1961 Map of Caballo

About this map

The Caballo Reservoir dominates this high-desert landscape, held back by the Caballo Dam on the Rio Grande. This early 1960s survey documents the complex water management system of the era, including the Percha Diversion Dam and the Bonita Community Ditch which provided essential irrigation to the valley below. Small desert settlements like Caballo and Oasis appear along the highway, supported by a network of flowing wells tapping into the subterranean flow of ephemeral drainages like Las Animas Creek and Percha Creek. Beyond the water's edge, the map reveals evidence of resource extraction and geological study, from dredge tailings along the river to remote mineral sites like Stop Mine. Rugged eastern topography is etched with numerous named canyons, such as Bat Cave Canyon and Apache Canyon, highlighting the sharp contrast between the managed river corridor and the arid wilderness of the reservation border.