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2011 Map of Palisade

Name: 2011 Topographic Map of Palisade
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2011
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2011

About this map

Palisade serves as the gateway to this canyon-carved landscape where the Colorado River meets a sophisticated network of early 20th-century irrigation systems. The reliance on water engineering is evident through the winding paths of the Government Highline Canal, Stub Ditch, and Grand Valley Canal, which transformed East Orchard Mesa into productive agricultural ground.

Beyond the river valley, the topography rises sharply toward Grand Mesa, punctuated by several coal mining operations that fueled local industry, including the Palisade Mines, Mount Lincoln Mine, and Midwest Mine. The map reveals a transition from settled orchards to the high-desert terrain of Halls Basin and Long Mesa, where numerous catchment structures like Guild Reservoir and Cliff Lake Reservoir support high-altitude water management.