1970 Map of Parker SW

About this map

The Colorado River carves a critical boundary between California and Arizona here, defining the agricultural and recreational development of the Parker Valley. Along the western banks, the Riverside Mountains overlook a landscape marked by desert transit and extraction, featuring a Mine, Borrow Pit, and Gravel Pit. The industrial influence of the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad is evident in the north, while the river's eastern floodplain in Arizona is intensely managed for irrigation. Water control structures like the Diversion Dam and Gaging Station support the complex network of laterals and drains that feed the valley's farms. Pockets of activity such as the Colorado River Day School and Lost Lake Resort show the established community and early tourism presence near Deer Island and Twentymile Slough.