By A.D. 1130, a prolonged drought forced the collapse of both the Chaco and Mimbres systems, leaving those on the peripheries to figure it out for themselves. What happened to the local Cañada Alamosa groups is unclear. Nelson’s model, based on extensive work on the Ladder Ranch, suggests that Mimbres affiliates two canyons to the south adopted a mobile small site approach. What is interesting is that the dry land farmers from the north immediately came south in small communities. Thus, it was probably equally attractive to those on the edge of the Mimbres world. Perhaps they joined forces, the data are not yet clear. What is clear is that the dry land farmers from the north saw the regular waters of the Cañada Alamosa as a refuge. And so they came in little groups, bringing with them their traditional ceramic assemblages, their architectural styles and their sense of who they were. The move provided definition for the new cultural area that would revolve around Zuni. There is currently little evidence for assimilation or incorporation of local Mimbres affiliates, although with the collapse of Mimbres ceramic production, such a process would be very difficult to see.