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1986 Map of Blythe

Name: 1986 Topographic Map of Blythe
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1986
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1986

About this map

The Colorado River serves as the central artery and state boundary for this mid-1980s landscape, dividing the agricultural vitality of California from the arid reaches of Arizona. In the Palo Verde Valley, a complex network of features like the Main Drain, Lateral Drain, and Levee demonstrate the intensive irrigation required to sustain the communities of Blythe, East Blythe, and Ripley. The Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad corridor cuts through the Palo Verde Mesa, connecting the valley to the remote settlement of Midland in the north.

To the east, the Indian Reservation near Poston sits across the water from the Little Maria Mountains and Big Maria Mountains. The eastern desert is marked by historical mining activity, including the Arlington Mine, Victor Mine, and numerous prospects throughout the Dome Rock Mountains and Plomosa Mountains. Long washes like McCoy Wash and Tyson Wash define the drainage of this trans-border corridor.