1966 Map of Palisades Dam

About this map

Palisades Dam stands as the central engineering feat on this mid-1960s landscape, holding back the waters of the Snake River to form the expansive Palisades Reservoir. The map documents a critical period of infrastructure and recreation, showing the Powerplant, Substation, and several newly established Boat Ramp facilities along the shoreline. Settlement is concentrated at Irwin in the northwest and the Palisades Townsite just below the dam. The surrounding terrain is split between the Targhee National Forest and Caribou National Forest, where steep drainages like Sawmill Canyon and Elbow Canyon cut through the high ridges. This survey is particularly notable for including underwater contours provided by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, detailing the submerged topography of the river valley as it was transformed by the reservoir's rise.