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1960 Map of Severance

Name: 1960 Topographic Map of Severance
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1973
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1973

About this map

The town of Severance and the surrounding high plains are defined by an intricate network of irrigation engineering and petroleum extraction in this 1960 survey. Water management is the primary driver of the landscape, seen in the extensive Eaton Canal and various laterals like the Pierce Lateral and Lakeside Lateral that feed into numerous private reservoirs and lakes. Notable bodies include the large Windsor Reservoir and Black Hollow Reservoir, alongside smaller family-named features like Swanson Lake and Baldridge Lake.

Industrial development is centered on the Black Hollow Oil Field to the north and the New Windsor Oil Field near the southwestern corner. Transportation and commerce are anchored by the Great Western Railroad, which passes through the center of Severance and near the small siding at Hurrich. The presence of several named ditches, such as the Great Ditch and Roulard Ditch, illustrates the transformation of this arid Weld County terrain into a productive agricultural and energy-producing corridor.