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1974 Map of Imperial NW

Name: 1974 Topographic Map of Imperial NW
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1977
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1977

About this map

Industrial infrastructure and ranching outposts define this 1974 survey of the Permian Basin's arid interior. The landscape is heavily marked by energy extraction, characterized by the sprawling West Sandhills Oil Field and the adjacent Running W Oil Field. A dense network of pipelines, service roads, and numerous drill holes suggests a high level of activity during this mid-1970s era, with operations extending into the Sand Hills Oil Field and Sand Hills South Oil Field to the east.

Water management is critical in this environment, evidenced by named points such as the Ell Long Ranch and several family-named or locational wells including Middle Windmill, R B Windmill, and New Windmill. The presence of an Aqueduct and various pumping stations among shifting sand areas highlights the complex logistics required to support both the oil industry and cattle ranching in Crane County.