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1956 Map of Calipatria SW

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Calipatria SW
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1979
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1979

About this map

The Salton Sea dominates the northern horizon of this mid-century survey, its shoreline appearing at an elevation of 235 feet below sea level. This landscape is a complex desert-irrigation network, defined by a massive grid of engineered waterways including the Westside Main Canal, Trifolium Canal, and Thistle Canal. These channels, alongside dozens of laterals and drains like the Vail Canal, transformed the arid Imperial Valley into a productive agricultural zone.

Settlement is concentrated at Westmorland in the southeast and the Vail Ranch further north. The map documents the vital intersection of water management and conservation, with a portion of the Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge protecting the marshes where the New River enters the sea. Local industrial activity is evidenced by a Gravel Pit and a Gaging Sta along the river, providing a precise look at the infrastructure required to sustain life in this low-elevation basin.