1971 Map of Pats Bottom

About this map

Industrial resource extraction and water management define this landscape along the North Platte River during the early 1970s. The map centers on the northern reach of the Seminoe Reservoir, where the water fills the winding canyon of the river valley. Significant open-pit mining operations dominate the southern portion of the sheet, with the massive Seminoe Strip Mine and another Strip Mine cutting across the high ground of Monument Ridge and Edson Ridge. A network of irrigation infrastructure, including Saint Marys Ditch, Middle Ditch, and North Ditch, illustrates the complex engineering required to move water from the river and the smaller Steel Granary Reservoir to higher elevations. The eponymous Pats Bottom serves as a distinct low-lying landmark along the western shoreline, providing a clear contrast to the heavily engineered mining terrain nearby.