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2011 Map of Rufino Butte

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

USGS Topo · Published 2011

About this map

Rufino Butte rises over a high-desert landscape in Malheur County, where ranching and water management define the settlement pattern. This early 21st-century record reveals an extensive network of named reservoirs and springs essential for livestock and local land use. Water sources like McConnell Reservoir, Coyote Wells Reservoir, and the curiously named Slim and Fatty Spring are scattered across the terrain, connected by dirt routes such as Crowley Rd and the Dry Creek Cutoff.

The presence of the Buckboard settlement near Keeney Creek and the deep incision of the Dry Creek Gorge show the topographical extremes of this eastern Oregon region. While much of the land remains open, the density of features like Hard Rock Reservoir and Keeney Creek Reservoir Number Two indicates a landscape highly adapted for water catchment. This survey is a critical resource for understanding the rural infrastructure and named landmarks of the Oregon high desert.