Galisteo Basin
Encyclopedia
The Galisteo Basin is a surface basin
and a closely related groundwater basin in north-central New Mexico
. Its primary watercourse is the Galisteo River or Galisteo Creek, a perennial stream
, for part of its course, that flows from the eastern highlands down into the Rio Grande
about three miles above the Santo Domingo Pueblo
. The Galisteo basin covers approximately 467,200 acres and runs from San Miguel County
in the east, across Santa Fe County
, and into Sandoval County
at its westernmost point, the Rio Grande. Northeast of Galisteo Basin rise the Sangre de Cristo Mountains
and to the southwest lie the Sandia Mountains
. Because of its location lying between mountain ranges and connecting the Rio Grande Valley
with the Great Plains
, the Galisteo Basin was used as a trade route by prehistoric and historic indigenous and later also by the Spanish explorers.
on the slopes of Thompson Peak and Glorieta Baldy. It includes flow from Grasshopper
Canyon Creek, Deer Creek and Apache Canyon Creek. It is joined by the east fork just south of the town of Galisteo
. The east fork of the Galisteo River, also known as the San Cristobal Arroyo, flows off of Rowe Mesa and Glorieta Mesa. A major tributary of the east fork is Padre Springs Creek. The south fork joins the river about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) below the east fork. The south fork of the Galisteo River, also known as the Arroyo de la Jara, drains from the eastern and southern slopes of the basin. Its major contributor is Gaviso Arroyo.
After the three fork join together, the river flows northwest for about 30 miles (48.3 km) into the Rio Grande. The tracks of the BNSF railroad run beside the Galisteo River for most of this distance, turning south about 2 miles before the river enters the Rio Grande. After the three fork join together, the river receives flow from the north off the height of land south of the city of Santa Fe
, including Gallina Arroyo, San Marcos Arroyo and Canada de la Cueva. From the south it receives flow off the eastside of the Ortiz Mountains from Arroyo la Joya, Arroyo Canamo, Cunningham Creek, and Arroyo Viejo.
culture (Eastern Anasazi). It is widely considered one of the most impressive archeological sites in the United States. Most of the sites are currently closed to the public. The most famous Pueblo ruin within the basin is San Cristobal Pueblo. From the 14th to the early 15th century, the pueblos in Galisteo Basin were trade centers. After 1680, the basin was abandoned. Various peoples, known and unknown, inhabited the area, including the Tano
(Arizona Tewa), East Rio Grande Keresan, Pecos
, and Tewa.
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
and a closely related groundwater basin in north-central New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. Its primary watercourse is the Galisteo River or Galisteo Creek, a perennial stream
Perennial stream
A perennial stream or perennial river is a stream or river that has continuous flow in parts of its bed all year round during years of normal rainfall. "Perennial" streams are contrasted with "intermittent" streams which normally cease flowing for weeks or months each year, and with "ephemeral"...
, for part of its course, that flows from the eastern highlands down into the Rio Grande
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...
about three miles above the Santo Domingo Pueblo
Santo Domingo Pueblo, New Mexico
Santo Domingo Pueblo, also known as Kewa Pueblo , is an Indian pueblo and a census-designated place in Sandoval County, New Mexico, in the United States. The pueblo is located approximately southwest of Santa Fe west of Interstate 25. As of the 2000 census, the CDP population was 2,550...
. The Galisteo basin covers approximately 467,200 acres and runs from San Miguel County
San Miguel County, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*66.6% White*1.4% Black*1.7% Native American*0.8% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.9% Two or more races*25.5% Other races*76.8% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
in the east, across Santa Fe County
Santa Fe County, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*76.2% White*0.9% Black*3.1% Native American*1.2% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.6% Two or more races*14.9% Other races*50.6% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, and into Sandoval County
Sandoval County, New Mexico
-Indian reservations:Sandoval County has 12 Indian reservations and two joint-use areas lying within its borders, the second most of any county in the United States -Indian reservations:Sandoval County has 12 Indian reservations and two joint-use areas lying within its borders, the second most of...
at its westernmost point, the Rio Grande. Northeast of Galisteo Basin rise the Sangre de Cristo Mountains
Sangre de Cristo Mountains
The Sangre de Cristo Mountains are the southernmost subrange of the Rocky Mountains. They are located in southern Colorado and northern New Mexico in the United States...
and to the southwest lie the Sandia Mountains
Sandia Mountains
The Sandia Mountains name posu gai hoo-oo, "where water slides down arroyo") are a mountain range located in Bernalillo and Sandoval counties, immediately to the east of the city of Albuquerque in New Mexico in the southwestern United States. The range is largely within the Cibola National...
. Because of its location lying between mountain ranges and connecting the Rio Grande Valley
Rio Grande Valley
The Rio Grande Valley or the Lower Rio Grande Valley, informally called The Valley, is an area located in the southernmost tip of South Texas...
with the Great Plains
Great Plains
The Great Plains are a broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe and grassland, which lies west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S...
