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1972 Map of Cottonwood Reservoir

Name: 1972 Topographic Map of Cottonwood Reservoir
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1975
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1975

About this map

The Shields River valley in Park County defines this western landscape, where a sophisticated network of irrigation infrastructure supports the regional ranching economy. Water management is the primary human imprint on the terrain, anchored by the Cottonwood Reservoir and its associated Spillway 5100. A complex system of diversions including the Big Canal and the Shields Myers Ditch moves water across the flats toward the Flathead settlement area.

Rising to the east, the Kavanaugh Hills overlook a series of drainages such as Potter Creek and Cottonwood Creek that feed into the main river channel. The presence of the Wilsall Airport and various Jeep Trails indicates the region's mid-century reliance on both aviation and rugged road networks for connecting remote ranching operations to the wider state. This survey captures a moment when the natural hydrology of the Shields basin was fully integrated with early 1970s agricultural engineering.