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1954 Map of Soda Lake

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Soda Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1956
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1956

About this map

Columbia National Wildlife Refuge dominates the southern landscape of this mid-1950s survey, illustrating a complex watery environment managed for conservation and irrigation. The terrain is characterized by the distinctive Potholes topography, where numerous small bodies of water like Sage Lakes, Widgeon Lake, and Crescent Lake are gathered. This network of lakes and reservoirs is interconnected by significant infrastructure, including the East Canal and the massive Potholes Levee, which control water flow across the Grant and Adams county line.

The industrial and transport corridor is anchored by the Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific railroad, which skirts the eastern edge of the refuge. Along its tracks lies the small settlement of Novara, providing a point of human activity amidst the vast basaltic coulees and ridges like Jackass Mtn. The map also captures the Lind Reservoir at the northern edge, highlighting how the landscape was being reshaped for agriculture and water storage during this era.