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2016 Map of Redmesa

Name: 2016 Topographic Map of Redmesa
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2016
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2016

About this map

The Red Mesa plateau dominates this Southwestern Colorado landscape, centered around the rural communities of Redmesa and Marvel near the New Mexico border. Water management is a central theme of this high-desert region, evidenced by the La Plata River and an intricate network of irrigation systems including the Pioneer Ditch and Enterprise Ditch. These human-made waterways run parallel to natural drainages such as Johnny Pond Arroyo and San Juan Arroyo, illustrating the transition from natural runoff to controlled agricultural irrigation.

Terrain features are marked by descriptive local nomenclature, ranging from the evocative Cannibal Canyon and Butch Henry Draw to the distinct volcanic profiles of Cinder Butte and Cinder Bluffs. The map reveals a grid-like development pattern where county roads like Co RD 100 and Church Hollow DR navigate the complex topography of mesas and canyons. This survey documents the intersection of modern ranching infrastructure with the ancient geographic features of the Four Corners area.