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2017 Map of Red Basin

Name: 2017 Topographic Map of Red Basin
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2017
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2017

About this map

The Owyhee River carves a deep, winding path through this corner of Owyhee County, defining the drainage patterns and topography of the high desert plateau. The landscape is marked by stark relief, featuring names like Owyhee Canyon and Red Canyon, where tributary systems like Red Basin Cr and Chilly Gulch feed toward the main river channel. Water management is central to the area's utility, evidenced by several strategically placed catchments including Big Bend Reservoir, Potter Reservoir, and Flat Top Reservoir.

The terrain north of the river transitions into distinct geographic benches and formations, from the flat expanse of the Y P Desert and Ryan Pasture to more complex features like The Tongue and Defeat Ridge. In the northeast, The Badlands present a highly eroded surface contrasted by the level top of Lambert Table. This 2017 survey reflects a remote ranching or grazing environment where survival and navigation depend on named springs and waterholes such as Rattlesnake Spring and Dougal Waterhole.