2020 Map of Stemler Ridge

About this map

The Malheur River winds through the high desert of eastern Oregon, carving a path through the volcanic landscape south of Beulah Butte. This survey of the southeastern corner of the state reveals an complex network of water management features essential to the high-plateau environment. Early twentieth-century irrigation efforts are evident in the Juntura Investment Company Canal and the Townsite Ditch, which redirect water toward Juntura Valley. The terrain is defined by dramatic elevation changes, from the heights of Stemler Ridge and Lake Ridge down to the recessed Stemler Basin. For local historians and genealogists, the map provides precise locations for the Juntura Cem and several isolated water sources such as Dishrag Spring and Poverty Spring, markers of human endurance in this arid rangeland.