Elevation

Elevation is the height of land above sea level. Elevation is shown on maps in a variety of ways including contour lines, spot elevations, hillshaded relief, color hillshaded relief and colored areas.

Use elevation information to:

  • Evaluate whether flooding or storm surge will affect your property.
  • Look for closed basins where water can accumulate during heavy rains.
  • Evaluate the flow of water over land.
  • Determine the slope of the land.

Five Foot Contours

Description
The elevation contours show lines of equal elevation in 5 foot increments.
Usable Map Scale Range
1:6,000 to 1:100,000
Data Source
Elevation 5 Foot Contours
Map Samples

Elevation Contours Florida Map as shown in MapWise online mapping tool.

Elevation 5-Meter DEM

Description
The 5-meter DEM layer shows elevation using a grayscale color ramp - where lowest is black and highest is white. The coastal version limits the elevation range is 0 to 40 feet to highlight low-lying coastal features. If you click on the map with the "i-tool" enabled, it will show the elevation in feet where you clicked on the map when this layer is visible.
Usable Map Scale Range
1:10,000 to 1:100,000
Data Source
Digital Elevation Model (DEM) - 5m
Map Samples

5-meter DEM mapping layer shows elevation using a grayscale color ramp  in Florida.

Digital elevation model sample in Miami-Dade.

Hillshaded Elevation

Description
Hillshaded relief blends a gradation of colors with hillshading to represent elevation values. For example, green is low and red is high.
Usable Map Scale Range
1:10,000 to 1:100,000
Data Source
Digital Elevation Model (DEM) Hillshaded - 10m
Map Samples

Hillshaded relief adds a 3-d relief effect to represent elevation values.

Color Hillshaded Elevation

Description
Color hillshaded relief blends a gradation of colors with hillshading to represent elevation values. For example, green is low and red is high.
Usable Map Scale Range
1:50,000 to 1:4,000,000
Data Source
Digital Elevation Model (DEM) Color Hillshaded - 30m
Map Samples

Color hillshaded relief blends a gradation of colors with hillshading to represent elevation values.

How to Access Elevation Map Layers

Use the MapWise GIS Map Viewer to explore elevation maps and related information.