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1985 Map of Crescent Lake

Name: 1985 Topographic Map of Crescent Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1986
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1986

About this map

Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge dominates the central landscape of this 1980s Garden County survey, revealing a complex network of wetlands and shallow basins characteristic of the Nebraska Sandhills. This environment is defined by an intricate cluster of water bodies including Blue Lake, Island Lake, and Hackberry Lake, alongside smaller features like the Flowing Well. The hydrography here is distinct, with numerous named lakes such as Smith Lake, Rush Lake, and Crescent Lake providing critical habitat in an otherwise arid-appearing terrain.

Human settlement and transport are concentrated in the southern corridor along the North Platte River. Here, the Union Pacific railroad serves the communities of Broadwater and Lisco, while the Beeline Canal highlights the region's reliance on water management for agriculture. The map also captures the transition from the river valley to the rolling uplands, marked by landmarks like Cowboy Hill and the vast Dogtown Flats, illustrating the intersection of natural conservation areas and the rail-driven ranching economy of the mid-twentieth century.