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1980 Map of Three Forks

Name: 1980 Topographic Map of Three Forks
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1980
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1980

About this map

The Owhyee River carves a deep path through Malheur County, meeting its major tributaries at a remote hydrological junction in the high desert. This 1980 survey reveals the confluence of the North Fork Owyhee River and Middle Fork Owyhee River, a location marked by the prominent Three Forks Dome. The landscape is defined by sheer verticality and the isolation of the Owhyee Canyon, where human presence is recorded primarily through specialized infrastructure like the Wes Hawkins Trail (Pack) and the Military Grade road.

Water management for ranching and livestock is evident in the numerous small impoundments dotting the plateaus, including Whitehorse Creek Reservoir and Three Forks Rim Reservoir. These scattered reservoirs and name-heavy landmarks like Pasture Canyon and Whiskey Gulch provide a window into the pastoral land use and topographical challenges of this corner of southeastern Oregon during the late twentieth century.