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1951 Map of Orchard

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Orchard
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1952
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1952

About this map

The South Platte River and its accompanying Union Pacific railroad line dominate this mid-century view of the agricultural corridor in Weldon Valley. The map illustrates a complex network of water management, ranging from the massive Jackson Reservoir and its associated Jackson Lake Inlet and Jackson Lake Outlet to the intricate system of ditches like the Weldon Valley Ditch and Putman Ditch. These systems sustained the small rural settlements of Orchard and Goodrich during a period of steady irrigation development.

Evidence of the region's changing landscape appears in the Irrigation Canal (Abandoned) and the presence of scattered Oil Wells and a Siphon near Kiowa Creek. Educational and civic life is anchored by the Goodrich School, while industrial infrastructure is highlighted by the Fort Morgan Canal Headgate. The confluence of Bijou Creek and the river valley demonstrates the hydrological importance of this area in north-central Colorado.