2017 Map of Roubadeau Pass

About this map

Wildcat Hills dominate the southern portion of this Nebraska landscape, creating a complex series of breaks and canyons that include Carter Canyon, Cedar Canyon, and the curiously named Spook Canyon. This topography is bisected by the historic Roubadeau Pass, a key corridor through the high ground. To the north and east, the elevation drops into a heavily engineered agricultural plain. The reliance on water management is evident through an extensive network of irrigation infrastructure, notably the Fort Laramie Canal, the Mitchell and Gering Canal, and several smaller waterways like the Gering Lateral. These canals wrap around the contours of the hills, feeding several upland storage sites including Stiver North Reservoir and Fanning Reservoir. A significant technical feature of this system is the Gering and Fort Laramie Irrigation Tunnel, which pierces through the heights near Rifle Sight to facilitate water movement across the divide.