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1965 Map of Dolores East

Name: 1965 Topographic Map of Dolores East
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1967
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1967

About this map

The Dolores River valley and its surrounding highlands appear here in the mid-1960s, a landscape defined by complex irrigation and the remnants of earlier transit routes. Just east of the town of Dolores, the map traces the Old Railroad Grade as it winds through Lost Canyon Creek, marking the path of the Rio Grande Southern Railroad's former presence in the San Juan mountains. The high plateau of Haycamp Mesa separates the river valley from a sophisticated network of reservoirs and canals to the south.

Water management is central to this area's development, evidenced by the Summit Ditch which feeds substantial bodies like Puett Reservoir and Summit Reservoir. These irrigation works supported rural communities such as Stapleton and the area near the East Lakeview Sch. Higher elevations are preserved within the San Juan National Forest, where smaller features like Butler Reservoir and the Fish Hatchery suggest a mix of utilitarian water storage and local industry.