1953 Map of Okeechobee SW

About this map

Lake Okeechobee dominates the southeastern half of this quadrangle, its shoreline defined by a massive Levee and a series of Spoil Banks. The landscape reveals the intensive mid-century water management efforts by the U.S. Corps of Engineers, centered around the Indian Prairie Canal where it empties into the lake. On the landward side of the levee, the topography is exceptionally flat, punctuated by scattered marshy depressions and the controlled drainage channels typical of the Florida Everglades region during this era. A significant portion of the northern terrain is occupied by the Brighton Indian Reservation, while technical monitoring of the lake's levels is evidenced by the Gaging Station BM 22. This survey reflects the mid-1950s infrastructure before 1970s revisions added further detail to the roadway and canal systems.