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2011 Map of Riley

Name: 2011 Topographic Map of Riley
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2011
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2011

About this map

The high desert ranching landscape of Harney County is centered here around Riley, where the Riley Post Office serves as a small hub for the surrounding livestock operations. Silver Creek winds through the Silver Creek Valley, supporting several named family holdings including Upper Silver Creek Ranch, Dunn Ranch, and McGee Ranch. These settlements are linked by utilitarian routes like Silver Creek Rd and Dick Miller Rd, reflecting the remote and expansive nature of cattle ranching in Eastern Oregon.

Water management is critical in this arid terrain, as evidenced by the Chickahominy Reservoir and the course of Chickahominy Creek as they flow near Shields Butte. The topography is defined by basaltic features such as Juniper Ridge and the dramatic drop of Gumboot Canyon. This survey captures the spatial relationship between isolated ranch complexes and the essential water sources that allow them to persist in the Great Basin region.