2015 Map of Hansen Island

About this map

Hansen Island and the expansive basin of Middle Alkali Lake dominate this portion of the Surprise Valley in Modoc County. The landscape is defined by the stark seasonal hydrology of the Great Basin, where water from Cottonwood Cr and Bull Cr drains toward the alkali flats. The mapping reflects a sparse, rural infrastructure typical of the high desert, with the land gridded by the Public Land Survey System into townships like t42n r17e and t41n r16e. Transportation is limited to essential county routes such as Co Road 30 and S Co Road 31A, which skirt the edges of the lake bed. This survey provides a precise look at the drainage patterns and desert land divisions in a remote corner of northeastern California, capturing the area before modern shifts in water management or climate could further alter the shoreline of the ephemeral lake.