1954 Map of Bancos Mesa NW

About this map

San Juan River Reservoir dominates the drainage basin on the border of New Mexico and Colorado, where its waters are subject to controlled inundation across the valley floor. Photorevised in the early 1970s, this topography illustrates a landscape in flux as the San Juan River Reservoir expanded into the canyons. High ground is defined by the massive Carracas Mesa and Quintana Mesa, with the jagged Carracas Rim overlooking the river valley from the northeast. While the lower elevations are largely consumed by the reservoir, the mesas remain marked by industrial activity, including several Gas Wells and a remote Landing Strip. The map records the complex system of drainages, including Bancos Cañon and Cabrestro Canyon, that feed into the central reservoir system, documenting the transformation of this borderland terrain after the mid-century damming projects.