, the Galisteo Basin was used as a trade route by prehistoric and historic indigenous and later also by the Spanish explorers.
Geography
The Galisteo Basin drains the southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains, shares its northern drainage divide (height of land) with the Santa Fe Basin and its eastern drainage divide with the Pecos Basin. To the west it is bounded by the Rio Grande, and to the south by the drainage divide with the Estancia basin, by the Ortiz Mountains. and the drainage divide with the Arroyo de la Vega de la Tanos, which flows off the western slopes of the Ortiz Mountains.River course
The north fork of the Galisteo River arises in the southern Sangre de Cristo MountainsSangre de Cristo Mountains
The Sangre de Cristo Mountains are the southernmost subrange of the Rocky Mountains. They are located in southern Colorado and northern New Mexico in the United States...
on the slopes of Thompson Peak and Glorieta Baldy. It includes flow from Grasshopper
Canyon Creek, Deer Creek and Apache Canyon Creek. It is joined by the east fork just south of the town of Galisteo
Galisteo, New Mexico
Galisteo is a census-designated place in Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States. It is part of the Santa Fe, New Mexico Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 265 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
. The east fork of the Galisteo River, also known as the San Cristobal Arroyo, flows off of Rowe Mesa and Glorieta Mesa. A major tributary of the east fork is Padre Springs Creek. The south fork joins the river about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) below the east fork. The south fork of the Galisteo River, also known as the Arroyo de la Jara, drains from the eastern and southern slopes of the basin. Its major contributor is Gaviso Arroyo.
After the three fork join together, the river flows northwest for about 30 miles (48.3 km) into the Rio Grande. The tracks of the BNSF railroad run beside the Galisteo River for most of this distance, turning south about 2 miles before the river enters the Rio Grande. After the three fork join together, the river receives flow from the north off the height of land south of the city of Santa Fe
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
, including Gallina Arroyo, San Marcos Arroyo and Canada de la Cueva. From the south it receives flow off the eastside of the Ortiz Mountains from Arroyo la Joya, Arroyo Canamo, Cunningham Creek, and Arroyo Viejo.
History
The Galisteo Basin has a rich cultural history being a part of PuebloPueblo
Pueblo is a term used to describe modern communities of Native Americans in the Southwestern United States of America. The first Spanish explorers of the Southwest used this term to describe the communities housed in apartment-like structures built of stone, adobe mud, and other local material...
culture (Eastern Anasazi). It is widely considered one of the most impressive archeological sites in the United States. Most of the sites are currently closed to the public. The most famous Pueblo ruin within the basin is San Cristobal Pueblo. From the 14th to the early 15th century, the pueblos in Galisteo Basin were trade centers. After 1680, the basin was abandoned. Various peoples, known and unknown, inhabited the area, including the Tano
Arizona Tewa
The Arizona Tewa are a Tewa Pueblo group that resides on the eastern part of the Hopi Reservation on or near First Mesa in northeastern Arizona.-Synonymy:...
(Arizona Tewa), East Rio Grande Keresan, Pecos
Pecos
Pecos may refer to:* Pecos Bill, a mythical American cowboy, immortalized in numerous tall tales* Pecos Classification, a division of all known Ancient Pueblo Peoples culture into chronological phases...
, and Tewa.
See also
- Geography of the United StatesGeography of the United StatesThe United States is a country in the Western Hemisphere. It consists of forty-eight contiguous states in North America, Alaska, a peninsula which forms the northwestern most part of North America, and Hawaii, an archipelago in the Pacific Ocean. There are several United States territories in the...
- Galisteo, New MexicoGalisteo, New MexicoGalisteo is a census-designated place in Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States. It is part of the Santa Fe, New Mexico Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 265 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- PuebloPuebloPueblo is a term used to describe modern communities of Native Americans in the Southwestern United States of America. The first Spanish explorers of the Southwest used this term to describe the communities housed in apartment-like structures built of stone, adobe mud, and other local material...
- Anasazi
Further reading
- Mednick, Christina Singleton (1996) San Cristobal: Voices and Visions of the Galisteo Basin Museum of New Mexico Press, Santa Fe, New Mexico, ISBN 978-0-89013-292-0
- Lippard, Lucy R. (2010) Down Country: the Tano of the Galisteo Basin, 1250-1782 Museum of New Mexico Press, Santa Fe, New Mexico, ISBN 978-0-89013-566-2
External links
- Excavations within rectangular rooms of laid adobe bricks, Galisteo Basin
- Galisteo Basin Archaeological
- Galisteo Basin Preserve: Cultural History
- Galisteo Basin Preserve: Natural Features
- Galisteo Basin Preserve: Regional Map
- Galisteo Basin Archeological Sites Protection Act (pdf)
- Whitley, Galisteo Basin Archaeological Sites Protection Act