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1972 Map of Bigbee Draw

Name: 1972 Topographic Map of Bigbee Draw
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1975
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1975

About this map

The West Mesa dominates this high-desert landscape in central New Mexico, where water management is the primary marker of human activity. Published in 1975, the map documents a network of critical infrastructure such as the Pipeline and various storage points including Gas Line Tank, Fence Line Tank, and Jog Tank. The presence of the Cain Ranch and isolated water sources like Kerr Well and East Well illustrate the cattle-ranching economy that persists across this arid region.

The terrain is defined by dramatic natural drainage patterns, from the expansive Bigbee Draw and Piñon Draw in the north to the diverging North Canyon and South Canyon in the east. Along the southern border, the Base Line marks the transition between the Torrance and Socorro County line, providing a precise spatial reference for land ownership and historical grazing boundaries in this part of the Southwest.