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1971 Map of Elbow Lake

Name: 1971 Topographic Map of Elbow Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1987
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1987

About this map

The South Llano River carves a winding path through the Edwards County highlands, defining a landscape of deep drainages and isolated plateaus. In the early 1970s, this area remained largely defined by large-scale ranching operations, centered on sites like the Taylor Ranch. The hydrology of the region is notably complex, with a series of small, distinct water bodies including McKenzie Lake, Black Lake, Mud Lake, and the eponymous Elbow Lake clustered near the river's northern bend.

Evidence of modern infrastructure and industrial exploration appears alongside these natural features, from a remote Landing Strip to multiple Drill Holes and an extensive Pipeline network. The terrain is deeply dissected by seasonal watercourses such as McKenzie Draw, Phillips Draw, and Dry Draw, while Dragoo Hollow cuts through the northeast. A small Gravel Pit indicates local resource extraction within this cattle-country environment, which remained sparsely populated and focused on land management decades after its initial settlement.