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1967 Map of Lake De Smet West

Name: 1967 Topographic Map of Lake De Smet West
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1978
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1978

About this map

Lake De Smet dominates the eastern edge of this Wyoming landscape, where the high plains meet the intricate drainage systems of Johnson County. In the late 1960s, this area was defined by a sophisticated network of irrigation infrastructure, including the long Lake De Smet Canal and a collection of family-named water projects such as Ritchey Ditch, Kempton Ditch, and the uniquely named Fox Lily Pride of the Valley Ditch.

Evidence of early frontier education and commemoration appears at the Shell Creek Sch and the Father De Smet Historical Mon, situated near the shoreline. The terrain transitions from the open water and reservoirs like Shell Creek Reservoir to the more varied topography of Mowry Basin. This survey, updated with late-1970s aerial data, captures the intersection of traditional ranching geography and the managed water systems essential to life in the basin.