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1970 Map of Oroville Dam

Name: 1970 Topographic Map of Oroville Dam
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1973
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1973

About this map

Oroville Dam stands as the central engineering feat in this 1970 landscape, marking a massive transformation of the Middle Fork Feather River and its surrounding canyons. The map documents the creation of the Lake Oroville State Recreation Area, showing the inundation of historic river valleys and the relocation of infrastructure like the Bidwell Bar Bridge. While the newly formed lake dominates the western half, the eastern terrain remains defined by deep ravines and ridges such as Big Ridge Road and Ponderosa Way.

Smaller settlements and infrastructure are concentrated in the south, including the community of Hurleton and the residential layout around Kelly Ridge. Water management remains a primary theme beyond the main dam, evidenced by the Miners Ranch Reservoir, the Palermo Canal, and the Filtration Plant. This era shows the transition from a river-based economy to one centered on large-scale water storage and recreation, with Loafer Creek Campground and various boat ramps beginning to dot the new shoreline.