2002 Map of El Vado

About this map

El Vado Reservoir dominates this landscape in northern New Mexico, where the Rio Chama flows through deep sandstone cuts including the dramatic Chama Canyon. The map details the small settlement of El Vado, a focal point for the region's infrastructure featuring a Gaging Station and spillway. This area serves as a junction between the massive historic land holdings of the Tierra Amarilla Grant and the protected wilderness of the Santa Fe National Forest. Evidence of local industry is scattered across the high mesas, including a isolated Oil Well, a Drill Hole, and a Gas Well, illustrating the extractive history that accompanies the recreational draw of El Vado Lake State Park. Along the banks of Puerto Chiquito, a lone Cem remains as a quiet marker of early habitation in this arid, high-altitude terrain.