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2018 Map of Santa Rita Bridge

Name: 2018 Topographic Map of Santa Rita Bridge
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2018
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2018

About this map

Santa Rita Park lies at the heart of this intensive agricultural landscape within the San Joaquin Valley, where the natural flow of the San Joaquin River is managed through an intricate network of irrigation and flood control systems. The terrain is defined by the convergence of Merced, Madera, and Fresno counties, featuring complex water management structures like the Temple Santa Rita Canal, Helm Ditch, and the Eastside Bypass. These features illustrate the transformation of the valley floor into a productive agricultural hub.

Water features such as Turner Island, Mariposa Slough, and Sand Slough reveal the historical hydrology of the region, where seasonal waters once spread across the plains. Modern infrastructure is anchored by the Santa Rita Bridge, carrying traffic over the river and connecting the rural grid of local roads like W Washington Rd and Barcellos Rd. For the local historian, the myriad of named ditches such as Willow Tree Ditch and Cowden Ditch provides a blueprint of the property lines and water rights that shaped this community.