Loading map...

1986 Map of Big Lake

Name: 1986 Topographic Map of Big Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1993
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1993

About this map

The Big Lake Oil Field and the surrounding Permian Basin energy landscape dominate this mid-1980s mid-scale study of West Texas. The map illustrates the industrial footprint of petroleum extraction, with extensive networks of access roads and pipelines serving the Stiles Oil Field, Benedum Oil Field, and Ketchum Mountain Oil Field. This resource-driven economy is tied together by the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad, which parallels Highway 67 through a string of settlements including Texon, Santa Rita, and Best.

Beyond the oil fields, the terrain is defined by a complex system of drainage draws, such as Rankin Draw and South Mustang Draw, which feed toward the Middle Concho River and Spring Creek. While much of the region is characterized by flat plains, the southwestern corner reveals more varied topography near Round Mountain and the breaks of Crockett County. The namesake Big Lake serves as a central landmark for the county seat and the nearby Big Lake Airport.