2011 Map of Fivemile Coulee West

About this map

The Kevin-Sunburst Oil Fld defines the industrial footprint of this high plains landscape in Toole County, where a rigid grid of section-line roads overlies the natural drainages of the Missouri River watershed. While much of the terrain is shaped by seasonal watercourses like Minnesota Coulee and Elmer Coulee, the human impact on the environment is visible through the infrastructure of The Reservoir Dam and Tomsheck Dam. These water management features, alongside named thoroughfares such as Pederson Rd and Wallewein Rd, suggest a rural economy reliant on both livestock and energy extraction. The map captures a moment in the early 21st century when traditional ranching roads intersected with the technical requirements of the northern Montana oil fields.