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2010 Map of Sunshine Mesa

Name: 2010 Topographic Map of Sunshine Mesa
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2010
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2010

About this map

Los Tanos sits at the northern edge of this high plains landscape, where the infrastructure of 21st-century ranching meets the drainage systems of the Pecos River basin. The geography is defined by Sunshine Mesa, a broad plateau punctuated by a network of water-management features essential for livestock in this arid environment. Strategic water points such as South Los Tanos Tank and the expansive Nine Hundred Acre Lake are supplemented by numerous named windmills across the range.

Windmills like the Middle Buck Trap Windmill, East Buck Trap Windmill, and Little Spring Pasture Windmill trace the divisions of historical grazing lands. These landmarks, along with Moorhouse Ranch, illustrate the persistent ranching economy of Guadalupe County. The terrain is further etched by the Arroyo San Juan de Dios, which winds through the eastern half of the survey, carving seasonal watercourses through the mesa country.