Appendix A

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS SUMMARY

The following list of Minimum Requirements is derived from the full text from the Guidelines and Standards for Terrain Mapping in British Columbia (this volume).

• Terrain mappers shall be a P.Geo. or P.Eng. in good standing, qualified and recognized as a specialist in terrain mapping.
• Terrain mappers shall have successfully completed advanced courses in geomorphology, Quaternary geology (or glacial geology) and air photo interpretation.
• Terrain mappers shall have demonstrable experience including supervised work in terrain mapping.
• Polygons shall be delimited according to the degree of similarity or dissimilarity of terrain characteristics.
• Mappers shall not attempt to delimit polygons of uniform size.
• The minimum size of a polygon that can be shown on a terrain map is 1 cm2, regardless of map scale.
• Mappers shall determine minimum polygon size (the polygon size at the scale of the air photos that is equivalent to 1 cm2 on the terrain map) before beginning air photo interpretation.

Three types of polygon boundary lines shall be used:

• solid lines represent well defined, sharp boundaries that can be precisely delimited at the scale of mapping;
• dashed lines represent boundaries that are gradational over a short distance or that can be only approximately located, such as between the toe of a large alluvial fan and the floodplain that it overlies, or where precise boundary locations are masked by forest;
• dotted lines represent assumed boundaries, for example, around many composite units, and boundaries that are gradational over considerable distances.
• Letter symbols representing material type (genesis) and surface expression shall be shown for every terrain polygon, e.g., "Mv".
• A texture symbol shall be added if material texture is known more precisely than indicated by the generalized description of that material in the map legend.
• Symbol(s) for processes shall be shown if the effects of geomorphological processes are apparent, e.g., "Cv-A".
• Most composite units shall have no more than two components, i.e., descriptors for two kinds of terrain, e.g., "Mv/Cv".
• Three-component symbols, e.g., "gFtFf/FGt", shall be used rarely, and in no case shall more than three components be used.
• If the symbol "U" (undifferentiated materials) is used, the specific materials that are present shall be indicated beside "U" in the map legend.
• All terrain maps shall clearly identify the Terrain Survey Intensity Level (TSIL) as estimated by the mapper.
• A percentage estimate of polygons field-checked shall be given on the map.
• An estimate of field checks per 100 ha shall be given on the map.
• Air photo scale shall be the same or slightly larger than the scale of the finished map.
• Air photo scales used in the mapping shall be specified on the map.
• The actual flight lines and numbers shall be illustrated in the index map box.
• Project proponents shall review existing mapping information before defining objectives for any new mapping project.
• Prior to commencing air photo interpretation, the mapper shall thoroughly review previous work on terrain, surficial geology, bedrock geology and soils that has been carried out in both the study area and the broader region.
• Fully labeled terrain polygons and on-site symbols shall be marked on air photos prior to field checking.
• Terrain boundary lines and labels shall match between the edges of adjacent photos in the same flightline and between flightlines.
• Symbols defined by Howes and Kenk (1988) and these guidelines shall be used.
• Observation sites shall be numbered, marked on the air photo and shown on the completed terrain map.
• For each project, data from all observation sites shall be recorded in a standard format on an appropriate form.
• All samples shall be clearly labeled, using a scheme designed at the beginning of the project.
• Sample identification number and required laboratory analyses shall be noted on site description forms.
• When transferring terrain polygon boundary lines from air photos to base map, the use of a stereoplotter
• shall be considered for TSILs A and B.
• If line transfer is not done by the mapper, the mapper shall review carefully the preliminary draft of the terrain map.

Terrain maps shall show:

• polygon boundaries, by solid, dashed and dotted lines, as appropriate; terrain letter symbols; on-site symbols,
• observation sites, with clearly labeled identification numbers,
• sites of any radiocarbon ages obtained during the project.
• Every map shall have a legend attached.
• Every symbol used on the terrain map, including on-site symbols, shall be defined in the legend.
• Large scale terrain maps cannot be produced by enlarging smaller scale maps (e.g. 1:50,000 cannot be used to produce a 1:20,000 map or figure).