Landforms in the Desert Southwest
There are several large kinds of landforms that are common in the Desert Southwest. Canyons are deep valleys with steep sides. Most canyons are formed by rivers or streams cutting through rock over a great period of time. The Grand Canyon in Arizona is a famous example of this type of landform. Plateaus are raised areas of relatively flat land. Plateaus are produced in several ways such as water erosion or forces within the earth pushing a section of it upward. Mesas are isolated hill or mountain that has a flat, table like top and steep sides. In fact, mesa is the Spanish word for table. Mesas vary greatly in size from a few acres to hundreds of square miles. Mesas were originally parts of plateaus that were worn away by erosion over long periods of time. Buttes are steep-sided hills or small mountains that stand alone, rising above the surrounding countryside. The word Butte is a French word meaning mound. Buttes are found mainly in the dry western part of the United States. Buttes are smaller than mesas and have a more uniform shape.
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NATIVE AMERICAN RHYMES
