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          irregular ridges  and  spurs which  attain altitudes of  5,000 to  7,000 feet.

          The  Sierra Pelona is an  elongate  ridge  which  extends for  more than  20


          miles  in an  easterly direction along the  northern margin of the  basin.

          Ridge  elevations  of about 2, 500  feet in the  western  end  increase  gradually


          to  5, 000  feet  and more  at the  eastern end of the  range.  In the Soledad

          basin,  elevations  range  from  1,400 feet  to  3,500 feet with  a  few  peaks

          in the  eastern part rising to  altitudes  of  4, 000  feet or  more.


                       Local  relief varies from  300  feet to  500  feet in the  western

          part of the  basin.  As  the  margins  of  the  basin are approached,  the


          country becomes  progressively more  rugged;  the  relief locally may be

          as  much  as  1,500 feet in the  steep-walled gullies  and  canyons.

                       The  drainage  in the  basin is broadly  southwestward to  the  Santa


          Clara River,  which flows  westward along the  southern margin of the

          basin.    The  major  tributaries of the Santa Clara River  in the  Soledad


          basin are named Agua Dulce,  Tick,  Mint,  Bouquet,  San Francisquito,

          and Elizabeth Lake Canyons,  from  east to  west (pl.  1).  The  ten mile


          reach of the Santa Clara River  downstream from Acton is a  deep,  steep-

          walled  gorge  known  as Soledad Canyon.



                                      Climate  and vegetation



                       This  region has  a  semi-arid climate,  with an annual  rainfall


          of about  15  inches.  Most of  the  precipitation falls  during the  months

          from November  to  April,  inclusive,  and  in the  higher  parts of the Sierra


          Pelona  some  is  in the  form of  snow.  Palmdale,  at the  eastern margin
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