2013 Map of Cornelia

About this map

The Arkansas River forms the central axis of this Bent County landscape, where an intricate network of irrigation systems has long defined local agriculture. Early 21st-century water management is visible through features like the Consolidated Ditch, Jones Ditch, and the Las Animas Town Ditch, which divert river water to sustain the surrounding plains. The settlement of Marlman sits north of the river, while Riverdale occupies the lowlands just south of the main channel. This area also serves as a hub for conservation and water storage, evidenced by the Las Animas State Fish Hatchery and Dawn Reservoir. To the south, the terrain descends into the Picketwire Valley, a name that reflects the local phonetic adaptation of the Purgatoire River. The map documents a rural corridor where legacy ranch roads and state highways intersect with gravity-fed canals like the Fort Lyon Canal and Highland Canal, illustrating the enduring reliance on the river's flow for the region's livelihood.