1967 Map of Swede Corners

About this map

The Rio Grande Canal and a complex system of irrigation define this high-altitude landscape in the late 1960s. The region is characterized by its transition from the steep elevations of Red Rock Canyon and San Juan Creek in the west to the flat, water-managed basin of the San Luis Valley in the east. Hydrology is the central theme here, evidenced by the concentration of water bodies at Russell Lakes, including Trites Lake and Johnson Lake. A Fish Hatchery and numerous flowing wells near Gunbarrel Road point to the importance of groundwater management in this agricultural and conservation corridor. The small settlement of Swede Corners anchors the northeastern portion of the sheet, while family-named drainages like Sanderson Gulch and Biedell Creek cut through the western foothills.