above table shows that approximately 42 per
cent of the entire area of the nation has been mapped. Nine states
have been completed ; eighteen have 50 per cent or more completed ;
forty states have 25 per cent or more completed; anc} only 3

0 Comparison of Progress With Other States
states — Minnesota, Mississippi and Florida — have less than ten
per cent of their areas mapped.
PRACTICAL VALUE OF TOPOGRAPHICAL MAPS
Briefly, some of the practical uses made of topographic maps
are as follows :
1. The planning of extensive drainage projects where the area
of catchment basin, slope, routes of ditches, etc., are basic prob
lems. 2. Improvement of streams for outlets to receive and dis
charge excess run-off waters to prevent floods where the meander-
ings of the course of the stream, slope, area of catchment basin,
reservoir sites, contours for flowage, affect on municipal water
supply, etc., are vital matters.
3. Laying out highways, railroads, acqueducts. tunnels, sewer
and water supply systems.
4. Improving rivers for navigation purposes and the studying
of canalization possibilities.
5. Determining and classifying water resources both surface
and underground, such as water power, water supply, lakes for
pleasure resorts, artesian wells, etc.
6. As base maps for soil surveys.
7. As base maps for geological surveys.
8. As base maps for the development of military problems.
9. In connection with questions relating to state, county and
town boundaries.
10. As a meaus of promoting an exact, knowledge of the coun
try in serving teachers and pupils in geographic studies.
11 . As base maps for the geographic representation of all facts
relating to population, industries and products and other statis
tical information.
12. In conuection with legislation involving the granting of
charters, rights, etc., when a physical knowledge of the country
may be desirable and necessary.
Each of the above uses to which topographic maps may be put
might be still further subdivided to bring out many details, one
or several of which affect every locality in the state. To the prac
ticing engineer, however, need not be pointed out the value of
these maps, especially if he is concerned with problems which re
quire a knowledge of the configuration of the earth's surface.
COST OF TOPOGRAPHIC MAPPING
Approximately 7,000 square miles of the state's area has been
mapped. Using as a basis the per square mile cost of the work
which has been completed and allowing for the bringing up to
date of some of the work which was completed during the early
days of the organization and which lacks some of the modern

Cost of Topographic Mapping 7
features, I estimate that it will cost approximately $2,000,000 to
complete the survey and map the remainder of the area of the
state. If the work can be done in cooperation with the U. S. Geo
logical Survey a considerable portion of the needed funds will
be contributed by the federal government. As to the amount the
latter will be able to contribute depends entirely upon the dispo
sition of Congress to provide funds for the use of the Survey.
There seems to be no reason why at least $500,000 should not be
allotted to Minnesota for the completion of the work.
ENGINEERING PROFESSION SHOULD
SUPPORT THE WORK
The matter of speeding to an early completion the topographic
mapping of the area of Minnesota has not received the attention
and support which this important subject merits. To the average
layman this work does not mean much. It is a subject which is
not popular, is seldom referred to in the press and, unless some
individual or organization makes it a point to conduct an educa
tional campaign with a view of directing the people 's attention to
its importance, will never be brought to the attention of the Legis
lature with sufficient force to command action. Because of its
close relation to all phases of engineering investigations it is essen-
tiaUy a matter which concerns the engineering profession. The
engineer knows something of the value of this work which the
average layman does not know and can hardly be expected to
learn. If encouragement and support for means of carrying on
the topographical surveys does not come from him who under
stands and can point to the value of the work it is unlikely that
others will interest themselves in the matter and go before our
legislatures and ask for the needed appropriations.
Minnesota's vast resources in undeveloped agricultural lands.
in mineral deposits and water powers must bp developed on an
intense and scientific basis. Its di'ainage and flood problems are
becoming more and more complicated. The problem of supplying
our cities and villages with pure water is an issue for the imme
diate future. The mapping of all the iron regions ; the territory
contiguous to our large cities from which their supply of water
is to be had ; the valleys of the Red River and Minnesota River and
their tributaries where flood prevention measures must be per
fected, and the remainder of the lake region, should be completed
in the immediate future if our state is to maintain the rank among
the other states to which its natural wealth entitles it.
The Legislature is in session. Whether or not an appropriation
shall be made available for topographical surveys for the next
two years will depend entirely upon the individual engineers and
engineering associations to go after it and get it.

YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

3 9002 01351 3560

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