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2022 Map of Owl Ridge

Name: 2022 Topographic Map of Owl Ridge
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2022
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2022

About this map

The Illinois River valley serves as the central artery for this high-altitude landscape in Jackson County, where a complex network of man-made irrigation channels defines the local geography. Significant water-management infrastructure is evident in the numerous namesake ditches, including the Midland Ditch, Pioneer Ditch, and the Everhard and Baldwin Ditch, which redirect water from natural sources like Deer Cr and Indian Cr to support the surrounding territory.

The eastern portion of the map is dominated by the prominent elevation of Owl Ridge and Owl Mtn, while the western flats are characterized by a series of reservoirs. Rand Reservoir, Shawver Reservoir, and Thirty One Reservoir provide essential water storage, linked by seasonal flows such as Little Chief Ditch. This intricate hydraulic system, intertwined with rural routes like Co RD 21, reflects a long-standing reliance on diverted water to sustain the valley floor beneath the shadow of the surrounding peaks.