A desert wash, or arroyo, is a water-carved gully or creek bed. Although appearing dry much of the time, the deep sandy soil of these stream beds store water from wetter seasons. This additional moisture supports a plant community that differs in growth form, or diversity from the adjacent uplands.
Compare the upland areas and the desert wash. Plants of the same species will often appear more robust in the wash areas where additional nutrients and water are available. Notice that there are many plants found only in the wash areas creating a plant community that has much denser and more diverse vegetation.
For many animal species the desert wash is an important lifeline. It is an area where food, cover, and shade, is more readily available, providing a greater number and variety of nesting, feeding, and resting sites.
Consequently, a desert wash often becomes an important travel corridor for area wildlife.
This cache is not located at the posted coordinates. From the posted coordinates, add .001 to the North coordinate, and subtract .018 from the West coordinate.