Great American Desert

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

term formerly used to designate the arid parts of the West. It is now used only in historical reference. A large part of the region which formerly bore this designation has been reclaimed through the construction of railroads, the development of its abundant mineral resources, the foundation of permanent agricultural communities, and the irrigation of vast stretches of waste land. The topography, scenery, and geolog varied ical structures are extremely . The climate, though excessively hot in , many parts, is, generally speaking healthful and enjoyable, as the excessive heat is much tempered by the dry atmosphere. Great American Desert, of course, can be indicated only in a general way. They are the Rockies, and the mountain ranges continuing from the Rockies in New Mexico and Texas on the east, and the Sierra Nevadas and Cascade ranges on the west. Roughly speaking, the country included between these, some 700 miles across at its greatest width, and extending from British Columbia in the north to the Mexican border in the south, forms the Great American Desert, although a region of similar aspect is Mexican fronto be found south of the tr. However, only a part of the region thus indicated actually consists of arid country, and the total area is estimated at about 550,000 square miles within the United States, and a somewhat smaller area in Mexico. The TRAVERS, an desert parts lie at various altitudes, ranging from below the level of the sea in Culpeper at William to the extreme elevations of 13,000 feet, co., Va., in 1878. He studied but averaging between 2,000 and 4,000 University graduated feet. The most extensive stretches of of the South. In 1904 he Medical waste lands are included within the Great Basin, possessing an area of the 210,000 square miles and containing Nevada and larger part of the State of Utah, Idaho, and parts of California, Oregon. Perhaps the best known part soof the Great American Desert is the its famous called Colorado Plateau, with Other well known Colorado canyon. eastern Calideserts are Death Valley in southern fornia, the Salton Desert in California, the Black Rock Desert in northwestern Nevada, etc. The water of the high - resources of the region are very limited, considering its vast extent. Such resources, however, as are available, have been extensively developed for irrigation, especially in recent years. Vegetation is comparatively limited. Various kinds grass, as a of grasses known as bunch result of their habit of growing in tufts, are to be found in most of the deserts. Numerous members of the cactus family are abundant, especially the prickly pear. In the south the giant cactus abounds, a frequently reaching a height of 30 to 40 cigand mesquite frequenching feet. are other characteristic desert forms.