1985 Map of Big Bend Dam

About this map

Lake Sharpe dominates this mid-1980s landscape, formed by the massive engineering of the Big Bend Dam. This stretch of the Missouri River is defined by complex political and historical boundaries, including the Crow Creek Indian Reservation Boundary, the Lower Brule Indian Reservation Boundary, and several remnants of an Old Indian Treaty Boundary. The map highlights a significant transition in land use, where large-scale water management projects meet the rural prairie settlements of Stephan and Fort Thompson. Numerous recreation and production areas, such as the West Bend Recreation Area and National Waterfowl Production Area, line the shores of the Missouri and Lake Francis Case. Inland, the terrain is carved by intricate creek systems like Medicine Knoll Creek and Wolf Creek, supporting small communities like the Miller Dale Colony.