2017 Map of Bitter Creek

About this map

Three Rivers courses through this high desert landscape of Otero County, where seasonal drainage patterns and isolated water sources define the terrain. The presence of Black Tank and Rock Tank suggests the traditional ranching or military utility of this arid basin, providing critical water points for range management. The landscape is primarily organized by the Public Land Survey System, with township and range lines like t13s r8e and t12s r8e providing a grid for land navigation and property records. Movement across the valley is dictated by specialized transit routes including Wsmr P Rt 9, Wsmr S Rt 318, and Wsmr S Rt 322, which cut diagonally across the survey sections toward Temporal Cr in the south. This era of mapping shows the intersection of natural hydrology and modern infrastructure in the vicinity of the White Sands Missile Range.