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1989 Map of Salt Canyon

Name: 1989 Topographic Map of Salt Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1994
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1994

About this map

The Cortina Rancheria occupies the southeastern corner of this landscape, its boundary cutting across a terrain defined by the prominent Cortina Ridge and the Oat Hills. This area of Colusa County is characterized by sharp elevation changes between the Antelope Valley and the smaller Spring Valley, connected by a network of drainage systems like Salt Creek and Bear Creek. These natural corridors were essential for movement through the region's complex topography.

Local history researchers will find a landscape dotted with family-named landmarks and historical waypoints, from Whiskey Hill and Helmer Hill to the curiously named Widow Flats. The map documents the intricate network of canyons and flats, such as Walters Canyon and Becker Flat, which provided viable pockets for ranching and settlement. Key water sources like Cottonwood Spring and Britton Spring are precisely marked, reflecting the importance of water management in this arid environment before the turn of the 21st century.