Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey 1992 The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) produced its first topographic map in 1879, the same year it was established. Today, more than 100 years and millions of map copies later, topographic mapping is still a central activity for the USGS. The topographic map remains an indispensable tool for government, science, industry, and leisure. application/pdf 10.3133/70039398 en U.S. Geological Survey Topographic mapping reports