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2013 Map of German Valley

Name: 2013 Topographic Map of German Valley
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2013
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2013

About this map

German Valley and Ramsey define the rural character of this north-central Iowa landscape, where the flat topography of Kossuth County has been meticulously engineered for agriculture. The map reveals an extensive network of water management features, including Drainage Ditch Number 80 and Drainage Ditch Number 90, which channel water across the prairie. This systematic modification of the land is further evidenced by several named pools, such as Darling Pool, Gabrielson Pool, and Smith Pool, which dot the western edge of the quadrangle.

Running through the southeastern corner, Little Buffalo Cr provides a more natural drainage pattern compared to the straight-line precision of Storks Ditch. The section-line road grid, including 200th Ave and 370th St, organizes the territory into a uniform quilt of farmland typical of the early 21st-century Midwestern grain belt. This map is a record of the persistent effort to drain and cultivate the prairie wetlands of the region.