Archives West Finding Aid

The Plans and Profiles of Oregon Rivers consist of maps prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey documenting surveys of rivers and streams. The bulk of the collection (181 sheets) is comprised of river plans and profiles; the remainder of the collection (34 sheets) is dam site and reservoir plans. The plans depict topography adjacent to the river or stream, typically to an elevation high enough above the water surface to include the area of proposed reservoir sites, possible canals or conduits, or other structures related to water utilization. The profiles depict the elevation of the stream surface over a given reach of the waterway. The maps include general location maps and depict notable features such as roads, railroads, and landmarks. Some of the dam site and reservoir plans include topographic cross sections of the stream or river at the dam site. Information about the area and capacity of the reservoir are also included on many of these sheets.

The collection documents primarily rivers in Oregon; however, rivers and streams in bordering regions of Washington, Idaho, and California that are part of the Columbia, Snake, or Klamath drainages are also part of the collection. Maps of the major tributaries of the Willamette River, including the North and South Santiam and McKenzie Rivers are included. Many coastal rivers, such as the Nehalem, Nestucca, Siletz, Siuslaw, Trask, Umpqua, and Wilson Rivers are also depicted in the collection.

The plans range in scale from 1:2,400 to 1:31,680; most are at a scale of 1:4,800. Contour intervals are 10 or 20 feet on land and 1 to 15 feet on water.