1967 Map of Sanchez Reservoir

About this map

The Sanchez Reservoir serves as a massive focal point on this 1967 survey of southern Colorado, lying just east of the San Pedro mesa. Fed by a complex network of seasonal drainages including Ventero Creek, San Francisco Creek, and Torcido Creek, the reservoir is a critical piece of water infrastructure within the historic Sangre De Cristo Grant. The landscape reveals a transition from the elevated Mesa landforms to the alluvial plains where Jaroso Creek and Cuates Creek descend from higher elevations. Evidence of small-scale land use and exploration appears in the form of a Gravel Pit near the reservoir and a Prospect to the southwest, while a simple Jeep Trail provides the primary access through the higher terrain, reflecting the area's rural and utilitarian character in the late 1960s.