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2014 Map of Vines Hill

Name: 2014 Topographic Map of Vines Hill
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2014
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2014

About this map

The Malheur River defines the rugged geography of this Malheur County landscape, carving through the Malheur Canyon as it flows toward the Snake River plain. This 2014 survey reveals an intricate hydraulic network essential to the high desert economy, featuring the extensive Vale-Oregon Main Canal and a complex system of smaller waterworks like the Vines Ditch, Stacey Ditch, and Biggs Ditch. These engineered waterways allowed for the cultivation of the valley floor, supporting the small settlement of Little Valley.

Elevations rise sharply from the riverbanks to features like Vines Hill and the flat expanse of West Bench. For local historians, the map documents the alignment of the Central Oregon Hwy as it follows the natural corridor of the river valley. The landscape is a mix of steep canyon walls and irrigated agricultural plots, evidenced by numerous drains such as Robbins Drain and Purvis Drain that manage the runoff from the high-altitude canals.