Generating elevation points from contours

Elevation points are often used to represent the highest and lowest points within a contour line. With the Create Elevation Point From Contour tool, you can generate elevation points that represent the highest point or lowest point on a contour or both. The point features are created in the specified point layer. The height values are generated based on the elevation values from an underlying digital elevation model (DEM).

When you choose to create both the highest and lowest points on the contour, two point features are created at the highest and lowest points in the contour, respectively.

The layer you choose as the spot elevation point layer must contain a field for storing the elevation value. By default, this field is set to be the ZV2 field. You can use the Contour Field Name Options tool to change the elevation field name.

Steps:

1. Start ArcMap.
2. Load an elevation point layer and contours in the map.
3. On the main menu, click Customize > Toolbars > Production Editing.
4. On the main menu, click Customize > Toolbars > Production Contouring.
5. Click the Production Start Editing button on the Production Editing toolbar.
   Note:

   The Manage Features and Create Attributes, Update Attributes, or Metadata Attributes windows automatically appear when you start an edit session using the Production Start Editing tool.

   Tip:

   If the Create Attributes, Update Attributes, or Metadata Attributes window does not appear when you start an edit session, click the Show/Hide Attributes button on the Manage Features window.

6. Click the Create tab on the Manage Features window.
7. Choose the template for the elevation points.

   This is typically named ElevP.

   Tip:

   The point layer must contain a ZV2 or other elevation attribute, which can be viewed in the attribute table in the Create Attributes window.

8. Select the contour for which you want to generate elevation points.
9. Click the Create Elevation Point From Contour button on the Production Contouring toolbar.

   The Create Elevation Point from Contour dialog box appears with the Generate Highest Elevation Point check box checked.

   When the Generate Highest Elevation Point check box is checked, a point is created that represents the highest point on the selected contour; this is the default.
10. If necessary, check the Generate Lowest Elevation Point check box.

    When the Generate Lowest Elevation Point check box is checked, a point is created that represents the lowest point on the contour.

11. Click Apply.

    The new point(s) are created and selected in the map.

12. Click Cancel.

Tip:

You must have contours with regular intervals for this tool to work properly.