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1962 Map of Big Hill Bayou

Name: 1962 Topographic Map of Big Hill Bayou
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1971
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1971

About this map

The coastal wetlands of Jefferson County are defined by an intricate network of marshes and water management systems in this 1962 photogrammetric revision. Dominating the eastern portion of the map is the Big Hill Bayou Wildlife Management Area, where the massive Big Hill Reservoir is sectioned off from the surrounding tidal flats. The landscape is a mosaic of slow-moving sloughs and named landmarks like Gum Island and Hog Island, rising slightly above the surrounding Willow Slough Marsh.

The industrial character of the Gulf Coast is evidenced by the prominent path of the Intracoastal Waterway cutting through the southern reach, facilitating traffic near Shell Lake. This area serves as a critical hydrologic junction where Taylor Bayou and Big Hill Bayou meet a complex of pumping stations and pipelines. These features reflect the mid-century transition toward large-scale water control and petroleum infrastructure in the Texas coastal prairie.