2011 Map of Lake Seventeen West

About this map

Lake Seventeen anchors the high plains of Blaine County in this survey of a landscape defined by seasonal drainages and cattle country. The hydrology of the region is centered on Mitchell Dam and a series of winding coulees, including Jacks Coulee and Tin Cup Coulee, which channel water toward the larger Rattlesnake Creek. These intermittent streams dictate the movement of roads like Barney Olson Rd, which skirts the northern section-lines. To the south, the topography rises toward Timber Ridge, a prominent landform that provides a vantage over the network of tributaries such as Suction Creek and Little Suction Creek. The map documents a period of modern ranching infrastructure where named roads and water management features represent the primary human imprint on the northern Montana prairie.