Loading map...

2015 Map of Dorris Reservoir

Name: 2015 Topographic Map of Dorris Reservoir
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2015
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2015

About this map

Dorris Reservoir dominates the high desert landscape of Modoc County in this recent survey. The map details a complex water management system essential to this arid region of Northern California, featuring a network of storage basins including Payne Reservoir, Dannhauser Reservoir, and the smaller French Reservoir. These waters are fed and drained by a seasonal drainage network comprising Pine Creek, Jim Creek, and Fitzhugh Creek, which flow through topographic breaks like Renfro Canyon and White Horse Canyon.

Remote county roads, such as Fitch Road and Lyneta Road, provide the primary access to these isolated reservoirs. The cartography illustrates the intersection of public land survey sections with the natural terrain of Hog Gulch and the surrounding plateaus. This area serves as a critical study of how hydrological engineering and ranching access are laid out across the vast, open spaces of the California-Modoc borderlands.