Maps

The Czech Geological Survey is the only institution in the Czech Republic with statutory responsibility for the comprehensive geological mapping of the territory of the state. This mapping involves the compilation of geological and thematic maps at various scales together with the collection, assessment, and provision of access to data and material documentation.

Small scale geological maps
Geological mapping has been one of the fundamental tasks of the Czech Geological Survey since its foundation. By the early 1960’s, Czechoslovakia was the first country in the world to be completely covered by geological maps at a scale of 1 : 200,000 (Svoboda et al.). Extensive legends or explanatory texts accompanying these maps have been published, too, where basic knowledge in regional geology of the Czech Republic can be found. Last but not least, an atlas of synoptic maps at a scale of 1:000,000 and maps at 1 : 500,000 have been edited and printed.

Geological and thematic maps at a scale of 1 : 50,000

However, the Czech Republic has reached another priority worldwide – in a coverage with more detailed geological maps. As the first institute in the world, the Czech Geological Survey has finished a series of geological and thematic maps at a scale of 1 : 50,000 reflecting the whole territory of the Czech Republic (Cícha et al.). This series, the publication of which was completed by the end of the 1990s, consists of 1651 maps, representing the following fields:

• geological maps
• hydrogeological maps
• maps of geophysical indication and interpretation
• maps of mineral resources
• maps of engineering-geological regional planning
• maps of geochemical mineral and rock reactivity
• maps of soils and soil structure
• maps of ground-water chemistry
• maps of environmental geofactors

Some of the map sheets have been published together with explanatory texts. The geological maps at a scale of 1 : 50,000, accompanied with vectors, unified with the legend and finally completed together, form the GeoCR500 (GIS) information level.

General geological maps at a scale of 1 : 25,000

After the completing of the 1 : 50,000 scale map series, a detailed, 1 : 25,000 scale geological mapping could have been resumed. On the basis of demands of state and local authorities, the mapping focused preferentially on selected territories of higher environmental protection or plan-development areas. Since the year 1997, more than 80 maps have been created, such as maps of the Bohemian Forest (Šumava) and Giant Mts (Krkonoše) National Parks, Protected Landscape Areas of the Žďár Hills (Žďárské vrchy) and Jeseníky Mts, the regions of Křivoklát and Plzeň, the Labe valley, the Doupov Mts (Doupovské hory), the Maleník and the Odra valley, and the Vsetín region. Some of those maps have been published together with relevant explanatory texts.

Digitized geological maps at a scale of 1 : 25,000 form the GeoCR 25 geoscientific level, thus representing the basis of the National Geological Map Database of the Czech Republic, which is being created nowadays.

Specialized maps on CD-ROM and DVD (GEOCR 500, Radon Risk, Interactive Geological Maps 1 : 25,000)

Maps from the foreign projects