1981 Map of No Heart Creek

About this map

Lake Oahe and its rising waters dominate the southern landscape of this 1980s survey, illustrating the controlled inundation of the Missouri River valley within the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation. The drainage of No Heart Creek snakes through the center of the sheet, leading toward the prominent elevation of No Heart Butte. This era in Dewey County history is characterized by scattered ranching outposts, including the Fast Horse Ranch, Clark Ranch, and Means Ranch, which are connected by a network of unimproved roads and cattle trails. The map documents the shifting hydrology of the region, where seasonal flows like Little Willow Creek, Corral Creek, and Charlie Creek carve through the breaks and draws above the reservoir's shoreline. These landmarks, along with survey points such as Chicken BM 1976, provide a precise record of the land use and topography during a period of significant environmental transition in central South Dakota.