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1967 Map of Diamond Swamp

Name: 1967 Topographic Map of Diamond Swamp
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1972
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1972

About this map

The Malheur National Wildlife Refuge dominates this 1967 survey, where the Donner und Blitzen River feeds an extensive network of human-made irrigation and drainage systems. This hydraulic landscape includes the Skunk Farm Canal, Diamond Canal, and Buena Vista Canal, which manage water across the Diamond Swamp and into the Malheur Lake alkali flat. The intersection of natural watercourses and structural engineering is evident at the Grain Camp Dam, while the Buena Vista Patrol Station serves as a lone administrative outpost in the valley.

Contrasting the marshy lowlands of the Malheur Valley, the eastern terrain is defined by volcanic geology. The Diamond Craters rise abruptly from the basin, surrounded by expansive Lava flows and dotted with remote landmarks such as Otter Spring and several prospect sites. To the southwest, the steep slopes of Jackass Mountain flank the river, while the Blitzen Patrol Road provides a primary transit corridor through this remote Harney County interior.