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1970 Map of Government Wash

Name: 1970 Topographic Map of Government Wash
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1973
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1973

About this map

Strip Mine operations and industrial tailings dominate the northwestern landscape of this Mojave Desert survey, where extraction and recreation exist side by side. The map details the northern reaches of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, tracing the rugged shoreline from Las Vegas Bay to the inlets of Swallow Bay. Above the waterline, the terrain is defined by the steep rises of the Gale Hills and the prominent Black Mesa, while drainage patterns like Gypsum Wash and Government Wash carve paths toward the reservoir.

Transportation through this arid reach is marked by the winding Northshore Road and primitive Jeep Trails, supporting both park visitors and industrial activity. Mapping of underwater contours, compiled from 1963 sedimentation studies, provides a view of the submerged topography beneath the lake's surface. Visible infrastructure such as the Pumping Station and an Aqueduct near the southern boundary highlights the vital water management systems serving the region.