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1953 Map of Rio Vista

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Rio Vista
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1964
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1964

About this map

The Sacramento River anchors this delta landscape, defining the border between Solano and Sacramento Counties. The town of Rio Vista sits at the river's edge, backed by the rising Montezuma Hills and serving as a gateway to the intricate waterway network of the California Delta. To the north and east, the geography is dominated by large tracts and islands like Ryer Island and Grand Island, protected by an extensive levee system and numerous pumping stations.

Water management is central to the era's layout, specifically the Yolo By-Pass, which is noted as subject to inundation during high water periods. Genealogists and local historians can pinpoint civic markers such as the High Sch and Cem, along with industrial and nautical features like the Tide Gage and numerous gas wells scattered across the lowlands and hills. The map captures the delicate balance between the agricultural exploitation of the islands and the natural flow of tidal sloughs like Cache Slough and Miner Slough.