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1960 Map of Wild Irish Reservoir

Name: 1960 Topographic Map of Wild Irish Reservoir
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1964
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1964

About this map

Bates Hole characterizes this Carbon County landscape, where the high elevation of Chalk Mountain and Shirley Ridge dictates the flow of water across a high-desert environment. In 1960, the area was defined by its water management systems, including Wild Irish Reservoir, Bates Hole Reservoir, and Miles Reservoir with its notable Spillway 7316. These small-scale water features supported the livestock and small-scale industry of the high plains.

The human footprint is sparse but functional, centered on resource extraction and transport. Shirley Ridge Road provides the primary transit corridor through the northern section, passing near an isolated Oil Well and a Gravel Pit. The map captures the intersection of ephemeral drainages like Dry Creek and Sand Creek with the rugged, eroded topography, offering a clear view of the ranching and energy-seeking infrastructure during the mid-century expansion of Wyoming's interior.