1943 Map of Giers Basin

About this map

Parker Dam stands as the central engineering landmark in this 1943 survey, capturing the infrastructure along the Colorado River during World War II. Produced by the 651st Engineer Topographic Battalion for the California-Arizona Maneuver Area, the map emphasizes water sources and elevation crucial for military training in the desert. The terrain is dominated by the jagged Mohave Mountains, where isolated water points like Mohave Spring, Screwbean Spring, and Gold Spring provided essential resources in an otherwise arid landscape. Traces of earlier mineral exploration appear at the Manitowoc Prospect, reflecting the region's mining history. The map also delineates the state boundary between Arizona and California, alongside the county line for Mohave and San Bernardino counties, showing how these political borders follow the river's path through the high-relief basin.