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1984 Map of Venator Canyon

Name: 1984 Topographic Map of Venator Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1984
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1984

About this map

Hotchkiss Cow Camp sits near the northern boundary of this high desert landscape, representing the localized ranching infrastructure essential to the region in the early 1980s. The map illustrates a stark, arid environment where the border of Lake and Harney counties cuts through a series of ephemeral water bodies and vast sand dunes. Water management and natural catchment are central to the terrain, evidenced by named features like Venator Waterhole, Crossing Waterhole, and the seasonal Alkali Lake within the broad Alkali Valley.

A network of 4wd tracks and an Air Strip provide the only significant access through Venator Canyon and toward Rehart Butte. The presence of a Single Wood Pole Powerline tracing through the valley reflects the minimal but necessary utility reach in this portion of Oregon. The clusters of small, often dry basins such as Mix-up Lake, Clear Lake, and Orejana Lake highlight the characteristic basin-and-range hydrology of the area.