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1984 Map of Howard Pass D-1

Name: 1984 Topographic Map of Howard Pass D-1
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1984
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1984

About this map

The Colville River and its major tributaries dominate this 1980s landscape within the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska. This portion of the North Slope reflects a complex drainage system where the Ipnavik River and Etivluk River converge toward the larger Colville basin. The map reveals the intricate braided patterns and oxbow lakes characteristic of the Arctic coastal plain's southern reaches, including the Smith Mountain Lakes and the winding course of the East Fork.

Surface features like Thunder rise above the surrounding wetlands and smaller drainages like Medial Creek. This survey, based on photogrammetric methods from the mid-1970s, captures a remote wilderness defined entirely by its hydrology and terrain, absent of any permanent roads or human settlements. It serves as a vital record of the North Slope's natural topography during a period of significant interest in the region's petroleum potential.