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1971 Map of Orejana Canyon

Name: 1971 Topographic Map of Orejana Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1974
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1974

About this map

Orejana Rim and the deep incision of Orejana Canyon dominate this high-desert landscape in Harney County, surveyed by photogrammetric methods in 1969. The map reveals a land defined by scarce water resources, where human activity is marked by a network of catchments and range improvements. Water management is the primary signature on the terrain, evidenced by the distribution of numerous engineered features such as North Creek Reservoir, South Creek Reservoir, and Buffalo Reservoir.

Beyond the dramatic basaltic cliffs and canyon walls, the upland plateau is traversed by a sparse network of tracks designated as a Jeep Trail. Isolated landmarks like Spine Cob Butte and the South Lake Waterhole provide essential orientation points in an area otherwise characterized by vast stretches of open range. The transition from the floor of Buckhorn Canyon to the surrounding rims illustrates the vertical scale of the Oregon high desert before modern expansion reached these remote reaches.