2011 Map of Collier Mesa

About this map

Sierra Diablo dominates the landscape in this remote Trans-Pecos region, where high desert elevations and deep drainages define the human footprint. The map documents the isolated McAdoo Ranch situated near the head of Collier Draw, illustrating the extreme spacing of pastoral settlements in the West Texas scrub. The eastern portion of the quadrangle is defined by the steep escarpment of the Diablo Rim, where the terrain drops sharply into Victorio Canyon and its northern branch, Little Victorio Canyon. Water management is vital in this arid environment, evidenced by livestock watering features like Cedar Tank and Dusty Tank. The distribution of these man-made tanks and named intermittent watercourses such as Dusty Draw and Cave Draw provides a clear view of how ranching operations utilized the natural topography of Collier Mesa in the early 21st century.