Abstract
Small rivers crossing the San Andreas fault, California, mostly show Type A deformation, in which the ratio of vertical to horizontal components of fault displacement (offset slope) is smaller than channel gradient. Because of the high rate of fault displacement and the lack of eroding ability of these highly intermittent rivers, some anomalies can still be observed in their longitudinal profiles. Their angles of deflection are far smaller than the angles of steepest possible courses theoretically determined by offset slope and channel gradient. Rivers with rather smooth longitudinal profiles are new gullies developed after the last displacement of the fault, either on depositional surfaces or in old offset valleys.
