1970 Map of Cucharas Reservoir

About this map

Cucharas Reservoir dominates the northwestern corner of this 1970 landscape, where the Cucharas River cuts through the high plains of southern Colorado. The terrain transition is sharp, moving from the open expanse of Bustos Flat toward the complex drainages of Rattlesnake Canyon in the northeast. This advance proof captures the area's hydrology and land management just before the mid-1970s, highlighting scattered water sources such as Mud Spring and various tanks essential for ranching. The map also delineates the high-altitude boundary between Huerfano Co and Las Animas Co, providing a clear view of the regional topography and surveying benchmarks like BM 6074 and WM 5956 used to document this portion of the Colorado backcountry.