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1984 Map of Wilson Butte

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

USGS Topo · Published 1984

About this map

Wilson Butte and Shortys Butte dominate this high desert expanse of southeastern Oregon, where water management defines the landscape's utility. Compiled from 1981 photography, the map reveals a network of isolated water sources essential for livestock and wildlife, ranging from the Shortys Butte Waterhole in the north to the southern Sunset Lake. These small basins, often bearing descriptive or family names, suggest the area's history as rangeland.

The presence of features like Sams Horse Corral Lake and Little Buckskin Waterhole points to the cattle-working heritage of the region. Most drainage is ephemeral, collected in scattered depressions such as Syrup Can Lake and Tadpole Lake, while Wilson Creek provides one of the few named watercourses. The drainage patterns into Sand Hollow and the collection at Prospect Reservoir illustrate how every natural contour was used to capture and hold moisture in this arid environment.