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1974 Map of Ninemile Seep

Name: 1974 Topographic Map of Ninemile Seep
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1984
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1984

About this map

Ninemile Seep stands as a vital water source in this arid corner of Apache County, situated near the northern edge of the Navajo lands. The landscape is defined by its intermittent drainage systems and essential range improvements, including a network of isolated wells and tanks such as Reese Tank and Rock Tank. These features suggest a landscape managed for livestock grazing, where every water point like West Ninemile Well and East Ninemile Well marks a critical node in the local ranching geography.

The southern portion of the survey captures the winding paths of Puerco Wash and Milky Wash, which drain toward the seasonal depression of Red Lake. This area, mapped with updates through the early 1980s, reveals the sparse but deliberate footprint of human activity on the high desert, from the Keystone Well to the Triangle Well, illustrating how water infrastructure dictated the utility of this sprawling terrain.