<P> These maps depict in detail ground relief (landforms and terrain), drainage (lakes and rivers), forest cover, administrative areas, populated areas, transportation routes and facilities (including roads and railways), and other man - made features . </P> <P> Other authors define topographic maps by contrasting them with another type of map; they are distinguished from smaller - scale "chorographic maps" that cover large regions, "planimetric maps" that do not show elevations, and "thematic maps" that focus on specific topics . </P> <P> However, in the vernacular and day to day world, the representation of relief (contours) is popularly held to define the genre, such that even small - scale maps showing relief are commonly (and erroneously, in the technical sense) called "topographic". </P> <P> The study or discipline of topography is a much broader field of study, which takes into account all natural and man - made features of terrain . </P>

How does the department of water affairs use topographic maps in their operations