1.   It was a town built on a sandy, treeless area that once served as the water basin for Los Angeles.

2.   The same mineral formed long ago in the water basins of Earth.

3.   You might want to poke a few holes in the water basin.

4.   A preliminary inquiry has established that the buildings were constructed near a former water basin and the disaster was caused by unstable ground conditions, they said.

5.   The loan will also fund plans to level hill sides, dig water basins, to insure irrigation equipment, build roads and personnel training.