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2017 Map of Plumasano Basin

Name: 2017 Topographic Map of Plumasano Basin
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2017
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2017

About this map

Pie Mesa and Red Mesa dominate the high-elevation landscape of this northwestern New Mexico territory, straddling the county line between McKinley and Cibola. The geography is defined by a network of drainage systems including Willow Wash and Plumasano Wash, which carve through the Plumasano Basin and create rugged relief at Mullen Canyon and Yellowrock Canyon.

Surface transportation is largely restricted to service routes and unpaved roads, such as Pia Mesa Rd and Indian Svc Rte 8, reflecting a land use pattern typical of high-desert basins. This 2017 survey by the U.S. Geological Survey details the natural contours and hydrologic draws, like Thompson Draw, that dictate the movement of both water and travel across this arid portion of the Colorado Plateau.