2020 Map of Venator Reservoir

About this map

Hat Butte stands as a prominent landmark in this high-desert landscape, situated along the county line where Harney and Malheur Counties meet. This 2020 survey illustrates a region defined by its water management for livestock and ranching, featuring numerous named sources such as Dog Spring, Dipping Vat Spring, and Robinson Spring. The terrain transitions from the open expanse of Big Flat to the confined corridors of Box Canyon and Long Canyon. Man-made water infrastructure is central to the area's utility, evidenced by the Jake Hughes Reservoir and several scattered collection points like the Newts Waterhole and Lakebed Waterhole. These features, connected by remote routes such as Whiskey Creek Rd, reveal the persistent reliance on ephemeral drainages like Swamp Cr and Deadman Cr in this arid part of Eastern Oregon.