2013 Map of Ruby Lee Reservoir

About this map

The Book Cliffs dominate the northern landscape of this Mesa County quadrangle, where the arid terrain of western Colorado is carved by a network of seasonal drainages. Water management is central to the area's geography, anchored by the Ruby Lee Reservoir and the Ruby-Ditch. In the lower elevations, the Government Highline Canal cuts across the southwest, marking the transition from the high desert ridges to the irrigated valley lands. A series of significant washes, including Big Salt Wash, Lipan Wash, and Layton Wash, define the drainage patterns flowing south from the highlands. Small-scale topographical features like Coal Gulch, Stove Canyon, and Dry Hollow speak to the erosion-carved character of the region near the Garfield County line.