ABSTRACT
Human causes of accelerated erosion in California’s deserts include mechanical disturbances of the surface by road building, construction of utilities corridors, agriculture, urban expansion, construction of flood control devices, off-road vehicular recreation, and mining. Human influence over natural landforms is so pervasive that it is commonly accepted as part of the natural scene. The roles of wind and water erosion are closely intertwined, but the magnitude of wind erosion has long been underestimated. The geologic record bears testimony to the existence of dust storms long before man became a significant agent of erosion, and natural erosion remains a major contributor to dust storms. However, perhaps 85% or more of natural desert surfaces are wind-stable. The erosional problems resulting from unused and little-used remote urban developments in the desert are major problems in California as elsewhere in the United States.
