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2015 Map of Howard Ranch

Name: 2015 Topographic Map of Howard Ranch
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2015
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2015

About this map

The San Joaquin Valley is defined here by the meeting of massive infrastructure and the varying terrain of the Diablo Range foothills. Two parallel arteries, the Governor Edmund G Brown California Aqueduct and the Delta-Mendota Canal, dominate the landscape as they channel water through the arid valley floor. To the west, the topography rises sharply into the hills of Whitney Canyon, where seasonal drainages like Quinto Creek and Mustang Creek carve their way toward the lowlands.

Agricultural development is concentrated in the northern and eastern portions of the map, anchored by the edge of Gustine. This area is crisscrossed by a grid of local farm-to-market roads, including Sullivan Rd and Whitworth Rd, which serve the expansive holdings of the Howard Ranch. The transition from the highly engineered water systems of the valley to the natural watercourses like Garzas Creek reflects the complex land use required to sustain ranching and farming in this part of Merced County.