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1971 Map of Santana Mesa

Name: 1971 Topographic Map of Santana Mesa
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1974
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1974

About this map

The Rio Grande carves a deep international boundary along the southern edge of this West Texas landscape, separating the high desert of Presidio County from Chihuahua. Dominated by the massive uplift of Santana Mesa, the terrain is defined by complex drainage systems including Madera Canyon and Panther Creek Canyon. Human presence in this isolated borderland is marked by a handful of remote landmarks, such as the settlement at Madril and a Landing Strip situated above the river breaks.

Evidence of ranching and early travel persists through features like a Corral and a Roadside Park near the riverbank. Critical water sources in this arid environment are identified at Seep Spring, Trough Spring, and various other unnamed Springs scattered among the draws. The map illustrates a moment in time when the international border delineation within the limitrophe channel was still being finalized following the Boundary Treaty of 1970.