The central region of the United States is experiencing subsidence. The area between the Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains is referred to as the Great Basin. This region has been subsiding for millions of years due to the stretching of the Earth's crust. The lowest point in the contiguous United States, Badwater Basin in Death Valley, California, is part of the Great Basin. Since the southern part of the region is subsiding much more rapidly than the northern part, cities like Albuquerque, New Mexico, at an elevation of about 5,300 feet, are relatively high, while cities farther north, like Salt Lake City, Utah, at around 4,300 feet, are lower. The decreasing elevation in the southern part of the region allows more moisture from the Pacific Ocean to bypass cities like Albuquerque and reach further into the northern part of the region.

Which of the following is the most appropriate conclusion to the premises above?