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1985 Map of Cutter Canyon

Name: 1985 Topographic Map of Cutter Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1985
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1985

About this map

Manzanares Mesa and Jasis Mesa dominate this high-desert landscape in northwestern New Mexico, where deep drainage systems have carved a complex network of tablelands. The central artery of this terrain is the confluence of several significant washes, including Largo Canyon, Blanco Canyon, and Carrizo Canyon. These natural features are intersected by the massive engineering of the Navajo Indian Irrigation Project Main Canal, which cuts across the lower elevations near Cutter Canyon.

Tracing these canyons reveals a history of water reliance in a semi-arid environment. Named water sources like Medina Spring and Jasis Spring appear near the small settlement of Medina, while prominent landforms such as Victor Peak serve as vital landmarks. The map illustrates the 1980s transition of the area as it balanced traditional landscape use with modern infrastructure, evidenced by the canal and local access roads through the Vallejo Canyon and Escarbada Canyon systems.