Geometric accuracy of topographical objects at Polish topographic maps

The objective of research concerned verifying the accuracy of the location and shape of selected lakes presented on topographical maps from various periods, drawn up on different scales. The area of research covered lakes situated in North-Western Poland on the Międzychód-Sieraków Lakeland. An analysis was performed of vector maps available in both analogue and digital format. The scales of these studies range from 1:50 000 to 1:10 000. The source materials were current for the years 1907 through 2013. The shape and location of lakes have been verified directly by means of field measurements performed using the GPS technology with an accuracy class of RTK. An analysis was performed of the location and shape of five lakes. The analysed water regions were vectorised, and their vector images were used to determine quantitative features: the area and length of the shoreline. Information concerning the analysed lakes obtained from the maps was verified on the basis of direct field measurements performed using a GPS RTK receiver. Use was made of georeferential corrections provided by the NAVGEO service or a virtual reference station generated by the ASG EUPOS system. A compilation of cartographic and field data formed the basis for a comparison of the actual area and the length of the shoreline of the studied lakes. Cartographic analyses made it possible to single out the most reliable cartographic sources, which could be used for the purposes of hydrographical analyses. The course of shorelines shows the attached map.