2011 Map of Hawk Coulee

About this map

Cherry Creek and its tributary, East Fork Cherry Creek, define the drainage patterns of this Valley County landscape. The distribution of small-scale water management projects, including Hawk-Eye Dam, Big Deal Dam, and Nyquist Number 1 Dam, suggests a ranching or agricultural environment reliant on seasonal water catchment. The terrain is marked by numerous erosional features such as School Section Coulee and Foss Coulee, which cut through the northern plains. A network of rural roads, including Mc Vee Rd and Johnson Rd, follows the section lines of the Public Land Survey System, providing access to remote tracts. This early 21st-century survey documents the persistent rural character of the area, where geographical identity is tied to family-named landmarks like Allie Dam and the namesake Hawk Coulee.