Loading map...

1961 Map of Arroyo Empedrado

Name: 1961 Topographic Map of Arroyo Empedrado
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1964
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1964

About this map

Mesa San Luis dominates this high-desert landscape in Sandoval County, carved by an intricate network of seasonal drainages. The topography is defined by the significant passage of Torreon Wash and Arroyo Empedrado, which channel runoff through the arid terrain. Natural water sources and catchment areas were vital for land use in this era, as evidenced by the Laguna de la Leña and the Cabezon Community Reservoir in the southeast.

Evidence of local land management and resource extraction appears via the pipelines traversing the northern reaches, while traditional Spanish land-naming conventions remain preserved in features like Rincon Largo and Arroyo de Rosendo. The proximity of the Rio Puerco and the deep dissection of La Cañada de la Leña illustrate the erosive power of the regional climate on the New Mexico plateau before the close of the twentieth century.