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1961 Map of Priest Tank

Name: 1961 Topographic Map of Priest Tank
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1977
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1977

About this map

Water management in this arid Sierra County landscape is evidenced by the Monticello Community Ditch and the Cuchillo Community Ditch, which divert essential flow from Alamosa Creek and Cuchillo Creek. The presence of small settlements like Placitas and namesake locations such as Roque Ramos and Ramos suggest a history of localized ranching and subsistence farming near the canyon bottoms.

Strategic landmarks like Roque Ramos Peak overlook a network of seasonal water sources including Priest Tank, Ignacio Pares Tank, and Frank Tank. The mapping of the Aden-Torres Windmill and Lopez Windmill highlights the reliance on groundwater for livestock in the high desert. From the winding Old Mill Canyon to the broad drainage of Samora Draw, the map details a terrain defined by its water-rights history and the individual families who established these remote outposts.