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2020 Map of The Old Dry Lake

Name: 2020 Topographic Map of The Old Dry Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2020
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2020

About this map

The Old Dry Lake defines the central basin of this high plains landscape in De Baca County, where the management of water is the primary feature of human settlement. A network of livestock tanks and catchment basins such as North Ragland Tank, Horse Pasture Tank, and Heifer Tank are scattered throughout the landscape, connected by a primitive road system including Clay Flat Rd and Yeso Creek Rd.

Tracing the drainage patterns through Ragland Draw and Double Windmills Draw, the map reveals how land was partitioned into sections. The inclusion of School Section Tank points to historical land grant designations common in the West, where specific sections were set aside to fund public education. This survey documents the persistent ranching infrastructure of the region, from O'Brian Tank to the southern reaches of Ford Tank.