Geomorphic Map of the China Lake Basin Below 700 m in Support of Cultural Resource Management at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake

Geomorphic mapping of China Lake basin provides the most detailed geomorphic map available for the China Lake basin. The geomorphic map represents a major step forward in laying the foundation for assessing associations among mappable landscape components e.g., alluvial fans, shoreline features and prehistoric cultural resources at Naval Air Weapons Station NAWS China Lake. The primary objective of the Phase II project was to generate a highly detailed geomorphic map for the area below the 700 m contour elevation at China Lake. About 59 percent of the area consists of landforms younger than early Holocene, of which 11 percent range in age from 8,200 to 4,200 calendar years before present cal yr B.P.. The remaining 48 percent range in age from 4200 to 2014 A.D. and consist of hillslope, alluvial, eolian, fluvial, and playa feature types. The other 41 percent of the area consist of landforms that have an age of 15,000 -13,700 cal yr B.P., which consist of intermediate-age alluvial fans, lacustrine, and deltaic feature types.