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2023 Map of Hereford

Name: 2023 Topographic Map of Hereford
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2023
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2023

About this map

The Burnt River Valley serves as the primary corridor for settlement and agriculture in this portion of eastern Oregon, centered on the community of Hereford. The landscape is defined by an intricate network of irrigation systems necessary for high-desert ranching, including the Packwood Ditch, Colt Ware Ditch, Camp Creek Ditch, and Eldorado Ditch. These waterways highlight the region's historical reliance on managed water resources to sustain life and industry in the arid interior.

Genealogists and local historians will find significant value in the location of family burial sites such as the Boyer Family Cem and the Aunt Polly Cem, which sit north of the Burnt River. The terrain rises sharply away from the river bottoms toward significant landmarks like Murray Peak and Rock Creek Butte. This map also traces the drainage patterns of numerous gulches, from Windless Gulch to Rattlesnake Gulch, and shows the essential role of the Higgins Reservoir in local water storage.