2014 Map of Plaza NE

About this map

Ward County's glaciated prairie landscape is defined here by a dense network of seasonal wetlands and small lakes, set against the rigid geometry of the Public Land Survey System. The area is characterized by the "pothole" topography typical of the North Dakota plains, where numerous unnamed basins catch runoff across the high ground. A meticulously planned grid of rural roads, including 338th St Sw and 54th Ave Sw, provides the primary infrastructure for the agricultural operations that dominate this terrain. This 2014 survey captures the precise elevation contours of these depressions, illustrating how the modern road network, such as 352nd St Sw and 93rd Ave Sw, navigates the complex hydrology of the prairie while maintaining the straight-line heritage of Western settlement patterns.