2013 Map of Graettinger East

About this map

Des Moines River meanders through the heart of Palo Alto County, defining the agricultural landscape between the northern edge of Emmetsburg and the town of Graettinger. This 2013 survey illustrates the highly organized section-line road network that serves the surrounding prairie, with small rural nodes like Osgood and Black Walnut situated along the river valley. The eastern portion of the map is dominated by the Five Island Lake State Game Management Area, a significant conservation tract that preserves the natural hydrology of the region's glacial lake systems. Human modifications to the landscape are evident in the precise path of Ditch Number 132 and the winding course of Jack Cr, showing the ongoing balance between the area's rich water resources and its intensive agricultural production.