Paper contour into Digital

[spikes2020]

I currently have PDF files of our contour maps, i converted them in to (poor) DXF's, the quality isn't the best but its better than nothing.

 

Now i am kinda lost, I don't know the "best" way of taking this data making it into a 3d contour map. I am very new to Civil 3d and don't know any of the tools that would probably make this 100 times easier.

 

My first thought is to trace out the lines that i currently have, because when i imported them they were just dotted lines and now are just random dots.

 

Everyone talks about importing contour points from text files and such, is there a way to get good points from google earth?

 

Is there any good FAQs i should read to get me a bit more filmiliar with the tools i would be useing for making contours.

[spikes2020]

Ok i found the National Maps, but when i import the file it looks messed up like something isn't right. i have both geo .TIF and .ADF files, and they both have the same problem. I think i am missing something when i import them, because its just really long lines...

 

the 59033234 is the GEO TIF

the 86381515 is the ADF

86381515.zip

59033234.zip

[rustysilo]

The contours you get from National Maps are not likely as accurate as the ones you already had in the pdf unless the ones on the pdf are from the same source.

 

What was the source of the original pdf contours? USGS, National Maps, survey, etc.?

[BIGAL]

If you have a paper map showing contours then you need to either trace them into lines/plines and change their z elevation. you can do this using move 0,0,0 0,0,newheight.

 

Else if tracing use elev and set to correct elevation before drafting.

 

Inside civ3D just add surface and use definition Autocad objects lines. The more line segments the more looks like original contours.