1973 Map of Dry Creek Basin

About this map

Shavano Valley and the expansive Dry Creek drainage dominate this 1970s landscape on the Uncompahgre Plateau. The western portion of the map is defined by the high-elevation basin where the West Fork Dry Creek and East Fork Dry Creek converge, a region marked by numerous Jeep Trails and historic routes like the Transfer Road. The mapping reveals a complex water management system crucial to the region's agricultural viability, featuring the West Canal and the Dry Creek Ditch. To the southwest, the Olathe Reservoir No 1 and Olathe Reservoir No 2 serve as localized water storage points in this arid terrain. These features illustrate the infrastructure required to support high-desert ranching and farming in the shadow of the Basin rim. Landform names like Temple Park and family-named watercourses like Cushman Creek provide specific landmarks for researchers tracing the historical footprint of land use in Montrose County.