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1981 Map of Groan Canyon

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

USGS Topo · Published 1981

About this map

The Sheepshead Mountains dominate this high-desert landscape in Malheur County, where a network of seasonal water sources supported ranching operations in the late 1970s. The map illustrates a rugged topography defined by deep drainage systems like Groan Canyon and Mickey Canyon, punctuated by essential water points such as Rock Corral Spring and Little Hole Spring. Small-scale water management is evident through several named catchments including Stoddart Reservoir, Hub Reservoir, and Red Line Reservoir, which suggest the vital importance of water rights and livestock grazing in this arid region of Southeast Oregon.

Evidence of historical land use appears in the naming of remote features like Bone Spring and Whitby Spring, alongside the transit of Johnny Creek and Palomino Creek through the Palomino Hills. The survey captures the complex drainage patterns of the Great Basin, where isolated springs and constructed reservoirs served as the lifeblood for local landholders and travelers moving through the high plateau country.