1918 Map of Stevinson

About this map

The San Joaquin River and Merced River converge in this fertile basin, where early 20th-century water management is clearly visible through the East Side Irrigation Canal. The settlement of Stevinson serves as the primary hub, surrounded by a complex network of wetlands and drainage features including Lake Honda and Bear Slough. Surveyed in 1915, the map captures a landscape defined by its seasonal watercourses, with the East Branch and Middle Br feeding into Salt Slough. This study reveals the transition from natural riparian systems to an engineered agricultural environment, featuring early road alignments like Adams and extensive ditching that supported the valley's developing irrigation economy before later large-scale developments altered the original hydrology.