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2021 Map of Blythe

Name: 2021 Topographic Map of Blythe
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2021
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2021

About this map

The Colorado River forms a jagged natural boundary between California and Arizona, anchoring a landscape defined by industrial-scale irrigation and desert riverfront. Within the Palo Verde Valley, the city of Blythe and neighboring East Blythe serve as the civic and agricultural hub, featuring the Riverside County Blythe Courthouse and specialized infrastructure like the Morris Ag Air SW Airport. The map documents a complex hydraulic system necessary for valley cultivation, including the Hauser Drain, C Canal, and Deepwater Bend.

East of the river, the terrain shifts abruptly into the arid washes of the Great Colorado Valley and Parker Valley. These desert reaches are carved by seasonal drainages such as Cinnabar Wash, Limekiln Wash, and Petes Wash. The contrast between the grid-patterned fields of the California side and the stark, undeveloped topography of the Arizona side highlights the transformative impact of the D-10 Canal and other water management features on this borderland environment.