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1981 Map of Esperanza Mill

Name: 1981 Topographic Map of Esperanza Mill
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1981
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1981

About this map

Industrial scale and desert water management define this portion of the Santa Cruz Valley during the early 1980s. The northern landscape is dominated by the Sierrita Mine (East Pit) and the Esperanza Mill, supported by an extensive network of tailings ponds and storage bins. This heavy industrial footprint contrasts with the surrounding arid terrain, which is crisscrossed by an intricate system of washes such as Amargosa Wash and Demetrie Wash.

Evidence of ranching and early settlement persists along the Southern Pacific rail line and the Santa Cruz River, most notably at the Canoa Ranch and the developing community of Green Valley. The importance of water in this environment is underscored by the numerous named catchments scattered through the Tinaja Hills and plains, including Hollywood Tank, Salcedo Tank, and Gemelo Tank (Water), alongside a prominent aqueduct feeding the mining operations.