strike valley

geology

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Last updated

July 14, 2026

Quick Summary

A strike valley is a geological landform that runs parallel to the strike of the underlying rocks in a region. It is also known as a longitudinal valley. This type of valley is associated with strike-slip faults, which are fractures in the Earth's crust where rock masses slide past each other horizontally. These faults are caused by compressional forces but release energy through lateral displacement. The San Andreas Fault in California is a well-known example of a strike-slip fault.12

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valley
Drainage patterns
These strike valleys are paralleled by ridges of the tilted sediments called cuestas. Another term for a strike stream, which parallels the structural grain, is a longitudinal stream. In contrast, transverse streams cut across structural trends. Streams flowing down the tilted sediments of the cuesta are…
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These strike valleys are paralleled by ridges of the tilted sediments called cuestas. Another term for a strike stream, which parallels the structural grain, is a longitudinal stream. In contrast, transverse streams cut across structural trends. Streams flowing down the tilted sediments of the cuesta are…
Read More