1980 Map of Wilde Tank

About this map

Fort Bliss Military Reservation (McGregor Range) dominates this high-desert landscape in Otero County, where military operations and ranching history converge. The topography is defined by the steep eastern escarpment of Otero Mesa, rising sharply above the basin floor. Water management is the primary sign of human modification here, represented by a network of catchments such as Wilde Tank, Wright Tank, and the CCC Tank, which likely dates to the work projects of the 1930s. The presence of the Old Wright Place near Wright Tank suggests a legacy of homesteading and cattle ranching that predates or coexists with the expansive military range. Drainage patterns are clearly marked by the winding courses of Pendejo Wash and the steep incisions of Rough Canyon, illustrating the erosional forces shaping this arid environment during the late twentieth century.