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Why do many basins in the Basin and Range Province contain salt lakes or playas?
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North American Desert
Physical features of western North America.
Many basins in the Basin and Range Province contain salt lakes or playas primarily because they are endorheic, meaning they have no outlets for their drainage.12
In these closed basins, rainwater and runoff accumulate rather than flowing to the sea. Because the region is arid, the rate of evaporation is high. As water collects in these low-lying areas and subsequently evaporates, it leaves behind concentrated minerals and salts. This process results in the formation of:1342
- Salt lakes: Permanent or semi-permanent bodies of water, such as the Great Salt Lake, where water volume is sufficient to maintain a lake despite high evaporation rates.13
- Playas: Nearly flat, dry mud flats that are occasionally covered by a thin layer of water that evaporates rapidly. These surfaces often accumulate complex assemblages of salt and clay deposits.154
The presence of these features is a direct consequence of the balance between water input and the high output caused by evaporation in a closed drainage system.2