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1965 Map of Cibola

Name: 1965 Topographic Map of Cibola
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1966
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1966

About this map

The Colorado River serves as the central artery and political boundary for this 1960s desert landscape, separating California from Arizona as it winds through the Cibola National Wildlife Refuge. The irrigation and drainage infrastructure of the Palo Verde Valley is evident through the Palo Verde Canal and various pumps, reflecting the intensive water management required for agriculture in this arid region.

Settlement is sparse, centered on the small community of Cibola, where a Cem and a nearby Landing Strip mark the human presence. The map documents natural features like Davis Lake and Three Finger Lake alongside the seasonal drainages of Milpitas Wash and Hart Wash. Rising above the valley floor are the Palo Verde Mountains and Trigo Mountains, defining the edges of the floodplain while technical sites like a Radio Facility and Gaging Station signal the area's mid-century modernization.