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1967 Map of Swede Corners

Name: 1967 Topographic Map of Swede Corners
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1971
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1971

About this map

Swede Corners serves as the focal point for this 1960s topographic study of the San Luis Valley's hydraulic landscape. The eastern half of the map is defined by an intricate network of wetlands and water management, anchored by the Russell Lakes system, including Davey Lake, Trites Lake, and Johnson Lake. The presence of a Fish Hatchery and numerous flowing wells suggests the importance of artesian water and ecological conservation in this high-altitude basin.

Contrastingly, the western edge rises into the foothills where drainage systems like Red Rock Canyon, San Juan Creek, and Cottonwood Creek carve into the terrain. Artificial water diversions, most notably the Rio Grande Canal, cut through the center, illustrating the 20th-century engineering required to support agriculture and habitat in this arid region. From Sanderson Gulch to Mogotas Arroyo, the map documents a transition from the rugged drainage of the mountains to the managed lakebeds of the valley floor.