2023 Map of Alkali Buttes

About this map

Alkali Buttes rise above the high desert floor in this remote corner of Lake County, where the topography is defined by the stark transitions of the Great Basin. This 2023 survey by the U.S. Geological Survey details the arid expanse of the Alkali Valley, a landscape characterized by its drainage into North Alkali Lake. The map illustrates a network of desert tracks and section lines that cross the basin, reflecting the vast scale of the Public Land Survey System through townships like t29s r22e and t29s r23e. For those studying the hydrology of Oregon's interior, the relationship between the elevated buttes and the seasonally variable shoreline of the lake provides a clear picture of the region's natural catchments and terminal basins.