diff --git a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/TerraForgedMod.java b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/TerraForgedMod.java
index 8c5fede..864a610 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/TerraForgedMod.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/TerraForgedMod.java
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 package com.terraforged;
 
 import com.terraforged.api.material.WGTags;
+import com.terraforged.chunk.settings.SettingsHelper;
 import com.terraforged.command.TerraCommand;
 import com.terraforged.config.ConfigManager;
 import com.terraforged.data.DataGen;
@@ -35,7 +36,6 @@ import com.terraforged.feature.feature.BushFeature;
 import com.terraforged.feature.feature.DiskFeature;
 import com.terraforged.feature.feature.FreezeLayer;
 import com.terraforged.fm.template.TemplateManager;
-import com.terraforged.chunk.settings.SettingsHelper;
 import com.terraforged.util.DataPackFinder;
 import com.terraforged.util.Environment;
 import net.minecraft.world.biome.Biomes;
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/TerraWorld.java b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/TerraWorld.java
index 957bb00..2807b0f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/TerraWorld.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/TerraWorld.java
@@ -30,11 +30,11 @@ import com.terraforged.chunk.ChunkGeneratorFactory;
 import com.terraforged.chunk.TerraChunkGenerator;
 import com.terraforged.chunk.TerraContext;
 import com.terraforged.chunk.TerraGenSettings;
-import com.terraforged.chunk.test.TestChunkGenerator;
-import com.terraforged.gui.SettingsScreen;
 import com.terraforged.chunk.settings.DimesionSettings;
 import com.terraforged.chunk.settings.SettingsHelper;
 import com.terraforged.chunk.settings.TerraSettings;
+import com.terraforged.chunk.test.TestChunkGenerator;
+import com.terraforged.gui.SettingsScreen;
 import com.terraforged.util.Environment;
 import com.terraforged.util.nbt.NBTHelper;
 import com.terraforged.world.terrain.Terrains;
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/api/biome/modifier/BiomeModifier.java b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/api/biome/modifier/BiomeModifier.java
index 9e31607..18e3a9a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/api/biome/modifier/BiomeModifier.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/api/biome/modifier/BiomeModifier.java
@@ -36,6 +36,10 @@ public interface BiomeModifier extends Comparable<BiomeModifier> {
 
     Biome modify(Biome in, Cell cell, int x, int z);
 
+    default boolean exitEarly() {
+        return false;
+    }
+
     @Override
     default int compareTo(BiomeModifier other) {
         // reverse order
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/biome/modifier/BiomeModifierManager.java b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/biome/modifier/BiomeModifierManager.java
index 5d2b7e6..dc5219e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/biome/modifier/BiomeModifierManager.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/biome/modifier/BiomeModifierManager.java
@@ -48,8 +48,7 @@ public class BiomeModifierManager implements BiomeModifier, ModifierManager {
         desertBiomes = new DesertBiomes(context.materials, biomes.getAllBiomes(BiomeType.DESERT));
         List<BiomeModifier> modifiers = new ArrayList<>();
         modifiers.add(new CoastModifier(biomes, context));
-        modifiers.add(new DesertColorModifier(context, desertBiomes));
-        modifiers.add(new SandBiomeModifier(context));
+        modifiers.add(new DesertColorModifier(desertBiomes));
         modifiers.add(new BeachModifier(biomes, context));
         Collections.sort(modifiers);
         this.biomeModifiers = modifiers;
@@ -84,6 +83,9 @@ public class BiomeModifierManager implements BiomeModifier, ModifierManager {
         for (BiomeModifier modifier : biomeModifiers) {
             if (modifier.test(biome)) {
                 biome = modifier.modify(biome, cell, x, z);
+                if (modifier.exitEarly()) {
+                    return biome;
+                }
             }
         }
         return biome;
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/biome/modifier/DesertColorModifier.java b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/biome/modifier/DesertColorModifier.java
index 8b30087..bd15d0e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/biome/modifier/DesertColorModifier.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/biome/modifier/DesertColorModifier.java
@@ -28,23 +28,19 @@ package com.terraforged.biome.modifier;
 import com.terraforged.api.biome.modifier.BiomeModifier;
 import com.terraforged.biome.provider.DesertBiomes;
 import com.terraforged.core.cell.Cell;
-import com.terraforged.n2d.Module;
-import com.terraforged.n2d.Source;
-import com.terraforged.world.GeneratorContext;
-import com.terraforged.world.climate.Climate;
 import net.minecraft.world.biome.Biome;
 
 public class DesertColorModifier implements BiomeModifier {
 
-    private final Module noise;
-    private final Climate climate;
     private final DesertBiomes biomes;
 
-    public DesertColorModifier(GeneratorContext context, DesertBiomes biomes) {
-        int scale = context.settings.terrain.general.terrainRegionSize;
+    public DesertColorModifier(DesertBiomes biomes) {
         this.biomes = biomes;
-        this.climate = context.factory.getClimate();
-        this.noise = Source.cell(context.seed.next(), scale * 3).warp(context.seed.next(), scale / 2, 1, scale / 4F);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public boolean exitEarly() {
+        return true;
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -54,20 +50,19 @@ public class DesertColorModifier implements BiomeModifier {
 
