2016 Map of Hooper East

About this map

The San Luis Valley landscape in Alamosa County is defined by an intricate network of water management systems essential for high-altitude agriculture. In the northern reaches, the town of Hooper anchors a grid of surveyed roads, while the settlement of Mosca lies to the south. The movement of water is the primary feature of this terrain, directed through the Gibson Ditch, Hooper Lateral, and the Streator Lateral. These engineered waterways, alongside the San Luis Valley Irrigation Drain, illustrate the intensive efforts to reclaim and cultivate this arid basin. Natural hydrology persists in the form of San Luis Creek and Bachelor Lake, which contrast with the rigid lines of the surrounding townships and ranges. This 2016 survey captures the persistent agricultural identity of the region, where legacy ditches like the Prairie Ditch remain central to the local economy.