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1916 Map of Babel Slough

Name: 1916 Topographic Map of Babel Slough
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1916
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1916

About this map

The Sacramento River carves a winding path through this 1906 survey of the Sacramento Valley, defining the border between Sacramento and Yolo counties. This river-centric landscape reveals an era of intense reclamation and water management, evidenced by the expansive Yolo Basin and a network of drainage infrastructure like the Oakland Antioch and Eastern Canal and Pacific Drainage Canal. Small riverside settlements including Clarksburg, Freeport, and Lisbon serve as focal points for local commerce and transport.

Agricultural development on Merritt Island is protected by a complex system of sloughs, including Babel Slough and Elkhorn Slough. Notable landmarks of the early 20th-century river economy appear throughout, from the Free County Ferry crossing to the numerous river piers like Pier 16 and Pier 18. A solitary Indian Mound near Big Lake offers a glimpse into the deeper history of the delta landscape prior to modern levee and canal construction.