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1967 Map of Keating NW

Name: 1967 Topographic Map of Keating NW
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1971
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1971

About this map

The Powder River cuts a deep canyon through the high desert terrain of eastern Oregon, carving its way toward the Lower Powder River Valley near the border of Union and Baker counties. In the late 1960s, this landscape was defined by its water management systems, including several Diversion Dams and an intricate network of irrigation channels such as Emele Ditch, Basche Ditch, and Erwin Ditch. These features illustrate the essential nature of water rights in this arid ranching and farming country.

Evidence of rural community and resource extraction appears at the Blue Mountain Sch and various prospects and a Gravel Pit scattered across the hills. Remote jeep trails navigate the steep slopes between named drainages like Big Rattlesnake Creek and Ridley Creek, while Homesite Reservoir and Wirth Reservoir provide small oases in the upland terrain. This survey provides a clear view of the infrastructure supporting life in this rugged corner of the state.