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1981 Map of Dust Bowl

Name: 1981 Topographic Map of Dust Bowl
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1982
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1982

About this map

Street Flat and Misery Flat characterize this high-desert region of Central Oregon, where the harsh environmental reality is reflected in the local place names. Recorded in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the map reveals a landscape defined by water scarcity and cattle ranching at the intersection of Crook, Deschutes, and Harney counties. Isolated resources such as the Buck Creek Ranch and the Dust Bowl Well highlight the sparse human presence in this area.

A network of drainage features like Buck Creek, Swamp Creek, and Bulger Creek provide seasonal relief to the terrain. The survival of livestock and travelers depends on man-made and natural catchments, including the Triple L Waterhole, Carlson Waterhole, and Olies Hole. Prominent volcanic landmarks such as Fife Butte and Sorefoot Butte rise above the flats, providing essential navigational markers across the desert floor.