Elsinore Trough facts for kids
The Elsinore Trough is a long, sunken valley located in Riverside County, southern California. Imagine a giant ditch formed by the Earth's movements! This valley was created by a major crack in the Earth's crust called the Elsinore Fault Zone. It's a type of graben, which is a geological term for a rift valley where a block of land has dropped down between two parallel faults.
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What is the Elsinore Trough?
The Elsinore Trough is essentially a series of connected valleys that have sunk down over millions of years. This happens because of the powerful forces of plate tectonics, where huge pieces of the Earth's crust slowly move and grind against each other. The Elsinore Fault Zone is very active, causing the land in between its main branches to drop, forming this unique trough.
Where is the Elsinore Trough Located?
This interesting valley stretches out in southern California. To its west, you'll find the Santa Ana Mountains. To the east, it's bordered by the Temescal Mountains. These eastern mountains are part of a larger geological area known as the Perris Block, and nearby is the Temecula Basin. So, the Elsinore Trough sits right in the middle of these important natural landmarks.
How is the Trough Divided?
Even though it's one big trough, the Elsinore Trough isn't just one smooth valley. It's actually broken up into several smaller sections. This happens because of other cracks in the Earth, called transverse faults, which cut across the main valley. These smaller, connected valleys include:
- The Temescal Valley
- The Elsinore Valley
- The Temecula Valley
- The Wolf Valley
Each of these smaller valleys is also a type of graben, formed by the same geological processes.
Cities and Communities in the Trough
Many people live in the Elsinore Trough! Several well-known cities and communities are located within this geological feature. These include:
The reservation of the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians is also found within the Elsinore Trough. This shows how important this valley is, not just geologically, but also as a home for many communities.
