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2020 Map of Chain Buttes

Name: 2020 Topographic Map of Chain Buttes
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2020
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2020

About this map

Fort Peck Lake dominates the northern portion of this landscape, its expansive waters following the winding course of the Missouri River valley. The boundary between Phillips Co and Petroleum Co cuts directly through these waters, marking a jurisdictional divide in this remote central Montana terrain. To the south, the land rises into the distinctive formation of the Chain Buttes, which serve as a high point between various drainage systems.

Erosion has carved numerous steep-sided ravines or coulees into the earth, including Garden Coulee, Carpenter Coulee, and Dam Coulee. Water management in this arid environment is evidenced by the Headman Field Reservoir in the southern reaches. Seasonal waterways like Soda Cr and Beauchamp Cr further define the intricate topography, showing how the local drainage patterns have shaped the ranching and petroleum lands of the Missouri River breaks.