2017 Map of Wheatgrass Bench

About this map

American Falls Reservoir borders the northern edge of this high-desert landscape in Arbon Valley, where irrigation infrastructure dominates the lower elevations. The map reveals a complex network of water management, featuring the Bannock Canal, Main E Canal, and the Big Siphon Wasteway. These systems support the agricultural activities surrounding the small settlement of Bannock. To the south, the terrain rises toward the distinctive plateaus of Compressor Station Bench and Wheatgrass Bench, marked by dramatic contour changes and intermittent drainages like Blind Spring Cr. The layout of the land is defined by a rigid grid of rural roads, including Gas Line Rd and Old Arbon Hwy, which connect isolated homesteads and utility points across the power-line-scarred basin. This 2017 survey illustrates the persistent effort to reclaim and utilize the arid Idaho benches through engineering and systematic land division.