TOPOGRAPHIC FEATURES OF THE DESERT BASINS. Al 
THE PANAMINT BASIN. 
The Panamint Valley occupies the southern portion of the trough east of that of the 
Owens Valley, being the second trough east of the Sierra. It has two tributary valleys, 
the Leach Valley in the southeast corner and a part of the Coso Valley to the north- 
west, from both of which the drainage is still entirely open. The floor of the Panamint 
is divided by a low alluvial divide into two sections, each of which contains a playa, 
the northern one having a present or very recent drainage into the southern. Both 
oi these playas are saline, the southern one especially so. Stream decay has also pro- 
duced a number of small local playas in both ends of the valley, all of which are 
recent and unimportant. 
The most interesting feature in the topography of the Panamint is the possible former 
drainage from the Searles Basin, as discussed above. However, as there noted, this 
inflow was at most very brief and has probably not affected very greatly the geochem- 
ical history of the valley. Excepting the pass into Searles all outlets from the 
Panamint are high and all are far above any possible lake level. The history of the 
valley has been essentially one of independence. The present drainage areas of the 
various playas are impossible of accurate estimation. Very seldom is there any 
drainage at all. The total area of the basin is 1,950 square miles, including all tribu- 
taries except Searles. Including Searles and Owens the area would be 6,800 square 
miles, but it must be remembered that this greater area was tributary to the Panamint 
only very transiently, if at all. 
THE SALINE VALLEY. 
The Saline Valley occupies what is essentially a northern extension of the Panamint 
trough, though cut off therefrom by a prominent cross uplift. The basin is entirely 
surrounded by high structural divides, the lowest pass being nearly 4,000 feet above the 
deepest depression. There is no possibility of overflow since the basin has had its 
present structure. In the southeast corner of the basin are two small subsidiary basins, 
previously tributary, but now cut off by stream decay and alluvial damming. One of 
these contains a playa known as the Racetrack. The other contains a very small 
playa unnamed. The deepest depression of the Saline Basin is occupied by a very 
saline playa having an area of about 12 square miles and carrying a deposit of common 
salt, the commercial exploitation of which is now being attempted. The area of the 
basin, including the small subsidiary basins above mentioned, is 845 square miles. 
THE EUREKA BASIN. 
The Eureka Basin lies just north of the Saline Valley (last discussed) and is very 
similar thereto, except that the only playa it contains is small and not saline. The 
lowest pass is over 2,000 feet above the present bottom, all divides are structural and 
ancient, and there is no possibility of overflow during or since the Lahontan period. 
This basin and the Saline Valley are perhaps the best and simplest known examples 
of the inclosed basin of structural origin, and would probably well repay careful 
scientific study. 
Cowhorn Valley, in the mountains west of the Eureka Basin, is now cut off behind a 
low alluvial divide, but was formerly tributary. Including this, the area of the 
Eureka Basin is 590 square miles. It'is probable that the Deep Springs Valley (next 
below) was also tributary to the Eureka during Lahontan time. Including it, the 
total area is 775 square miles. 
THE DEEP SPRINGS VALLEY. r 
West of the northern end of the Eureka Valley lies the similar, though smaller, basin 
of the Deep Springs Valley. In the main, the surrounding divides are high and struc- 
tural, but the eastern wall of the basin is breached by the narrow canyon of Soldier 
