arroyo
Dry southwestern channel
An arroyo is a dry creek bed or gulch that fills with water only after heavy rain—common in the arid American Southwest and similar climates.
The term comes from Spanish and retains that flavor: We hiked along the arroyo until the thunderstorm hit.
Flash floods can turn a bone-dry arroyo into a dangerous torrent within minutes.
Steep narrow ravine
- ravineDeep, narrow valley
- gullyChannel carved by flowing water
- washClean using liquid
- canyonDeep river-cut gorge
gorge · channel · coulee · barranca · draw · creek bed · streambed · valley
Rapid overflow from storms
- runoffExcess water drainage
- monsoonSeasonal tropical wind pattern
- watershedDrainage area boundary
- drainageLiquid removal system
ephemeral · intermittent · flood stage · sediment · alluvium · erosion · streamflow · freshet
Particles settling in liquid
- erosionGradual wearing away
- weatheringAtmospheric breakdown of materials
- alluviumWater-deposited loose sediment
- depositionFormal testimony under oath
siltation · gravel · cobble · sand · bedrock · outcrop · stratigraphy · fluvial
Flat-topped steep-sided elevation
- cactusSpiny desert plant
- sagebrushAromatic arid-land shrub
- tumbleweedDetached, rolling desert plant
- yuccaSpiny desert plant
chaparral · mesquite · juniper · pinyon · coyote · jackrabbit · roadrunner · rattlesnake
gulch
Steep narrow ravine
canyon · gorge · channel · coulee · barranca · draw · creek bed · streambed · valley · chasm
flash flood
Rapid overflow from storms
drainage · ephemeral · intermittent · flood stage · sediment · alluvium · erosion · streamflow · freshet · spate
sediment
Particles settling in liquid
- erosionGradual wearing away
- weatheringAtmospheric breakdown of materials
- alluviumWater-deposited loose sediment
deposition · siltation · gravel · cobble · sand · bedrock · outcrop · stratigraphy · fluvial · incision
mesa
Flat-topped steep-sided elevation
- cactusSpiny desert plant
- sagebrushAromatic arid-land shrub
- tumbleweedDetached, rolling desert plant
yucca · chaparral · mesquite · juniper · pinyon · coyote · jackrabbit · roadrunner · rattlesnake · lizard
- geografiaAmerica, Africa, Asia, Europa, Oceania
- landformsmountain, cliff, valley, volcano, mountain ridge
- arid landscapesdesert, badlands, sand dunes, dunes, salt flat
- desert featuresmirage, sandstorm, sand dunes, oasis, dust devil
- hollowscavity, crater, hollow, dent, hole
- Southwestmesa, Monument Valley, Arizona, New Mexico, Grand Canyon