Water Maps for Colorado

[WesternRookie]

For scouting a unit you are unfamiliar with, what do you use to locate sources of water? Streams, creeks, etc.....What do you recommend?

Google maps?
OnX?
Something else?

 

[Sweetmeat]

Caltopo.com has a pretty cool "MapBuilder Overlay" which highlights most of the roads and water sources over top an aerial or topo map. OnX would be my second place to look. I like to use those 2 and Google Earth to build a bigger picture and incorporate all of their strengths.

 

[TOGIE]

careful when evaluating maps to be sure you're noticing things marked as perennial, ephemeral and intermittent... depending on where you're going.

usgs maps can be helpful here

i've also noticed that bogs, marshy areas, and small ponds that look very wet on onx can look bone dry on google earth when you mess around with the image dates.

 

[LuketheDog]

First the map, changing the image dates, then my feet. Some of those little creeks can be wet one year and dry the next...

 

[Ajax2744]

I use cross reference between onx, Google Earth, and Garmin maps. I do like how Garmin you can click on the stream and it will tell you if it's perennial, ephemeral and intermittent. And good call Togiegoat on being aware of that. Nothing better than showing up to what you thought might be a wallow only to find what WAS a stream/meadow in April. Lol