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1967 Map of Searl Coulee

Name: 1967 Topographic Map of Searl Coulee
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1970
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1970

About this map

The high, arid plains of Garfield County are defined by a complex network of dry washes and drainage basins in this late 1960s topographical study. The landscape is dominated by the Tindall Divide and the prominent rising form of Battleship Butte, which overlooks a territory carved by numerous named coulees. Water management is central to this environment, evidenced by the presence of the Mashesky Reservoir and Stroud Reservoir, small but vital catchments designed to hold the seasonal flow of the area's many ephemeral forks.

Deeply etched drainage systems like Middle Fork Lodgepole Creek and South Fork Lodgepole Creek dictate the local topography, creating a series of ridges and valleys that include Searl Coulee and Battle Coulee. These features represent the essential geographical landmarks for ranchers and land managers in a region where named coulees such as Kelly, Hawkins, and Keopke provide the primary orientation points across the open range.