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1970 Map of Sanburn Reservoir

Name: 1970 Topographic Map of Sanburn Reservoir
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1973
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1973

About this map

Belle Creek flows through the southern half of this Powder River County landscape, as documented in 1970. The terrain is characterized by the practical needs of ranching and early energy exploration, marked by numerous Oil Wells and a Drill Hole in the eastern reaches. Water management is central to life here, evidenced by the presence of Sanburn Reservoir, the CCC Reservoir, and scattered Flowing Wells.

A network of drainage systems, including Horse Creek, Pine Creek, and Wright Creek, carves through the land. Transportation is primarily limited to a rugged Jeep Trail in the north, suggesting the isolation of the area during the early 1970s. The map also captures several property boundaries and fence lines, which offer a look at the spatial organization of Montana ranch land before modern consolidation.