Geology and Ecology of the Mojave Desert

Course Philosophy

The Mojave Desert is as extreme as it is extraordinary. Death Valley has experienced temperatures as low as 15 and as high as 134 degrees. In 1929, it did not rain, for the entire year. The valley’s lowest point is 282 feet below sea level and the rugged Paniment Range rise to over 11,000 feet just fifteen miles away. The geology is also diverse: fault scarps, debris flow deposits, sand dunes, corestones, and all three major rock types are present in the Mojave. The Mojave’s hot, dry, inhospitable terrain is host to millions of people in both large urban centers and rural communities. How these communities provide and consume water provide lessons and cautionary tales for the rest of the American West. Additionally, some the largest water transfer projects ever built, that deliver water to coastal California cities, must traverse the Mojave. The seemingly lifeless Mojave sustains over 1,750 species of plants and animals including the farthest western extent of grasslands in North America. This class will introduce students to the world-class geology and ecology of the Mojave. The class will also explore the unique environmental issues of the Mojave including water resources, alternative energy, nuclear waste, and anthropogenic impacts to ecosystems. Environmentally-focused stops will include the Ivanpah solar array, Yucca Mountain, Owens River Valley, Salton Sea, Iron Mountain Patton Camp, and the Colorado Aqueduct. Geology-focused stops will include The Kelsoe Sand Dunes, Racetrack Playa, the Alabama Hills, Iron Mountain Piedmont, and the Mountain Pass rare earth element mine.