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1988 Map of Balm Creek Reservoir

Name: 1988 Topographic Map of Balm Creek Reservoir
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1988
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1988

About this map

Mining operations and water management systems define this portion of the Whitman National Forest in Baker County. During the late 1980s, the landscape was marked by numerous extraction points including the Sanger Mine, Poorman Mine, and the Daddy Lode Mine, alongside several unnamed shafts and prospects. The presence of the Balm Creek Shaft and mineshaft labels near Sanger Gulch suggests a legacy of hard-rock mining activity concentrated along the north-south ridges.

Water distribution for this arid terrain is managed through a network of canals such as Steward Ditch and Phillips Ditch, supporting livestock and local industry at sites like Goslin Corral and the Stock Pond. From the Balm Creek Reservoir in the northwest to the Lily White Guard Station in the east, the map traces a complex topography of drainage basins including Goose Creek and Sawmill Creek. This record captures the transition of the land from intensive mining toward managed forestry and ranching.