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1970 Map of Capps Springs

Name: 1970 Topographic Map of Capps Springs
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1973
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1973

About this map

The Cucharas River carves a deep, winding path through the high plains at the border of Pueblo and Huerfano counties, dictating the development of this ranching landscape. Water management is central to the area's survival, evidenced by an extensive network of named livestock tanks and irrigation improvements like the Keystone Dam and Wyatt Reservoir. Small-scale ranching operations are anchored by the Kenner Ranch and several family-named water sources such as Jake Vigil Spring and Cucharas Spring.

The presence of the Vigil and St Vrain land grant boundary reflects the region's deep historical ties to early southwestern land claims. While much of the terrain is defined by drainages like Rattlesnake Canyon and Emma Canyon, human activity is etched into the landscape through infrastructure like the Sheep Crossing and scattered extraction sites including Collins Pit. Scattered wells, such as the Arbright Well and Starbuck Well, point to the reliance on groundwater in this arid territory.