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2014 Map of Malheur Lake West

Name: 2014 Topographic Map of Malheur Lake West
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2014
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2014

About this map

Malheur Lake dominates this high-desert basin in Harney County, illustrating the dynamic hydrology of the northern Great Basin in the early 21st century. The map centers on the lake's western reaches, where the Donner und Blitzen River flows through the Blitzen Valley to feed this terminal lake system. Notable landforms rising from the water or surrounding marsh include Graves Island and Cole Island, which serve as crucial indicators of fluctuating water levels in this sensitive ecosystem.

Evidence of local land management and settlement is found in the south, particularly around the community of Voltage and along Sodhouse Ln. The irrigation network, represented by features like Bull Ditch and natural water sources such as Sodhouse Spring and Indian Spring, reveals how water has been diverted and utilized for agriculture and ranching. The road network, including Center Patrol Rd, provides access across these low-lying areas, connecting the remote settlements to the broader landscape of the Blitzen Valley.