Reading Topographical maps of LI - need help (Huntington, Smithtown: house, home inspection)

[Glad2BHere]

Does anyone know how to interpret a topographical map of LI towns? I am totally confused as to what I am looking at and want to learn.

Thanks

[alexei27]

PM me with your questions. Basically a topo map will show (or attempt to) the 3D terrain on a 2D surface. It can be a little tricky until you get the hang of it.

[clamboy]

Originally Posted by Glad2BHere

Does anyone know how to interpret a topographical map of LI towns? I am totally confused as to what I am looking at and want to learn.

Thanks

Google Cancer Maps LI

Huntington Breast Cancer Action Coalition (http://www.hbcac.org/mapping.html - broken link)
Coram/Mt. Sinai/Port Jefferson Station Breast Cancer Follow-up Investigation


Thats what really matters.

C

[Glad2BHere]

Originally Posted by clamboy

Google Cancer Maps LI

Huntington Breast Cancer Action Coalition (http://www.hbcac.org/mapping.html - broken link)
Coram/Mt. Sinai/Port Jefferson Station Breast Cancer Follow-up Investigation


Thats what really matters.

C

There are a lot of other things that matter too. For the people of Lake Grove who live by the lake and are getting flooded, it matters.

I am not looking in any of those areas but appreciate the link anyway.

[Glad2BHere]

Originally Posted by alexei27

PM me with your questions. Basically a topo map will show (or attempt to) the 3D terrain on a 2D surface. It can be a little tricky until you get the hang of it.

Anyway you can post a map and explain which area is elevated vs low lying?

How would you intepret this map then?

TopoZone - Lake Grove, USGS Patchogue (NY) Topo Map

[BovinaCowHateWindTurbines]

Get a copy of Google earth and you can zoom around see the terrain in 3D and elevations - But LI is flat and low lying on the south shore and hilly on the North shore?

[Glad2BHere]

Originally Posted by BovinaCowHateWindTurbines

Get a copy of Google earth and you can zoom around see the terrain in 3D and elevations - But LI is flat and low lying on the south shore and hilly on the North shore?

Yes but there are low lying areas within towns on LI. That is what I want to see.

[BovinaCowHateWindTurbines]

Still think Google earth would let you see elevations that are at or below sea level

[Glad2BHere]

Originally Posted by BovinaCowHateWindTurbines

Still think Google earth would let you see elevations that are at or below sea level

Ok now what is sea level? Is that what it is all based on, sea level? I am very new to all of this.

[BlueSkyHoliday]

We noticed those recent articles in the online 'Newsday' (about areas that flood) also, and made notes about which areas were mentioned so that we will know not to look there: Lake Ronkonkoma, Nesconset, Smithtown near Mills Pond. There is a discussion page with posts from people who are currently dealing with the problem here:
Lake Ronkonkoma residents talk flooding - - Topix

I read somewhere else (but forgot to note the link) that there are also underground streams in another section of Smithtown that regularly cause basement flooding problems for the homeowners. The section is called either The Ranches or The Branches, I believe.

Underground streams can be a real problem, as friends of ours who once unwittingly bought a house very near one of them found out. This was in the days before pre-sale home inspections were common. Underground streams don't show on any publicly available maps that I know of, but our friends learned that any area within a couple of miles of a large river is likely also to have underground streams. Whether they affect any particular house depends on the lot topography and soil conditions.