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1956 Map of Iris Wash

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Iris Wash
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1973
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1973

About this map

The Chocolate Mountains dominate the eastern landscape of this mid-century survey, a region largely defined by military activity and desert water management. Much of the territory falls within the Chocolate Mountain Aerial Gunnery Range, emphasizing the area's strategic use during the Cold War era. To the southwest, the Camp Dunlap Naval Reservation and the former Camp Dunlap (Site) mark the site of significant naval training infrastructure.

Hydrological engineering is central to the area's development, evidenced by the Coachella Canal and East Highline Canal cutting through the Mesa. Detailed labels identify specific infrastructure like Siphon 10 and Siphon 9, alongside the Niland-Blythe Road. The presence of the Imperial Buttes Mine and a prominent Gas Line further illustrate the industrial and resource-extraction efforts occurring at the edge of the desert wash.