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1966 Map of Joes Valley Reservoir

Name: 1966 Topographic Map of Joes Valley Reservoir
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1968
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1968

About this map

Joes Valley Reservoir dominates the eastern drainage of this high-elevation landscape within the Manti-La Sal National Forest. Surveyed in the mid-1960s, the map documents a transition between technical infrastructure and traditional ranching life, anchored by the Orange Olsen Administrative Site and the nearby Olsen Ranch. The terrain is defined by dramatic elevation changes, notably visible at The Switchbacks and the White Dugway, which provided passage through the complex system of canyons and benches.

Water management for the region is evident in the presence of the Academy Mill Reservoir and Grass Flat Reservoir on the western plateau. These upland water sources, combined with the primary flow of Seely Creek and Lowry Water, supported the seasonal grazing and administrative needs of the area. Significant geological and topographic markers like Wagon Road Ridge and North Horn Mountain frame the high-country basins and flats used by local residents for generations.