1955 Map of Sagavanirktok D-1

About this map

The Kavik River and Shaviovik River carve through this remote stretch of Alaska's North Slope, displaying the intricate braided patterns and numerous oxbow lakes characteristic of Arctic coastal plain drainages. This 1955 survey by the Army Map Service reveals a landscape defined by water and permafrost, where the terrain is almost entirely devoid of permanent structures. A notable human element is the Winter Trail cutting across the northwestern quadrant, tracing a path through the marshy lowland between the river systems. The map provides a look at the region's topography before significant industrial development, when land lines were still largely unsurveyed and unmarked as predetermined by the Bureau of Land Management. The shifting river channels and seasonal routes documented here offer essential data for understanding the historical geography of this section of the Sagavanirktok Quadrangle.