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1962 Map of Round Butte Dam

Name: 1962 Topographic Map of Round Butte Dam
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1964
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1964

About this map

Round Butte Dam and its adjacent powerhouse and observatory dominate the confluence of the Deschutes River, Chinook River, and Crooked River. This early 1960s survey records the dramatic landscape at the moment of reservoir formation, showing the rising waters of Lake Metolius and Lake Simtustus filling the deep basalt canyons. On the western plateau, the Grandview (Site) marks the location of a former settlement, now bypassed by the Grandview Loop Road across the arid Desert flats.

The boundary of the Warm Springs Indian Reservation runs along the northern canyon rim, overlooking the newly created recreational areas of The Palisades State Park. Landmarks like The Island, a massive landform rising from the center of the lake, and the high-elevation Metolius Bench illustrate the complex interplay between volcanic geology and major hydroelectric engineering. Notable family-named sites such as Dave Ike Spring remain along the edges of the canyon, providing touchstones for local history in this transformed river system.