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1982 Map of Ninemile Canyon

Name: 1982 Topographic Map of Ninemile Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1983
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1983

About this map

Ninemile Canyon serves as a rugged conduit for hydraulic engineering in this 1980s-era study of the eastern Sierra Nevada slopes. The landscape is dominated by the complex infrastructure of the Los Angeles Second Aqueduct, which navigates the uneven terrain through a series of siphons, flumes, and the Los Angeles Aqueduct Tunnel. This massive water conveyance system highlights the era's reliance on remote desert and mountain resources to sustain coastal urban growth.

Lower elevations reveal the arid expanse of Indian Wells Valley and the western edge of the Naval Weapons Center. Between high points like Sawtooth Peak and the hidden pocket of Rodecker Flat, the map documents several mining attempts, including a Mine in Noname Canyon and various prospects. These small-scale excavations, alongside a Borrow Pit and Gravel Pit, reflect the localized extraction of materials in a territory otherwise defined by transit and military boundaries.