2018 Map of Holtville East

About this map

Holtville and the neighboring settlement of Date City serve as the focal points for this intensive look at the hydraulic engineering of the southeastern Imperial Valley. The landscape is defined by an intricate, grid-like network of water management features that separate the fertile agricultural lands from the arid East Mesa to the east. The East Highline Canal acts as a primary artery, feeding a dense system of laterals and drains such as the Palmetto Lateral and Pampas Drain. This 2018 survey reveals the degree to which the local economy relies on gravity-fed irrigation and drainage, with features like the Ninth Street Ditch and Pear Canal threading through the town of Holtville. The Alamo River meanders across the southern portion of the quadrangle, providing a natural contrast to the rigid geometry of the surrounding irrigation works.