1985 Map of McLeod Tank

About this map

The Caballo Mountains dominate this arid landscape along the border of Sierra and Dona Ana counties, revealing a complex network of desert drainages and watering points in the mid-1980s. The topography is defined by prominent elevations such as Redhouse Mountain and the McLeod Hills, which are dissected by deep erosional features including Green Canyon and McLeod Canyon. The map records a critical infrastructure of named water tanks essential for ranching and survival in this environment, from the Broken House Tank in the west to the Mine Tank in the north. This distribution of water sources, including the Escondido Tank and Red Hill Tank, illustrates how the land was managed and utilized in the years following the mid-century. Seasonal water movement is traced through McLeod Draw and various unnamed arroyos that feed into the larger basins.