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2017 Map of Council Island

Name: 2017 Topographic Map of Council Island
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2017
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2017

About this map

The Missouri River winds through a complex borderland where Chouteau, Fergus, and Blaine Counties meet, defined by its historic river crossings and navigational hazards. This section of the river is marked by significant landmarks like Council Island and the Holmes Council Islands, alongside challenging stretches of water such as Holmes Rapids and McKeever Rapids. The landscape is a mix of high river benches and deep drainage coulees, including Ragland Bench and Seventy Nine Coulee, which descend toward the river valley.

Transportation infrastructure is vital in this sparsely populated region, anchored by the Winifred Bridge and Anderson Bridge. These crossings connect the plateau features like Whiskey Ridge and Chase Hill to established local operations like the P N Ranch. The presence of the Iron City Islands and various named coulees suggests a landscape shaped by both the river's power and the requirements of remote ranching and grazing. This map reveals the enduring character of the Upper Missouri as it was managed and documented in the early twenty-first century.