2011 Map of Nasja Mesa

About this map

Lake Powell dominates the eastern half of this landscape, its waters reaching deep into the sandstone architecture of the Colorado Plateau. The intricate shoreline is defined by numerous drowned drainages, where the rising reservoir has transformed former terrestrial features into dramatic aquatic inlets. Prominent among these are Reflection Canyon and Hidden Passage Canyon, which branch westward from the main channel into the surrounding desert. To the west, the topography rises away from the water toward the high ground of Nasja Mesa and the plateau at Fiftymile Point. This 2011 survey captures the complex boundary between the reservoir and the natural canyon systems, documenting the extent of numerous smaller canyons such as Anasazi Canyon and Twilight Canyon before they descend into the lake's fingers. The map serves as a detailed record of this intersection between modern water management and the ancient geometry of Navajo Valley.