Loading map...

1951 Map of Clear Lake Reservoir

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Clear Lake Reservoir
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1952
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1952

About this map

Clear Lake Reservoir dominates this high-desert landscape in Modoc County, serving as a focal point for the Clear Lake National Wildlife Refuge and irrigation infrastructure. The map documents a critical period of water management, noting a spillway elevation of 4477 feet and the position of a Gaging Station along the Lost River. Traces of the region's pioneering history are preserved through the marking of the Emigrant Trail, which skirts the northern edges of the reservoir near Walter Flat.

Remote livestock operations, including McNeil Ranch, Holbrook Ranch, and Chandler Ranch, are scattered across the Modoc National Forest, indicating the grazing economy of the mid-20th century. High points like Double Head Mtn and Carr Butte provide topographical context for the surrounding basins. A network of primitive roads, such as Kowoloski Road and Hartlerode Road, provides insight into the accessibility of this borderland area between California and Oregon.