2011 Map of Anderson Reservoir

About this map

Gilbert Ranch serves as a primary focal point in this high-desert portion of Malheur County, where ranching operations depend on a managed network of water rights. The landscape is defined by irrigation infrastructure, most notably the Anderson Reservoir and Ruby Dam, which capture and divert seasonal flows through the Crutcher Ditch and Anderson Ditch. These man-made features contrast with the natural drainages of Crooked Creek and Drought Creek, illustrating the efforts to sustain agricultural life in an arid environment. Transportation through this part of the state relies on a series of specialized routes like Gilbert Ranch Rd and Rattlesnake Creek Rd, while the Old Ion Hwy cuts across the southeast, following the base of the Black Hills. This 2011 survey documents a sparsely populated but highly engineered pastoral landscape at the start of the 21st century.