It is alkaline soil and water here.
And this lot has poor soil on it, the wind blows any thing you add to it away.
I had a look around and didn’t find much more than a lot of hints: berms (ridges built up from the ground), man-made shade, rows of wind-foiling tougher plants, containers of various kinds, more mulching, more roots and low spots. ...might be a hint or two in the following, but I reckon that you’ve already done much research.
Wind and Heat in Desert Gardens
http://desertgardens.suite101.com/article.cfm/wind_and_heat_in_desert_gardens