Homage to the Basin and Range Province, Part 3: The Santana Bolson, Big Bend Ranch State Park, Texas, Mexico-USA Border

Facing approximately WSW. The winding stream is the Rio Grande, and everything behind it is the great nation of Mexico.

Taken along Route 190, one of the most geologically rewarding and scenically inspiring roads in America. If you can't drive up this paved two-laner in person, give it a look on Google Earth street view and you'll see what I mean.

"Bolsón," a Spanish word for "purse" or "handbag," has been appropriated by geologists seeking to describe an area in the Southwestern US and northern Mexico that's closed off or self-contained—specifically, a basin ringed by mountains that has streams flowing only into its center, with no exterior drainage.

It's thought that this area was a typical bolson until the Rio Grande, in the process of stream enlargement, managed to cut through it. So perhaps this place should be called the Santana Breached Bolson.

To see the other photos and descriptions in this series, visit my Homage to the Basin and Range Province album.

Taken in: Mexico / Chihuahua / El Sauz (show map)

Taken on: March 12, 2002

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Camera: MAKER NAME 96660, f/1.8, 1/76 sec, 2.8mm, ISO 50 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	MAKER NAME 96660
Aperture:	f/1.8
Exposure Time:	0.013 sec (1/76)
Focal Length:	2.8mm
ISO:	50
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Auto, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Program AE
Metering Mode:	Average
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	Uncalibrated
Software:	Inpaint
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