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2020 Map of Thousand Springs

Name: 2020 Topographic Map of Thousand Springs
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2020
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2020

About this map

Thousand Springs cascades from the canyon walls into the Snake River in this Idaho landscape where water defines both the geology and the economy. The terrain is marked by deep incisions like Box Canyon and Blind Canyon, while the surface is networked with an intricate system of irrigation canals, including Lateral S-29 and Lateral S-19. These canals illustrate the massive engineering effort required to reclaim the arid plains for agriculture above the river's gorge.

Evidence of the region's geothermal and hydrological diversity is found at Hot Sulphur Springs and Blue Heart Springs. Along the riverbanks, smaller settlements and recreational areas such as Clear Lake and Banbury Springs sit below the dramatic heights of Eagle Bluff. The convergence of Salmon Falls Creek and the river creates a complex topography of rapids and falls, including the descriptively named Devils Washbowl Falls. Downstream, Melon Valley shows the transition into flatter, cultivable basins.