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2011 Map of Donleys Reservoir

Name: 2011 Topographic Map of Donleys Reservoir
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2011
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2011

About this map

Big Porcupine Creek meanders through this portion of Rosebud County, defining a landscape shaped by water management and drainage. The area is characterized by an extensive network of small-scale dams and reservoirs, which highlight the efforts of local landowners to harness seasonal runoff in a semi-arid environment. Named features such as the T L Johnson Number 5 Dam, French Number 10 Dam, and Erickson Number 3 Dam suggest a history of family-owned ranching or agricultural operations that relied on these catchments.

The terrain is further defined by several prominent coulees, including Larson Coulee and Machine Coulee, which channel water toward larger arteries like Longfork Creek and Living Ash Creek. At the center of this hydrographic system is Donleys Reservoir, held by the Donleys Reservoir Dam. In the southern reaches, Horse Creek cuts across the plains, completing a picture of a rural Montana landscape where every drainage and dam was vital to the local economy.