1953 Map of Julesburg Reservoir

About this map

The Julesburg Reservoir dominates the eastern high plains of Logan County in this 1953 survey, illustrating the complex irrigation infrastructure vital to Colorado agriculture. Fed by Cottonwood Creek and a network of diversions including the Highline Canal, the reservoir serves as a central hub for water management in an otherwise arid landscape. To the south, the South Platte River valley defines the local economy, where the Union Pacific railroad parallels the river through the small settlement of Red Lion. The map reveals a transition from the elevated plains of Flat Top and Round Top down to the fertile river bottoms. Local history and land use are etched into the map through features like the Lakeside School and several defunct waterworks, such as the Sprague Brothers Ditch (Aban'd), showing the shifting patterns of settlement and irrigation over time.