2017 Map of Paduca Breaks East

About this map

Red Hills and the surrounding drainage basins of Red Hills Draw and Salado Draw characterize this southeastern New Mexico landscape. The territory is defined by an essential water infrastructure, where isolated collection points like Penn Tank, W Dinwiddie Tank, and Needmore Tank supported ranching operations across the arid terrain. The map reveals a network of rural access routes, including Battle Axe Rd and Dinwiddie Rd, which connect these remote outposts. To the southeast, the land levels out into Rattlesnake Flat, illustrating the transition from the draws to broader desert basins. This 2017 survey by the U.S. Geological Survey documents the enduring patterns of land use and water management in Lea County, where family-named landmarks and tanks remain the primary identifiers of location in the Chihuahuan Desert.