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2016 Map of Corbin Canyon

Name: 2016 Topographic Map of Corbin Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2016
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2016

About this map

The Purgatoire River meanders through this portion of Colorado, carving a complex network of draws and canyons across the tri-county corner of Otero, Bent, and Las Animas. The landscape is defined by its drainage patterns, with the Ninemile Canal and Two Buttes Canal highlighting a history of water management and irrigation in an otherwise arid environment. These man-made features contrast with the natural erosive forces that created Corbin Canyon and Ninemile Valley to the north.

Water storage is evident in numerous named stock ponds and reservoirs such as Lemley Pond and Houston Pond, which are essential for land use in this high-desert terrain. To the south, the terrain becomes increasingly dissected by features like Eightmile Canyon and the Harbordale Arroyo. This 2016 survey documents the enduring ranching and agricultural infrastructure of the region, where family-named landmarks like Hardy Canyon and Porterfield Canyon preserve local lineage upon the land.