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2020 Map of Iowa Flats

Name: 2020 Topographic Map of Iowa Flats
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2020
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2020

About this map

Hanford Reach National Monument and the Saddle Mountain National Wildlife Refuge dominate this high-desert landscape in Benton County. The terrain is defined by the prominent rise of Rattlesnake Mtn and the broader Rattlesnake Hills, which overlook the expansive Iowa Flats to the southeast. Water is a scarce but vital element of this geography, represented by the ephemeral Cold Cr winding through the Cold Creek Valley and the isolated Sam White Spring located at the base of the mountains.

The absence of dense settlement reflects the area's history as part of a restricted federal reservation, with very few named thoroughfares like Ale Rd providing access. Landforms such as Goose Egg Hill stand out against the surveyed township and range lines, marking a transition from the rugged slopes of the mountains to the lower drainage basins. This 2020 edition provides a contemporary baseline for researchers studying the conservation of these protected public lands and the geomorphology of the Columbia Basin.