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2013 Map of Melena

Name: 2013 Topographic Map of Melena
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2013
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2013

About this map

Melena occupies a central position in this Chaves County landscape, situated where the Old Clovis Hwy and Us-70 E traverse the arid terrain east of the Pecos River. The geography is defined by a series of intermittent watercourses and depressions, such as Arroyo del Macho and the curiously named Ink Pots to the northeast. These features, along with Skull Lake and Lowe Lake, suggest a basin-and-range hydrology where water is transient but influential on the land's use.

Local ranching and transport history is reflected in the network of named roads like One Horse Rd and Cottonwood Rd that skirt the base of Ballard Hill and the Dunnahoo Hills. The presence of Garcia Flat and the drainage of Lost River illustrates the broad, open nature of this high plains environment, as mapped in the early 21st century before modern development significantly altered these traditional livestock-raising areas.