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2022 Map of Lake John

Name: 2022 Topographic Map of Lake John
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2022
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2022

About this map

Lake John and the surrounding high-altitude basin define this Jackson County landscape, where complex water management systems have supported ranching for generations. The map reveals an intricate network of irrigation channels, such as the Bighorn Cattle Company Ditch and the Hanson and Wattenberg Ditch, which divert water across the plains to support local livestock operations. These man-made features intersect with natural drainage patterns like Lake Cr and the winding N Fork N Platte River.

South of the water, the elevation rises sharply toward Sheep Mtn, while the valley floor is dotted with reservoirs and smaller pools like Alkali Lake and Brands Reservoir. For researchers of Colorado’s water history, the naming of these ditches—including the Legal Tender Ditch and Barber Ditch—provides a direct link to the early land claims and agricultural families that established the region’s hydraulic infrastructure.