America the beautiful was just given a cartographic makeover by Imgur user Fejetlenfej. The map depicts US river basins in different colors. It gives the United States the appearance of having veins. The results were stunning.
Fejetlenfej is also known as Robert Szucs. Szucs is a geographer and GIS analyst. He created the map using open source QGIS software. Szucs used the Strahler stream classification, where bigger streams and rivers are indicated with bolder lines. He used a rainbow of different colors to indicate different river basins.
Each network of rivers and streams is depicted with a different color. The most remarkable being the Mississippi river network in pink, the next being the Colorado river network in yellow.
The images shed a new light on the majestic beauty of the United States. It is interesting to see the expansive reach of these river basins. It gives heart and life to the network of rivers and streams.
“A river is water in its loveliest form; rivers have life and sound and movement and infinity of variation, rivers are veins of the earth through which the lifeblood returns to the heart” –Roderick Haig-Brown
High resolution prints are available for purchase on Etsy in the GrasshopperGeography shop. Szucs states on his Etsy shop profile that he has “a lifelong passion for beautiful maps.” A print this amazing will likely make a great gift idea for teachers and geography enthusiasts alike.
What do you think of these maps? Comment with your thoughts.
Krissie Schmidt is a dreamer of dreams, freelance writer, and mother of three. When she's not busy saving the world from the monsters in closets or washing sippy cups, Krissie can be found questioning her choice of preset workouts while on her elliptical, cooking delicious southern fare, and unintentionally creating crafting fails. Krissie is passionate about writing and aspires to be a successful novelist.