1978 Map of Malheur Lake

About this map

Malheur Lake and the surrounding high desert wetlands dominate this 1978 perspective of Harney and Malheur Counties. The hydrological complexity of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge is on display, showing the drainage of the Silvies River and the vast marshlands of Diamond Swamp. To the south, the geological character shifts abruptly at Diamond Craters, where extensive lava fields mark the terrain. Small ranching outposts and settlements like New Princeton, Circle Bar, and Venator are connected by a network of valley roads, including the Blitzen Valley Road. The map reveals the precarious balance of water in the Great Basin, tracing numerous intermittent streams and reservoirs such as Dry Lake Reservoir and Barton Lake. This document serves as a detailed record of the region's managed wilderness and isolated ranching communities before modern landscape changes.