Colorado Desert

Colorado Desert, arid region, southwestern North America, extending from the San Gorgonio Pass in the San Bernardino Mountains in southeastern California to Baja California in northwestern Mexico. Several mountain ranges, including the San Bernardino and the Chocolate, separate the Colorado from the Mojave Desert. Much of the region, about 320 km (about 200 mi) long and 80 km (50 mi) wide, lies below sea level. The depressions include Salton Sea, the Imperial Valley, and the Coachella Valley. The area, where irrigated by canals from the Colorado River, is noted for the production of fruits, cotton, and vegetables. Temperatures change suddenly from 0° C (32° F) to 46.1° C (115° F) with a mean of about 32.2° C (about 90° F). Precipitation rarely exceeds 102 mm (4 in) annually.