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1960 Map of Antelope Reservoir

Name: 1960 Topographic Map of Antelope Reservoir
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1978
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1978

About this map

Pierce Oil Field dominates the southwestern corner of this Weld County landscape, revealing the industrial footprint of petroleum extraction in the mid-20th century. The area is defined by an extensive network of water management infrastructure essential for High Plains agriculture, including the Lone Tree Ditch and several lateral systems like the Pierce Lateral and Burger-Gault Lateral. These man-made channels feed significant local catchments such as Antelope Reservoir and the Rowe Brothers Reservoir, illustrating how the arid terrain was modified to support farming.

Transportation and natural drainage follow the contours of the land, with the Union Pacific railroad corridor running parallel to Pierce Spring Creek. To the north, the terrain becomes more dissected as Little Owl Creek, Robinson Creek, and Owl Creek carve through the plains. The presence of numerous Gravel Pits and named springs like Boyd Springs further highlights the local reliance on both surface and subsurface resources during this era of Colorado's development.