2020 Map of Hecla NE

About this map

Portage Detroit Ditch defines the low-lying prairie hydrology of this border region where South Dakota meets North Dakota. This 2020 survey illustrates a strictly organized agricultural landscape, partitioned by the Public Land Survey System into townships including t128n r60w, t128n r61w, t129n r59w, and t129n r58w. The terrain is characterized by numerous small seasonal wetlands and depressions typical of the glacial till plains, which are navigated by a rigid grid of section-line roads. The jurisdictional complexity of the area is highlighted by the intersection of three counties — Dickey Co, Sargent Co, and Brown Co — along the state boundary marked by Dickey Co State Line Rd. This map serves as a contemporary record of the drainage patterns and transportation network used to manage this productive borderland.