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1979 Map of Poison Butte

Name: 1979 Topographic Map of Poison Butte
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1980
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1980

About this map

Inside Desert dominates this high plateau landscape in Owyhee County, where water management is the primary marker of human activity. The map reveals an intricate network of artificial catchments such as Post Office Reservoir, Poison Creek Reservoir, and Lake Pit Reservoir, reflecting the necessities of ranching in this arid environment. The most dramatic topographical shift occurs in the southwest, where the Jarbidge River cuts deeply through the terrain, flanked by the elevated flats of Diamond A Table and Dorsey Table.

Evidence of historical transit and utility is sparse but significant, most notably at Post Office Crossing where a trail meets the eponymous Poison Creek. Several unnamed Caves are noted along the river bluffs, suggesting natural shelter sites in an otherwise exposed landscape. This survey, compiled from 1973 photography, serves as a detailed record of the Owyhee backcountry before modern developments altered these traditional grazing lands and water rights.