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2017 Map of Puerco Dam

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

USGS Topo · Published 2017

About this map

The high desert landscape of Sandoval County is defined here by the winding path of the Rio Puerco, a waterway that has historically shaped settlement and movement in this part of New Mexico. The small community of Puerco Dam sits along its banks, serving as a rare focal point in an otherwise expansive terrain of mesas and deep drainages. To the northeast, the massive Mesa Prieta overlooks a series of erosion-carved features including Cañon Cuervo and Salado Canyon.

Transportation through this high-altitude environment is facilitated by service roads such as Indian Svc Rte 481 and Indian Svc Rte 48, which traverse the area between seasonal watercourses. The map reveals a complex network of arroyos and cañadas, from Arroyo Cuervo in the east to Cañada de los Canoncitos in the south. This 2017 survey documents the topography of the Rio Puerco basin before further modern shifts in local land use.