1973 Map of Gibson Coulee

About this map

Chittick Spring and Andy Spring anchor a high desert landscape in Valley County, mapped during the early 1970s for the Missouri River Basin development program. This map reveals a complex network of ephemeral drainages and named coulees, such as Gibson Coulee and Taylor Coulee, which define the local drainage patterns. The territory is marked by numerous family-named and descriptive water sources, including Half Moon Spring, Haney Spring, and Wagner Spring, illustrating the vital importance of dependable water points in this arid region. The drainage systems of Square Creek and Sutherland Creek wind through the terrain, while the southern portion of the sheet is dominated by the course of Plum Creek and its tributary, Carpenter Spr Creek. These features collectively document the hydrologic character of the eastern Montana plains before modern modifications.