2023 Map of Payne Creek

About this map

The Oregon Canyon Mountains dominate the landscape in this southeastern Malheur County quadrangle, a region defined by high-elevation drainage and a network of remote water management. In this arid cattle-ranching territory, a series of essential catchments like Fifteenmile Reservoir, Beaver Reservoir, and McDermitt Cr Reservoir highlight the historical necessity of water storage for livestock. Deep topographic incisions such as Cherokee Canyon and Rattlesnake Canyon carve through the terrain, while reliable water sources like Mahogany Spring and Rose Spring Number 1 appear as critical landmarks for local land use. The map also documents the remote road system including Trout Creek Rd and Turner Ranch Rd, which provide the primary access to the scattered reservoirs and the drainage basins of McDermitt Creek and Fifteenmile Creek that flow through these high basins.