A small desert depression that occasionally fills with water is a ____.

A small desert depression that occasionally fills with water is a ____.

• A. Oasis
• B. Playa Lake
• C. Basin
• D. Pond

Answer: (B)

Desert hydrology often features small low spots that collect runoff after rain. When such a depression briefly fills with water, it is a playa lake—the transient pool that forms in an otherwise dry playa and may evaporate, leaving salts behind. This contrasts with an oasis, which is a permanently water-supported, vegetation-rich spot; a basin, which is a large-scale topographic low or drainage area; and a pond, a generic small body of standing water that isn’t specific to the desert’s ephemeral conditions.

Desert hydrology often features small low spots that collect runoff after rain. When such a depression briefly fills with water, it is a playa lake—the transient pool that forms in an otherwise dry playa and may evaporate, leaving salts behind. This contrasts with an oasis, which is a permanently water-supported, vegetation-rich spot; a basin, which is a large-scale topographic low or drainage area; and a pond, a generic small body of standing water that isn’t specific to the desert’s ephemeral conditions.