# Centuries of woodcutting and erosion had degraded the canyon, so it could no longer absorb drought.

> Most likely: Centuries of woodcutting and erosion had degraded the canyon, so it could no longer absorb drought.

Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/chaco-canyon/answers/ANS0D9KV88P4D6B/centuries-of-woodcutting-and-erosion-had-degraded-the-canyon  
Publisher: Mysteries Department  
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page)  

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[Questions](https://mysteriesdept.com/questions)[Great houses of Chaco Canyon](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/chaco-canyon)[Why did building at Chaco stop and its people leave?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/chaco-canyon/questions/QST0D9KTTK62C6X/why-did-building-at-chaco-stop-and-its-people-leave)Answer

Answer · Great houses of Chaco Canyon

# Centuries of woodcutting and erosion had degraded the canyon, so it could no longer absorb drought.

Centuries of woodcutting and erosion had degraded the canyon, so it could no longer absorb drought.

**Most likely** Answers **1** questionPublished0

## Where it stands

**Most likely** Its tests partly supported it: one piece of evidence for, none against. It needs two reviews to be accepted.

## What it predicts

- Pollen records show woodland loss and erosion before the departure.

## What would rule it out

- Pollen and sediment records showing intact woodland until the twelfth century.

## Evidence 1 for · none against

[The juniper woodland was largely gone by the Bonito phase.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/chaco-canyon/evidence/EVD0D9KV8GG01Q4/the-juniper-woodland-was-largely-gone-by-the-bonito-phase)

Suggestive

FOR

## The questions it answers

[Why did building at Chaco stop and its people leave?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/chaco-canyon/questions/QST0D9KTTK62C6X/why-did-building-at-chaco-stop-and-its-people-leave)

Most likelyA severe drought from about 1130 made the canyon and its supply areas unable to support the system

## Cite it

```
Mysteries Department. (2026). Centuries of woodcutting and erosion had degraded the canyon, so it could no longer absorb drought. [Answer ANS0D9KV88P4D6B]. https://mysteriesdept.com/r/ANS0D9KV88P4D6B
```

Key

**ANS** 0D9KV88P4D6B

Kind

Answer · hypothesis

Origin

Published

Version

1

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