1985 Map of Ogallala

About this map

The waters of the North Platte River and the South Platte River define this 1985 landscape, dominated by the massive impoundment behind Kingsley Dam. The reservoir, Lake Mc Conaughy, reshaped the region's geography, submerging old bottomlands and creating a center for the Lake Mc Conaughy State Recreation Area. To the south, the Union Pacific railroad and Interstate 80 parallel the South Platte, connecting a string of agricultural settlements including Brule, Ogallala, and Paxton. The map illustrates a complex network of mid-century water management, featuring the Sutherland Supply Canal and Western Canal which divert river water toward the Sutherland Reservoir. Smaller rural communities like Lemoyne and Keystone sit near the northern shores, while rugged terrain such as Eagle Canyon and Wildhorse Valley cuts through the surrounding plains.