2013 Map of Lake Hanska West

About this map

Hanska Lake and the winding course of the Little Cottonwood River anchor this rural Brown County landscape, illustrating a region defined by its hydrology and agriculture. The northern portion of the map is dominated by the Cottonwood River valley, where the Sleepy Eye Municipal Airport sits near the small community of Iberia. This 2013 survey highlights the intricate drainage network essential to local farming, including County Ditch Number Eleven, which cuts across the prairie towards the Stark settlement. The map reveals how the modern road system, led by MN-4, follows the section lines of the original land surveys, connecting scattered homesteads and water bodies like Gilman Lake and Zanders Lake. The interplay between the natural river bends and the straight-line drainage ditches provides a clear picture of how water management has shaped this Minnesota terrain.