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2013 Map of Garcia

Name: 2013 Topographic Map of Garcia
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2013
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2013

About this map

Mesita, Garcia, and Jaroso anchor this corner of the San Luis Valley, where the high desert landscape is defined by an intricate network of early 21st-century irrigation infrastructure. The geography is characterized by the managed flow of water through engineered features like the Eastdale Culebra Canal and the Costilla Cr Reservoir Ditch, which support agriculture in this arid basin. Two significant catchment areas, Eastdale Reservoir Number 1 and Eastdale Reservoir Number 2, sit within the flatlands, providing essential storage for the surrounding ranching and farming communities.

To the east, the flat valley floor gives way to the dramatic rising elevation of San Pedro Mesa. This topographical shift contrasts the grid-like road system of the valley, such as Co Road H and Co-159, with the steep, contoured slopes of the mesa. Numerous smaller watercourses and ditches, including Mesa Ditch and Jaroso Ditch, trace the natural and man-made paths of Costilla Cr, illustrating the long-standing reliance on water management in Costilla County.