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1984 Map of Emerick Bench

Name: 1984 Topographic Map of Emerick Bench
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1984
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1984

About this map

Emerick Bench and its surrounding plateau define this landscape in Phillips County, recorded during the late 1970s. The terrain is deeply incised by a network of drainage channels, primarily coulees that feed toward larger water systems. To the north, Black Coulee and Island Coulee mark the upper reaches of the sheet, while Haystack Butte provides a prominent vertical landmark in the northeastern corner.

Water management and natural drainage patterns are central to the area's layout, evidenced by the Blue Stem Reservoir and the winding course of Cottonwood Creek. The intricate series of labeled coulees, including Coburg, Lemere, and Alkali, trace the complex erosion patterns common to this part of the Montana plains. This 1984 provisional map captures the region's topography before modern digital updates, showing the relationship between these seasonal watercourses and the broad, flat stretches of the benchland.