1968 Map of Highline Lake

About this map

Highline Lake State Recreational Area serves as a focal point for water management and public use on the high desert plains near the Garfield and Mesa County line. Surveyed in the late 1960s, this landscape illustrates the critical role of irrigation infrastructure in Western development, anchored by the extensive Government Highline Canal and the functional engineering of the Siphon and Spillway. While the southern portion of the map shows a network of planned routes like Twelve Thirteen Road and a local Landing Strip, the northern reaches remain defined by rugged drainage systems including Demaree Canyon and Salt Creek. The presence of both Highline Lake and Mack Mesa Lake underscores the transition from the natural arid washes of Coyote Wash and East Mack Wash to a managed hydraulic environment designed for recreation and agriculture.