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1973 Map of Circular Butte 3 SE

Name: 1973 Topographic Map of Circular Butte 3 SE
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1977
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1977

About this map

The Idaho National Engineering Laboratory dominates this high desert landscape, illustrating a critical era of American nuclear research and industrial development. This 1973 survey details the specialized infrastructure required for atomic testing, most notably the SPERT Tanks, which served the Special Power Excursion Reactor Test program. The map reveals the isolation of these facilities, connected by functional transport arteries like Wilson Blvd and Fillmore Blvd.

Beyond the primary testing sites, the presence of the Auxiliary Reactor Area and various Industrial Waste Ponds emphasizes the scale of the facility's operations. The terrain transitions into the natural features of Ryegrass and the Flat, where the straight-line boundary between Butte Co and Bingham Co cuts through the open sagebrush. This documentation provides a clear layout of the lab's footprint before later decommissioning and environmental restoration efforts changed the surface features of the site.