2021 Map of Needle Reservoir

About this map

Needle Reservoir and Badlands Reservoir define the water management landscape of this Sweetwater County high-desert terrain. The map documents a network of ephemeral drainages and reservoirs essential for ranching and wildlife in a region marked by significant elevation changes, from the prominent Antelope Knoll in the north to the deeply etched channels of Tin Can Draw and Cattail Draw. This 2021 survey illustrates how modern infrastructure, including the central Big Hollow Reservoir, interacts with the traditional Public Land Survey System grid of Townships 15 and 16 North. The scarcity of permanent settlements highlights the area's specialized use for resource and water conservation.