2012 Map of Cadiz Valley SE

About this map

The Colorado River Aqueduct carves a striking north-south line through this remote desert landscape, representing a critical piece of California’s hydraulic infrastructure as it appeared in 2012. This section of the waterway includes the West Iron Portal, a key transition point in the engineering system that moves water across the arid expanse. The terrain is characterized by intricate drainage patterns and alluvial fans that dominate the basin floor, where small desert washes converge and dissipate. Running east to west across the open valley is Route 62, the primary corridor for transit through this sparsely populated region of San Bernardino County. The map captures the isolation of the high desert before the surrounding mountain ranges, highlighting how modern infrastructure attempts to navigate and tame this stark environment.