Loading map...

2023 Map of Tierra Amarilla

Name: 2023 Topographic Map of Tierra Amarilla
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2023
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2023

About this map

The Rio Arriba County Courthouse stands as the civic heart of this northern New Mexico landscape, surrounded by a complex network of traditional acequias. These irrigation channels, including the Tierra Amarilla Community Ditch, El Porvenir Community Ditch, and Ensenada Ditch, trace the historical agricultural patterns along the Rio Chama and Rio Brazos. The map documents numerous early Hispanic settlements such as Los Ojos, Brazos, Ensenada, and La Puente, each deeply tied to the valley's water management system.

Genealogists will find significant value in the distribution of family and community burial grounds, from the Los Ojos Cem Old and San Jose Cem to the Luna Cem and Rutheron Cem. The terrain transitions from the river bottoms to the higher elevations of the Ft Heron Preserve, while the presence of the Ensenada Airport and local routes like Hatchery Rd reflect the modern infrastructure supporting these centuries-old communities.