2019 Map of Owl Ridge

About this map

Water management dominates this high-altitude landscape in Jackson County, where an intricate network of irrigation channels and reservoirs supports ranching in the North Park basin. The Illinois River meanders through the western portion of the quadrangle, fed by numerous creeks and diverted into namesake family and company ditches. Notable systems like the Everhard and Baldwin Ditch, Midland Supply Ditch, and Soldiers Home Ditch highlight a legacy of early water rights and engineering necessary for mountain agriculture. To the east, the terrain rises toward Owl Ridge and the heights of Owl Mtn, much of which is preserved within the Owl Mountain SWA. This 2019 survey documents the modern state of this ranching region, detailing everything from the Rand Reservoir to the numerous smaller springs and ditches like the Oklahoma Ditch Number 1 that define the local topography.