Water Deposits
In mountainous regions,
the intermittent streams are confined, but as they empty into a valley, the
streams spread out, lose energy and deposit sediment.
The resulting series of braided streams eventually builds up an
alluvial fan at the canyon mouth.
Overtime, alluvial fans from adjacent canyons coalesce to form
the bajada.
If a pediment is present, the bajada lies basin-ward and together
they form the Piedmont.
After an intense rainstorm, water
pours out of the canyons and across the piedmont. If a pediment exists, water
rushes across it to the bajada, where a substantial proportion of it soaks
in. However, a portion of the water may end up ponding to form temporary lakes
or Playas. Evaporation
of playa lakes results in the formation of evaporite
minerals (gypsum, halite).