Desert dry wash facts for kids
- Further information: Arroyo (creek)
A desert dry wash is a special kind of natural area found in North American deserts. Imagine a flat, wide streambed or canyon bottom that usually looks very dry. Most of the year, there's no water flowing on the surface here. But when it rains heavily, these dry washes can quickly fill with rushing water, sometimes causing big floods!
What is a Desert Dry Wash?
This area is different from "desert riparian" places, which have water all year round. In a dry wash, plants and animals have to be super tough to live there. They must either survive the powerful floods or be able to grow back very quickly before the next big rain.
How Plants Survive in a Dry Wash
It's amazing how some plants in dry washes manage to grow. For example, some plant seeds need a special "scratching" or "rubbing" to start growing. This happens naturally during a flood when sand, gravel, and rocks tumble around, roughing up the seeds.
Once the seeds are ready, they must quickly send their roots deep into the ground. This helps them reach underground water reserves. This deep water is super important for the plants to survive the long, dry periods after a flood.
Amazing Desert Plants
Many unique plants call the desert dry wash home. Some common ones you might see include:
- Smoke tree (Psorothamnus spinosus)
- Desert willow (Chilopsis linearis)
- Catclaw (Senegalia greggii)
- Cheesebush (Ambrosia salsola)
- Waterweed (Baccharis sergiloides)
These plants are perfectly adapted to the tough conditions of a desert dry wash. They show how life can thrive even in very challenging environments!
Gallery
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Dry wash bank vegetation
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Looking at Red Rock Wash
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Vegetation on dry wash bank
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Desert wash streamed.
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Dry desert wash stream bed
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Dry desert wash shoulder
