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2019 Map of Cornelia

Name: 2019 Topographic Map of Cornelia
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2019
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2019

About this map

The Arkansas River forms the central axis of this Bent County landscape, where an intricate network of irrigation infrastructure defines the local geography. Significant water-management features like the Fort Lyon Canal, Consolidated Ditch, and Las Animas Town Ditch trace the contours of the valley, supporting the agricultural life around the small settlements of Marlman, Cornelia, and Riverdale. These man-made waterways, including the Horse Cr Reservoir Outlet Ditch and Highland Canal, represent a century-long effort to divert river water across the arid high plains.

In the southern reaches, the terrain descends into the Picketwire Valley, a name locally associated with the Purgatoire River. The map documents the persistent layout of section lines and rural routes such as Adobe Rd and Cornelia Rd, which intersect the landscape between landmarks like Dawn Reservoir and Horse Cr. This survey illustrates how human habitation in this part of Colorado remains inextricably tied to the engineering of the river's flow.