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2014 Map of Spring Water Canyon

Name: 2014 Topographic Map of Spring Water Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2014
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2014

About this map

Cienega Cr winds through this Pima County landscape, serving as a primary drainage for a network of complex canyons and washes in the Santa Rita Mountains vicinity. The terrain is defined by deep incisions like Spring Water Canyon and Greaterville Gulch, which indicate the historical importance of water management in this arid region. The presence of features such as Oil Well Tank and Oil Well Canyon points toward historical industrial exploration, while numerous tanks like Boulder Tank and Wind Tank reflect the essential infrastructure for ranching and livestock that has long shaped the land use here.

Evidence of local history is etched into the names of these geographic features, from the Empire Gulch to the remote Bear Spring Canyon. The map reveals a high density of named washes and gulches, including Fortune Wash and Los Posos Gulch, highlighting how water flow dictated the placement of early routes and land boundaries. This survey provides a look at the natural topographical constraints and human modifications made to secure water at the start of the 21st century.