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1972 Map of Turkey Ridge SW

Name: 1972 Topographic Map of Turkey Ridge SW
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1975
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1975

About this map

Brushy Mountain and the broad plateau simply labeled Mesa dominate this 1970s landscape in Socorro County. The area is defined by a sparse but vital network of water improvements, suggesting a ranching economy reliant on scattered resources like Mesa Well and Line Well. The terrain is cut by drainage features such as Well Canyon and Cuate Canyon, which provide the primary relief in an otherwise high-desert environment.

Strategic water management is evident in the naming of several catchment basins, including Piñon Tank, Forest Tank, and Julie Tank. The inclusion of the South Pothole further emphasizes the importance of natural and man-made water storage in this arid territory. This survey reflects the region prior to significant modern development, documenting the location of cattle tanks and remote wells that supported local land use during the early 1970s.