Scott County in eastern Iowa is anchored by Davenport and Bettendorf along the Mississippi River, with Eldridge, Le Claire, Blue Grass, Walcott, and smaller communities spread across the interior. I-80 crosses the county east-west, U.S. 61 runs south toward Davenport, and U.S. 67 follows the river-side corridor near Le Claire and Bettendorf. U.S. 6 and Iowa 130 provide additional western references. This page explains the supplied county, city, terrain-and-water, and elevation maps, and high-resolution JPG copies are available in the ZIP near the end of the article. High-resolution map files are available for download in the section below.
The strongest terrain contrast is between the low Mississippi River edge and the higher ridges farther inland. Wapsipinicon River crosses the northeastern part of the county, while Duck Creek, Crow Creek, Goose Creek, and other tributaries descend toward the Mississippi corridor. The supplied elevation map spans 109 to 254 meters with a mean of 216 meters, so the low river margins and higher central-western terrain are easy to compare.
Table of Contents
Davenport and I-80 provide the main orientation
Davenport is the clearest starting point on the general county map. Bettendorf and Riverdale lie immediately to the east, while Le Claire and Princeton continue along the Mississippi River side farther northeast. U.S. 67 provides a useful reference along this river-facing edge, and I-80 crosses north of Davenport before continuing across the county.
U.S. 61 enters from the north and passes the Long Grove-Eldridge area on its way toward Davenport. Walcott sits along the western I-80 corridor, with Maysville and Donahue farther north. Blue Grass provides a southwestern reference and Buffalo marks the southern river edge.
The northern county line is irregular in several places, while much of the eastern and southern edge follows a major river corridor. The dense road network around Davenport and Bettendorf contrasts with the more rural northwest. This map is intended for county-scale orientation rather than current traffic, construction, or closure information.
Davenport and Bettendorf dominate the six-city distribution
The city map ranks Davenport first with a mapped population of 100,913. Bettendorf is second at 39,647, Eldridge third at 6,818, Le Claire fourth at 4,735, Blue Grass fifth at 1,972, and Walcott sixth at 1,725.
Davenport and Bettendorf form the strongest urban concentration in the southeast. Eldridge provides the main north-central city reference, while Le Claire sits on the eastern Mississippi River side. Blue Grass and Walcott help locate the southwestern and western rural portions of the county.
Neighboring labels include Clinton County to the north, Muscatine County to the west, and Cedar County to the southwest. The city map makes the concentration of population toward the southeastern river corridor immediately visible, especially when compared with the lightly settled northwestern interior.
Mississippi River lowlands meet the Wapsipinicon system in the east
The broad river corridor along the eastern and southern edge is the dominant water feature around Davenport, Bettendorf, Le Claire, and Buffalo. On the elevation map, this edge appears in the lowest green tones. Wapsipinicon River forms another major water reference in the northeast and approaches the larger river corridor near the eastern side.
Lost Creek lies near the Wapsipinicon system, and numerous smaller tributaries drain the northeastern hills. These valleys are narrower and more enclosed than the broad lowland along the Mississippi side, giving the two river areas noticeably different terrain shapes.
This sheet is intended for general geographic reference. It does not provide current river stages, flood forecasts, navigable depths, parcel boundaries, or legal water limits, so those questions require current agency data.
Duck Creek and Crow Creek divide the hills north of Davenport
Duck Creek is one of the clearest interior waterways, running through the central-southern part of the county. Crow Creek and Goose Creek form neighboring valleys farther east, while Spencer Creek provides another lower corridor near the Mississippi side around Bettendorf and Riverdale.
Mud Creek and Hickory Creek cross the western and northwestern countryside, with Walnut Creek visible farther north. These streams are much smaller than the major rivers, but on the elevation map they appear as narrow green channels cutting into higher brown ground.
Silver Creek and the Duck Creek system also help orient the southwest. RR Lake, Canyada Lake, and Carp Lake appear as small fixed water references in the Blue Grass-Walcott side of the county. They are useful when comparing rural locations that otherwise have few large landmarks.
