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2012 Map of Downey Lakes

Name: 2012 Topographic Map of Downey Lakes
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2012
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2012

About this map

Spring Creek Ranch serves as a central landmark in this high-plains landscape of southern Albany County, where water management defines the pattern of land use. The topography is shaped by an intricate system of irrigation and storage, including the Davis Brothers Ditch Number 1 and Lone Tree Ditch, which feed into Lone Tree Reservoir Number 1 and its companion reservoir. These features, along with Rice Reservoir and Trapper Spring Reservoir, illustrate the critical importance of water rights and engineering for ranching in this environment.

Prominent natural landmarks such as Steamboat Rock and the nearby Steamboat Lake rise above the drainages of Shell Cr and Spring Cr. The area is accessible via secondary routes like Bull Mountain Rd and Sand Creek Rd, which navigate the terrain between the Downey Lakes and the various creek beds that feed into the larger watershed. This map provides a clear look at the spatial relationship between named natural features and the man-made infrastructure required to sustain the regional cattle industry.