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1973 Map of Spring Mtn.

Name: 1973 Topographic Map of Spring Mtn.
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1976
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1976

About this map

The Gila River cuts through this arid landscape, serving as the lifeblood for an extensive irrigation network that includes the Arlington Canal, Enterprise Canal, and Eighty Bend Canal. At the center of this hydraulic system is Gillespie Dam, accompanied by a Gaging Station and several quarries. This infrastructure illustrates the mid-century effort to divert water for agriculture and industry in the harsh terrain between the Buckeye Hills and the Gila Bend Mountains.

Inland from the river, the map records industrial and logistical markers like the Gila Compressor Station Airstrip and the Buckeye Copper Mine. These features, alongside isolated water sources such as Poison Well and Moody Spring, reveal the challenges of resource extraction and transit in the desert. The presence of the Arlington State Wildlife Area highlights a preserved corridor of riparian habitat amidst the surrounding pipelines and jeep trails.