Question

In the context of arid areas the term bajadas is related to

Answer 1

When a stream flows downhill it picks up sediment along with other materials, and as that stream emerges from a mountain front the sediment begins to deposit. The coarser sediment falls out closest to the base and the finer sediment grades outwards and deposits in a fan-shape away from the mountain face.[3] The sediment is transported across a pediment into a closed basin where the bajadas grade back into a pediment, making the boundary difficult to distinguish. Bajadas frequently contain playa lakes.[4] Bajadas are common in dry climates (e.g., the Southwestern US) where flash floods deposit sediment over time, although they are also common in wetter climates where streams are nearly continuously depositing sediment.