1972 Map of Bailey Lake

About this map

The Red Lake Indian Reservation dominates this 1970s orthophotomap, showing a complex aquatic landscape in Clearwater County. Unlike traditional topographic sheets, this aerial-based survey provides a visual record of the wetlands and forests, where the Red Lake River meanders through a labyrinth of islands and channels. The terrain includes a concentration of lakes in the north, including Bailey Lake, Smith Lake, and Roosevelt Lake, which define the upper drainage patterns. Near the southern boundary of the reservation, evidence of land use appears at the Rice Field and a series of Gravel Pits. The presence of the Hangaard township area in the southwest corner provides a transition from the wild river bottoms to more structured surveying lines. This map is particularly valuable for its depiction of the shifting water levels and vegetation within the reservation during the early 1970s.