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2017 Map of Mud Lake NW

Name: 2017 Topographic Map of Mud Lake NW
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2017
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2017

About this map

Mud Lake and its surrounding wetlands define this corner of Jefferson County, where complex irrigation systems support a landscape of managed water. The presence of the Owsley Canal, Jefferson Canal, and smaller waterways like McKevitt Ditch and Mitchell Ditch illustrate the long-standing efforts to reclaim and utilize the high desert terrain. These man-made features connect natural and artificial reservoirs, including the Jefferson Reservoir and Johnston Lake, which sit northwest of the main lake basin.

Rising above the flat drainage and lakebed are distinct volcanic and geological markers, most notably Needle Butte and the escarpment known as The Breaks. These landmarks provided essential orientation for early travelers and land managers in a region where the shoreline of Mud Lake could shift significantly with the seasons and irrigation cycles. The map details a rectilinear road grid, such as Jefferson Rd, which underscores the systematic 20th-century development of this agricultural and conservation area.