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2017 Map of Mackay Reservoir

Name: 2017 Topographic Map of Mackay Reservoir
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2017
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2017

About this map

Mackay Reservoir dominates the central valley of this 2017 survey, a critical water management feature for the agricultural lands of the Big Lost River Valley. The town of Mackay serves as the local hub, situated where the valley floor meets the high peaks of the Challis National Forest. The landscape is a study in western water rights and mining history, evidenced by the irrigation network of Sharp Ditch and Swauger Slough alongside industrial remnants like the Cossack Tunnel.

Topographical diversity is extreme, moving from the flat alluvial basin of Cedar Creek Bar to the high elevations of Mackay Peak and White Knob. For the local historian, the map preserves the location of Battleground Cem near the reservoir's northern edge and the aviation landmark of Linda's Roost Airport. Canyons and gulches such as Black Daisy Canyon and Bullion Gulch score the mountain slopes, indicating the complex drainage system feeding the Big Lost River.