Different methods of contouring are as follows-

Tacheometric method of contouring:

•  This method is used for angular surveying.

•  This method is best suited for hilly terrains as the number of stations that can be commanded by a tacheometer is far more than those by a level and thus the number of instrument settings is considerably reduced.

Direct Method:

•  The reduced level of different selected points is located and joined to form a contour.

•  This method is accurate but very tedious and slow.

Square method or grid method:

•  In this method, we draw a grid point on the ground and measure the reduced level of all these points.

•  It is generally used in plain terrain.