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1944 Map of Agua Dulce

Name: 1944 Topographic Map of Agua Dulce
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1944
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1944

About this map

The Santa Rosa Mountains dominate the western landscape of this mid-century survey, rising sharply above the desert floor of the Coachella Valley. Along the eastern edge, the Salton Sea appears at a historic elevation of 241 feet below sea level, its shoreline dotted with early infrastructure like the Salton Sea Service Sta and Fish Springs. This area, primarily within the Torres Martines Indian Reservation, reflects a landscape defined by water scarcity and geological transition, from the Fossil Beds and Travertine Rock to the seasonal courses of Salada Wash and Gravel Wash.

Human activity is concentrated along the irrigation and travel corridors near Oasis, where the Oasis Sch and Oriols Service Sta served a sparse population. Local industry and travel are evidenced by the Flemming Saw Mill and the presence of Truckhaven on the desert's edge. This map documents a period before major modern development, capturing the network of desert springs such as Seventeen Palms Spring and Four Palms Springs that were vital to traversing this arid environment.