1990 Map of The Narrows

About this map

The Malheur National Wildlife Refuge dominates this landscape, where the shallow basins of Malheur Lake and Mud Lake are connected by the hydraulic bottleneck known as The Narrows. This environment is a complex network of seasonal water and arid terrain, characterized by the Sunset Dry Lakes and the broad reaches of the Harney Valley. Settlement is sparse, with the small location of Loma situated in the northwest, reflecting the area's primary role as a sanctuary and natural drainage basin rather than a population center. Human modification of the water system is evident through features like Simmons Ditch and the Stubblefield Canal in the Blitzen Valley, alongside localized Gravel Pits that suggest small-scale resource extraction amidst the protected wetlands.