Elevation ranges from 109 to 254 meters
The supplied elevation map shows an actual range of about 109 to 254 meters, with a mean elevation of 216 meters. The lowest terrain follows the Mississippi River edge on the east and south. Higher brown terrain occupies much of the west and center, with several pronounced ridges north and northwest of Davenport.
The northwestern uplands are deeply divided by small creek valleys, creating a dense ridge-and-valley texture. Another high band extends across the central interior, while Duck Creek and Crow Creek form lower green corridors through it. Terrain drops again quickly toward the eastern river edge.
The difference between the mapped high and low ends is about 145 meters. The elevation colors are designed for broad terrain comparison rather than survey-grade measurement. Exact parcel elevations, road grades, engineering design, or construction work require original elevation data or professional surveying.
A Walcott-to-Le Claire route shows the west-to-east terrain change
Traveling conceptually from Walcott toward Davenport, Bettendorf, and Le Claire provides a simple way to understand the county’s terrain. The western side contains higher rolling ground cut by numerous small streams. Around Davenport, ridges still remain north of the urban area, but the land drops steadily as the Mississippi River edge is approached.
A similar pattern appears between Eldridge and Davenport. The north-central terrain is higher, creek valleys interrupt the ridges on the way south, and the southeastern urban corridor lies closer to the low river margin. Comparing the same places across the road, water, and elevation maps makes those changes much easier to follow.
Choose the Scott County map that fits the task
Use the general county map when you need cities and major roads in one view. It is the fastest way to compare Davenport, Bettendorf, Eldridge, Le Claire, Walcott, and Blue Grass with I-80, U.S. 61, U.S. 67, U.S. 6, and Iowa 130. The city map is better when the goal is to compare the six highlighted communities and their mapped population ranking.
The terrain-and-water map is best for the Mississippi River corridor, Wapsipinicon River, Duck Creek, Crow Creek, Goose Creek, Spencer Creek, Mud Creek, Hickory Creek, Silver Creek, and smaller lakes. The elevation map adds the 109–254 m range and makes the contrast between the low river margins and higher central-western ridges immediately visible.
The WebP images in the article are optimized for quick browser viewing. For printing, classroom use, presentations, or closer regional comparison, the ZIP below contains the county, major-city, terrain-and-water, and elevation maps as high-resolution JPG files. They are general-reference maps rather than legal, flood, navigation, or engineering products.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which map is best for comparing Davenport and Eldridge?
The general county map is the best starting point. Davenport anchors the southeastern river corridor, while Eldridge lies in the north-central interior. U.S. 61 provides a clear north-south reference between those areas, and I-80 crosses north of Davenport.
Which rivers and creeks are most useful for understanding Scott County terrain?
The Mississippi River corridor and Wapsipinicon River are the major water references. Duck Creek, Crow Creek, Goose Creek, Spencer Creek, Mud Creek, and Hickory Creek divide the higher interior into many smaller valleys.
What does the 109–254 m elevation range show?
The lowest terrain is concentrated along the eastern and southern Mississippi River margin, while many central and western ridges are higher. The mapped mean elevation is 216 meters. Precise site elevations require original elevation data or professional survey information.
Map File Information
The ZIP contains four high-resolution JPG maps for Scott County, Iowa: county, major cities, terrain and water, and elevation.
- Included Files: Use only the versions confirmed in the article and supplied images
- File Type: Use the confirmed download contents
- Intended Use: Printing, education, presentations, and map-based projects
Related Maps
Sources and reference data
Scott County’s official GIS page provides county-specific mapping resources, while the federal links below support boundary, hydrography, and elevation reference data.
- Scott County Iowa – GIS Links
- U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line Shapefiles
- USGS National Hydrography
- USGS 3D Elevation Program
These maps are intended for general geographic reference, learning, printing, and visual comparison. Legal boundaries, ownership, current road conditions, flood risk, water levels, and precise elevations should be checked against the responsible agency’s current records.
Green Map creates custom-edited map images using open geographic data sources such as geoBoundaries, Natural Earth, OpenStreetMap, and government open data.
These maps are edited visual materials, not raw data files, and are provided for education, documents, presentations, and graphic reference.
