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2017 Map of Mesa SE

Name: 2017 Topographic Map of Mesa SE
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2017
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2017

About this map

Arid grazing lands and drainage networks define this section of Chaves County, where water management is the primary marker of human activity on the landscape. The geography is characterized by numerous artificial catchments such as Tank in the Flat, Lake Tank, and Buffalo Tank, which serve as vital water sources in an otherwise dry environment. These features are dispersed across a terrain carved by the Middle Fork Fivemile Draw and East Fork Fivemile Draw, indicating a natural drainage pattern that dictates the placement of infrastructure.

Transportation is anchored by the north-south corridor of N Main St, with a grid of rural roads including Chickweed Rd and Stargrass Rd providing access to remote sections. The map reveals a land divided by township and range lines, such as t6s r23e, illustrating the systematic Bureau of Land Management surveying that governs this part of New Mexico. The reliance on features like Fivemile Tank and Cottonwood Tank underscores the essential role of water rights and ranching improvements in the development of this high desert region.