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2015 Map of Kettleman Plain

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

USGS Topo · Published 2015

About this map

Avenal sits at the western edge of the San Joaquin Valley, where the industrial agricultural landscape of the Central Valley meets the rising terrain of the Diablo Range. The landscape is defined by the contrast between the flat Kettleman Plain and the complex ridges to the east and west. To the east, the Kettleman Hills rise with industrial naming conventions like Bullwheel Ridge and Drillers Ridge, hinting at the region's petroleum history.

Drainage is dominated by a series of southwest-to-northeast seasonal channels such as Arroyo Mellado and Arroyo Conejoso that cut through the hills toward the valley floor. Toward the south, the terrain becomes more dramatic at Reef Ridge and Little Tar Canyon, leading into Sunflower Valley. This survey captures the intersection of heavy infrastructure, including major routes like Skyline Rd and Utica Ave, with the geographic boundaries of the t23s r18e township divisions.