Volume 9 February 15, 1915 
MUHLENBERGIA 
THE WHITEWATER SANDS 
By S. B. PaRISH 
That part of southern California which drains towards the 
Pacific ocean, commonly called the Cismontane Region, is sep- 
arated from the Colorado desert by a lofty range of mountains, 
through which the San Gorgonio pass affords a wide and easy 
opening. The summit of the pass is but 2558 feet above sea 
level, while on the one hand the twin peaks San Gorgonio and 
San Bernardino each exceeds 12000 feet, and on the other, San 
Jacinto, 10000 feet in altitude. Beyond, the hot desert slopes 
rapidly between the long ranges of scorched mountains which 
border it on either side to the Salton sink, whose greatest depth 
is 275 feet below the level of the sea. The principal drainage 
of the desert slope of San Gorgonio is carried by the White- 
water, a considerable’stream, as streams are reckoned in this dry 
country, and smaller streams descend from San Jacinto. When 
filled by the floods of winter they all bring down heavy loads of 
sand, which is deposited across the throat of the pass, while the 
water speedily disappears in the thirsty ground. 
Here, it is evident, are conditions for the production of a 
sand desert. The heated air, rising from the burning depression 
of the sink, causes a strong draught of wind to flow down the 
pass, and as it goes it picks up the sand deposited across its 
course by the streams, which it carries along, until it gradually 
drops its load, as its velocity is moderated by the increasing 
width of the desert. So great is the force of these sand blasts 
that, at times, it is difficult, and even impossible, to face them, 
and the railway tracks are so obstructed by drifts that trains are 
Cae esa) 
