North America's Environmental Setting (Chapter 2)

In Chapter 2, we were presented with an overview of North America's environmental setting, including the different kinds of landforms and geographical patterns that can be seen across this continent. Similarly, in this post, I'd like to give an overview of the Antelope Valley's environmental setting.

The Antelope Valley is located in the western part of the Mojave Desert, and it is about 3,000 square miles in size. It is a closed basin that is bordered on the northwest by the Tahachapi Mountains and bordered on the south and southeast by the San Gabriel Mountains. These latter mountains are what separates the AV from the Los Angeles area, and I commute (via a commuter bus) through them on the 14 and I-5 freeways several days a week to get to the CSUN campus.

Pictured below is the view that I see everyday coming home as our bus comes out of the San Gabriel Mountains, looking down on the AV basin. The Tahachapi Mountains are in the far distance, and at the bottom of the screen is the aqueduct that serves the AV, and a small recreational fishing lake.


(Source: http://www.palmdalecam.com/)

The Antelope Valley is typically identified as part of southern California's "High Desert" region, due to its higher elevation above sea-level as compared to California's "Low Desert" which includes the Imperial Valley and the city of Palm Springs. As a member of a desert biome, the Antelope Valley has a very dry "B" climate with low annual rainfall, and as my family can attest, it is very difficult to grow plants in this climate! Cacti and succulents fair the best in this environment, as well as the native Joshua Trees. The AV climate also includes very strong winds, which I personally enjoy. According to the Palmdale Water District:

The same weather pattern that brings the marine layer stratus and afternoon sea breeze to the Los Angeles Basin brings gusty winds to Palmdale, especially near the foothills on the south side. Gusty southwest winds blow over Palmdale almost every afternoon and evening all year round.
(Source:http://hazardmitigation.calema.ca.gov/docs/lhmp/Palmdale_Water_District_LHMP.pdf)

Finally, the famous San Andreas Fault runs along the entire southern portion of the Antelope Valley. In fact, a portion of the fault can be seen from the 14 (AV) Freeway, where the rock has been cut to form the road. I personally see this fault everyday when I'm coming home:



(Source: http://www.earth.northwestern.edu/individ/seth/107/Intro/safpalmdale.html)

Here is a YouTube video that shows this Palmdale portion of the San Andreas Fault up-close:


Ultimately, the Antelope Valley possesses a very distinctive physical geography. While I personally don't enjoy the summers with temperatures easily above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, or the ever-present threat of earthquakes, it is still interesting to learn more about this area, and it holds a special place in my heart since I was raised here.