2021 Map of Kettleman Plain

About this map

The Avenal settlement and the industrial topography of the Kettleman Hills define this landscape in the western San Joaquin Valley. This survey captures a region shaped by petroleum geography, evidenced by features such as North Dome, Bullwheel Ridge, and Drillers Ridge, which track the structural geology that made this area a significant California oil field. The topography transitions sharply from the flat Kettleman Plain to the uplifted Kreyenhagen Hills and Reef Ridge, where the complex drainage systems of Big Tar Creek and Arroyo Delgado cut through the terrain. To the south, the map extends into the Sunflower Valley at the foot of the Diablo Range, while modern infrastructure like Skyline Road and Utica Avenue provide the grid for the region's resource-driven economy. For the local historian, Reef Station remains a notable landmark in this arid, ridge-and-plain environment.