1978 Map of Laguna Del Perro North

About this map

Laguna Del Perro (Salt) dominates this Estancia Valley landscape, its expansive alkali flats and numerous smaller salt basins revealing a highly specialized geological environment. Surveyed in the late 1970s, the map highlights the intricate boundaries of these basins, including La Salina in the southern reaches. The terrain is characterized by subtle elevation changes and depressions, where ephemeral water and mineral deposits create a distinct pattern of salt crusts. Human infrastructure is minimal, marked only by isolated features like a Well or a Tank, which suggest the logistical challenges and sparse ranching activity in this arid New Mexico interior. The survey captures a moment in time where the physical landscape of the salt lakes remains the primary defining characteristic of the region, reflecting both the ancient lakebed history and the modern isolation of the area.