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2013 Map of Costilla

Name: 2013 Topographic Map of Costilla
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2013
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2013

About this map

Costilla sits at the northern edge of Taos County where the high plains meet the rising slopes of the Taos Mountains. This borderlands landscape is defined by its complex irrigation network, critical for high-altitude agriculture in the arid Southwest. A series of gravity-fed water systems, including the Acequia Madre, Cordillera Ditch, Mesa Ditch, and Cerro Canal, draw from Costilla Cr to sustain the local fields. The settlement pattern reflects this reliance on the water, with homes and structures clustered near the ditches and along Upper Plaza Rd.

South of the main settlement, the terrain transitions into the rugged topography of Cedro Canyon and Jaroso Canyon. Here, the Urraca Ranch occupies a portion of the foothills, while man-made water features like the Association Ditch and Cerritos Number 2 extend the reach of the mountain runoff into the valley floor. The map clearly delineates the Colorado-New Mexico state line, illustrating how this community remains geographically and culturally integrated despite the political boundary.