2020 Map of Meade River C-1 NE

About this map

The low-lying Arctic tundra of the North Slope is defined by a complex mosaic of thaw lakes and wetlands, where the distinction between land and water is often fluid. This modern topographic study focuses on a largely uninhabited expanse divided by the Public Land Survey System boundaries of T16n R17w, T16n R16w, T15n R17w, and T15n R16w. The landscape is a classic example of permafrost-driven geomorphology, characterized by oriented lakes and thermokarst basins that have shaped the region for millennia. With no roads or permanent settlements recorded, the map serves as a precise baseline for the hydrological state of the Alaskan coastal plain as it appeared in the early 21st century. It provides a detailed look at the intricate network of water bodies and the subtle elevation changes that dictate the flow of the northern watershed toward the Arctic Ocean.