arroyo

An arroyo, from Spanish arroyo (, "brook"), also called a wash, is a dry watercourse that temporarily or seasonally fills and flows after sufficient rain. Flash floods are common in arroyos following thunderstorms. Similar landforms are referred to as Wadi (in North Africa and Western Asia), rambla in Spain, Chapp in the Gobi, Laagate in the Kalahari, Donga in South Africa, Nullah in India, Fiumare in Italy, and Dry Valley in England. The desert dry wash biome is restricted to the arroyos of the southwestern United States. Arroyos provide a water source to desert animals. Types and processes Arroyos can be natural fluvial landforms or constructed flood control channels. The term usually applies to a sloped or mountainous terrain in xeric and desert climates. In addition: in many rural communities arroyos are also the principal transportation routes; and in many urban communities arroyos are also parks and recreational locations, often with linear multi-use bicycle, pedestrian, and equestrian trails. Flash flooding can cause the deep arroyos or deposition of sediment on flooded lands. This can lower the groundwater level of the surrounding area, making it unsuitable for agriculture. However a shallow water table lowered in desert arroyo valleys can reduce saline seeping and alkali deposits in the topsoil, making it suitable for irrigated farming.