View source for Tenaja

{{Short description|Natural water basin}}
{{merge to|Tinaja|discuss=Talk:Tinaja#Merge proposal|date=April 2025}}

[[File:Flickr_-_ggallice_-_Ernst_tinaja_(2).jpg|thumb|Ernst tinaja, [[Big Bend National Park]], [[Texas]]]]
[[File:Tenaja_falls_2.jpg|thumb|Tenaja Falls part of [[Tenaja Canyon Creek]], [[Cleveland National Forest]], [[California]], USA - seen from Tenaja Truck Trail]]
A '''tenaja''' or '''tinaja''' is a [[water basin]] or [[retention basin|retention]] area. The term usually implies a natural or [[geologic]] [[cistern]] in rock which retains water. They are often created by [[erosion]]al processes within intermittent streams.

Before [[European settlement of North America|European settlers came to America]], tenajas were a valuable source of water for early [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native Americans]] traveling in the desert areas of the [[Southwestern United States|Southwest]]. Today, tenajas are an integral part of sustaining life in the [[arid]] Southwest. For example, tenajas at the [[Santa Rosa Plateau]] in [[southern California]] allow [[western pond turtle]]s, [[California newt]]s and [[red-legged frog]]s to survive through dry summer months.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |url=http://www.riversidecountyparks.org/locations/nature-historic-centers/santa-rosa-plateau/plateau-reserve-features/plants/ |title=Plants {{!}} RiversideCountyParks.org |website=www.riversidecountyparks.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090508143053/http://www.riversidecountyparks.org/locations/nature-historic-centers/santa-rosa-plateau/plateau-reserve-features/plants/ |archive-date=2009-05-08}}</ref>

During prolonged dry spells, deep tinajas may trap desert animals who cannot climb out due to the smooth walls.<ref name=":1">{{cite web|title=Ernst Tinaja (U.S. National Park Service)|url=https://www.nps.gov/places/ernst-tinaja.htm|access-date=2021-05-08|website=www.nps.gov|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{cite web|title=Ernst Tinaja, Big Bend National Park.|url=http://www.texasescapes.com/MikeCoxTexasTales/Ernst-Tinaja.htm|access-date=2021-05-08|website=www.texasescapes.com}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{cite web|title=Big Bend Virtual Field Trip - Ernst Tinaja|url=https://prism-redfern.org/bbvirtualtrip/ernst/ernst.html|access-date=2021-05-08|website=prism-redfern.org}}</ref>

== Etymology ==
From the [[Spanish language|Spanish]] ''tinaja:'' a clay pot or earthenware jar.<ref>{{cite web |title=Check out the translation for "tinaja" on SpanishDict! |url=https://www.spanishdict.com/translate/tinaja |access-date=2021-05-08 |website=[[SpanishDict]] |language=en}}</ref>

== List of tenajas ==
* [[Tenaja Canyon Creek]], [[Cleveland National Forest]], [[California]], USA<ref>{{cite web|title=GNIS Detail - Tenaja Canyon|url=https://geonames.usgs.gov/apex/f?p=GNISPQ:3:::NO::P3_FID:250334|access-date=2021-05-08|website=geonames.usgs.gov}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/cleveland/recreation |title=Cleveland National Forest - San Mateo Canyon Trail (5W05) |publisher=Fs.usda.gov |date= |access-date=2022-09-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Tenaja Canyon|url=https://modernhiker.com/hike/tenaja-canyon/|access-date=2021-05-08|website=Modern Hiker|date=19 March 2018 |language=en-US}}</ref>
* Ernst Tinaja, [[Big Bend National Park]], [[Texas]], USA<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />
* Santa Rosa Plateau Wildlife Area, [[Riverside County, California|Riverside County]], [[California]], USA<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite web|title=SANTA ROSA PLATEAU WILDLIFE AREA|url=https://www.rivcoparks.org/santa-rosa-plateau-wildlife-area|access-date=2021-05-08|website=RivCoParks|language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Hydrology]]


{{Topography-stub}}