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2017 Map of Separ NE

Name: 2017 Topographic Map of Separ NE
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2017
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2017

About this map

Burro Cienaga cuts through the high desert of southwestern New Mexico, marking a landscape defined by water management and arid-land ranching. In this 2017 study, the drainage patterns of the high basins are articulated by several catchment features, including Government Tank, Sappington Tank, and the notably named Continental Divide Tank. These water sources were vital for sustaining the livestock industry that shaped the early settlement patterns of Grant County.

The presence of The Saltys in the southern portion of the map provides a specific point of interest for local historians tracking small desert outposts or ranching hubs. This era shows the modern transportation infrastructure as well, with the high-speed corridor of Interstate 10 and its junction with Highway 70 cutting a sharp horizontal line across the basin floor, contrasting with the ancient north-south drainage of the cienaga.