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1971 Map of Alkali Lake

Name: 1971 Topographic Map of Alkali Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1975
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1975

About this map

Springdale Colony sits on the eastern edge of this landscape, marking a localized pocket of settlement near the Alkali Lake basin. To the west, the terrain rises sharply into the timbered slopes of the Helena National Forest, where a complex network of drainage systems such as Woods Gulch and the North Fork Cooks Creek carve through the high country. This 1971 field-checked survey reveals the transition from the open lake-dotted flats of the Smith River valley into the protected forest lands of Meagher Co and Broadwater Co.

Researchers will find a landscape defined by water sources and elevation, from the isolated Cem near the colony to the high point of Windy Ridge in the southwest. A prominent Jeep Trail provides the primary access through the steep drainages of Deep Creek, reflecting a region primarily used for ranching and forest management. The presence of several named springs and small reservoirs like Jackson Lake underscores the importance of water management in this arid mountain environment.