1955 Map of Meade River A-1

About this map

The Topagoruk River and Usuktuk River wind through an intricate landscape of Arctic thermokarst lakes in this mid-1950s survey of Naval Petroleum Reserve No. 4. This area is characterized by a high density of water bodies, including the prominent Paddle Lake and Citellus Lake, which are interspersed with low-lying terrain markers such as Ray, Rod, and Kim. The presence of a Tractor Trail cutting through the western and southern sectors indicates the early methods of overland transport used for exploration and logistics in this remote northern environment. Located within the North Slope, the map illustrates a transition point between meandering river systems and the vast network of thaw lakes that dominate the coastal plain. A single landmark elevation at Butte in the southeast provides one of the few named topographic relief points in this otherwise saturated drainage basin.