1974 Map of Middle Draw Reservoir

About this map

Middle Draw Reservoir lies at the heart of this high-desert Elko County landscape, serving as a critical water source in a territory defined by seasonal drainages. During the mid-1970s, the area remained largely undeveloped, crisscrossed only by a primitive Jeep Trail and various bench marks that tracked the elevation of this remote terrain. The hydrology of the region is centered on the convergence of Chimney Creek, Winters Creek, and Threemile Creek, which wind through the topography toward the reservoir. A single 5468 Well and the curiously named China feature stand out as lonely markers of human presence or local nomenclature. The prevalence of these watercourses and wells against a backdrop of survey points like BM 5487 and BM 5797 suggests a landscape managed primarily for grazing and resource monitoring rather than permanent settlement.