2017 Map of Lyden

About this map

The Rio Grande and its confluence with the Rio Ojo Caliente anchor this New Mexico landscape, where water management is central to the valley's geography. A complex network of irrigation channels, including the Los Luceros Ditch, El Medio Ditch, and Rinconada Isla Ditch, serves the fertile lands surrounding Lyden and Los Luceros. These traditional acequias represent a historical continuity of agricultural practices in Rio Arriba County. To the west, the terrain rises sharply toward the prominent formations of Black Mesa and Vallito Peak, marking a stark transition from the riparian zone to the high desert. The map also captures a portion of the Carson National Forest in the northeast, showing the rugged network of arroyos and canyons like Sandlin Arroyo and Cañada la Lemitas that drain toward the river basin.