2017 Map of Coal Springs NW

About this map

The northern plains of Perkins County are defined here by a network of drainage basins that feed the region's ranching and grassland ecology. Thunder Butte Cr winds through the southern reaches of the quadrangle, while Big Meadow Cr and Duncan Cr traverse the central and northern sections, illustrating the natural watercourses that dictated the patterns of early homesteading. The landscape is organized by the Public Land Survey System, with township boundaries like t17n r15e and t18n r16e providing the structural grid for land ownership. Rolling Hills Rd serves as a primary east-west artery through this open country, connecting the isolated sections of the Great Plains. This 2017 survey by the U.S. Geological Survey captures the enduring rural character of South Dakota's interior, where the terrain remains largely shaped by these namesake creeks and section lines.