scablands

/ˈskæbˌlændz/
noun
  1. A dry, barren region with rocky soil and little vegetation, often formed by ancient floods or erosion.
    • The scablands of eastern Washington are a dramatic landscape of deep channels and dry waterfalls.
    • Geologists study the scablands to understand how massive floods shaped the land thousands of years ago.
    • Hikers in the scablands must carry plenty of water because there are few streams or springs.