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2017 Map of Rice Reservoir

Name: 2017 Topographic Map of Rice Reservoir
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2017
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2017

About this map

Rice Reservoir and Birkeland Reservoir anchor this section of Chouteau County, where the landscape is defined by a series of dramatic drainages known as coulees. The topographic data reveals the intricate erosion patterns of Ninemile Coulee and Short Coulee, which cut through the high plains. This 2017 survey reflects a contemporary view of Montana's agricultural heartland, characterized by the Public Land Survey System’s rigid grid.

A network of local roads follows these section lines, providing access to remote ranching and farming tracts. Historic movement through the area is suggested by the naming of Stage Line Rd, while other routes like Wheat Land Rd, Hazen Rd, and Ferda Rd connect the scattered water resources. The terrain shifts from the flat stretches near Cherry Coulee to more complex elevation changes around Bird Coulee and Long Coulee.