1982 Map of Fifteenmile Lake

About this map

White Sands dominates this 1982 orthophotomap, showing the stark intersection of the desert's natural hydraulics and military infrastructure. The landscape is defined by extensive tracts of shifting sand and the alkaline basins of Big Salt Lake and Fifteenmile Lake. These water bodies, along with Horseshoe Lake, suggest a dynamic environment where seasonal moisture and evaporation cycles govern the terrain. The inclusion of White Sands Missile Range boundaries across the lower half of the map highlights the area's mid-century transition from open ranching country to a restricted federal testing facility.