1963 Map of China Lake

About this map

The Pecos River serves as the dividing line between Ward and Reeves counties, defining a landscape of desert water management and energy infrastructure. This mid-century survey, updated in the early 1980s, reveals a complex network of resource extraction and transport, characterized by numerous Oil Wells and Gas Wells scattered across the terrain. The hydrology of the region is notably artificial, with a large Aqueduct, Canal, and multiple Pipelines cutting across the contours to manage water and petroleum products in an arid environment.