Loading map...

2018 Map of Laguna Dam

Name: 2018 Topographic Map of Laguna Dam
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2018
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2018

About this map

The Colorado River and the Gila River meet in this landscape defined by early 20th-century water management and military operations. The Laguna Dam stands as a central landmark, once serving as the first dam on the Colorado River to provide irrigation for the North Gila Valley. This 2018 survey reveals a complex network of engineering, including the Gila Main Canal and the massive All-American Canal skirting the Chocolate Mountains. To the east, the Laguna Army Airfield (Yuma Proving Ground) occupies a significant portion of the desert floor, reflecting the area's continued strategic importance.

Evidence of local history is scattered across the terrain, from the Laguna Cem near the former settlement of Laguna to the McPhaul Bridge spanning the Gila. The Laguna Mountains are crisscrossed by a dense network of recreational trails with distinctive names like 10-Mile Romp and Stomp, Larry La Vida, and Moab, suggesting the area's modern evolution into a destination for outdoor enthusiasts. The map also captures the rail-side location of Kinter and the prominent peaks of Sugarloaf and Boot Peak.