1973 Map of Piute Basin West

About this map

The Owyhee River carves across the northern edge of this high-desert landscape in Owyhee County, defining a region where water management is central to the land's utility. During the early 1970s, this area of the Piute Desert and Piute Basin was characterized by a network of catchments and reservoirs, including Burts Res, Clay Bottom Res, and North Lookout Res. These features, along with the noted Corrals and Piute Basin Camp, suggest a landscape primarily utilized for seasonal livestock grazing rather than permanent township settlement. The terrain rises toward the south at Lookout Butte, while the drainage of Piute Creek and its associated Piute Creek Res provide critical landmarks in an otherwise sparse and open territory. This survey captures the essential infrastructure of the Idaho rangelands before modern shifts in land use or environmental management.