2013 Map of Hayfield

About this map

Hayfield and Hawley anchor this agricultural landscape in Hancock County, where a strictly organized grid of rural roads defines the movement across the prairie. The survey reveals how the local hydrology has been managed to support modern farming, most notably through the channelization of the W Br Iowa River and the E Br Iowa River. The southern portion of the quadrangle is dominated by the natural basin of Eagle Lake, which stands in contrast to the engineered geometry of Drainage Ditch Number 129. To the northeast, the Forest City Municipal Airport marks a point of modern infrastructure near the settlement of Madison. This 2013 record is essential for understanding the contemporary intersection of Iowa's natural waterways and the relentless expansion of the township-and-range road system.