     @Override
     public boolean test(Biome biome) {
-        return biome.getCategory() == Biome.Category.DESERT;
+        return biome.getCategory() == Biome.Category.DESERT
+                || biome.getCategory() == Biome.Category.MESA
+                || biomes.isDesert(biome);
     }
 
     @Override
     public Biome modify(Biome in, Cell cell, int x, int z) {
-        float px = x + climate.getOffsetX(x, z, 12);
-        float pz = z + climate.getOffsetZ(x, z, 12);
-        float type = noise.getValue(px, pz);
         if (biomes.isRedDesert(in)) {
-            if (type <= 0.5F) {
+            if (cell.macroNoise <= 0.5F) {
                 return biomes.getWhiteDesert(cell.biome);
             }
         } else {
-            if (type > 0.5F) {
+            if (cell.macroNoise > 0.5F) {
                 return biomes.getRedDesert(cell.biome);
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/biome/provider/DesertBiomes.java b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/biome/provider/DesertBiomes.java
index 835fde0..a12d074 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/biome/provider/DesertBiomes.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/biome/provider/DesertBiomes.java
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ public class DesertBiomes {
 
     private final Set<Biome> reds;
     private final Set<Biome> whites;
+    private final Set<Biome> deserts;
     private final List<Biome> redSand;
     private final List<Biome> whiteSand;
     private final LayerManager layerManager;
@@ -76,6 +77,7 @@ public class DesertBiomes {
         this.layerManager = materials.getLayerManager();
         this.whiteSand = new ArrayList<>(white);
         this.redSand = new ArrayList<>(red);
+        this.deserts = new HashSet<>(deserts);
         this.whites = new HashSet<>(white);
         this.reds = new HashSet<>(red);
         this.whiteSand.sort(Comparator.comparing(BiomeHelper::getId));
@@ -83,6 +85,9 @@ public class DesertBiomes {
         this.maxRedIndex = red.size() - 1;
         this.maxWhiteIndex = white.size() - 1;
     }
+    public boolean isDesert(Biome biome) {
+        return deserts.contains(biome);
+    }
 
     public boolean isRedDesert(Biome biome) {
         return reds.contains(biome);
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/biome/surface/DesertSurface.java b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/biome/surface/DesertSurface.java
index 69681f6..71afef4 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/biome/surface/DesertSurface.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/biome/surface/DesertSurface.java
@@ -11,17 +11,21 @@ import net.minecraft.block.Blocks;
 
 public class DesertSurface implements Surface {
 
+    private final float min;
     private final float level;
     private final Module noise;
+    private final BlockState sandstone = States.SANDSTONE.get();
     private final BlockState low = Blocks.TERRACOTTA.delegate.get().getDefaultState();
     private final BlockState mid = Blocks.ORANGE_TERRACOTTA.delegate.get().getDefaultState();
     private final BlockState high = Blocks.BROWN_TERRACOTTA.delegate.get().getDefaultState();
 
     public DesertSurface(GeneratorContext context) {
+        min = context.levels.ground(10);
+
         level = context.levels.ground(40);
 
-        noise = Source.perlin(context.seed.next(), 10, 1)
-                .scale(context.levels.scale(10));
+        noise = Source.perlin(context.seed.next(), 8, 1)
+                .scale(context.levels.scale(16));
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -30,15 +34,22 @@ public class DesertSurface implements Surface {
             return;
         }
 
-        if (ctx.cell.steepness > 0.3 || ctx.cell.value + noise.getValue(x, z) > level) {
-            BlockState state = States.SANDSTONE.get();
+        if (ctx.cell.value < min) {
+            return;
+        }
 
-            if (ctx.cell.value > level) {
-                if (ctx.cell.steepness > 0.85) {
+        float value = ctx.cell.value + noise.getValue(x, z);
+        if (ctx.cell.steepness > 0.3 || value > level) {
+            BlockState state = sandstone;
+
+            if (value > level) {
+                if (ctx.cell.steepness > 0.975) {
+                    state = low;
+                } else if (ctx.cell.steepness > 0.85) {
                     state = high;
                 } else if (ctx.cell.steepness > 0.75) {
                     state = mid;
-                } else if (ctx.cell.steepness > 0.625) {
+                } else if (ctx.cell.steepness > 0.65) {
                     state = low;
                 }
             }
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/biome/surface/DunesSurface.java b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/biome/surface/DunesSurface.java
index 6487470..f164844 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/biome/surface/DunesSurface.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/biome/surface/DunesSurface.java
@@ -28,8 +28,8 @@ package com.terraforged.biome.surface;
 import com.terraforged.api.chunk.surface.Surface;
 import com.terraforged.api.chunk.surface.SurfaceContext;
 import com.terraforged.api.material.layer.LayerMaterial;
-import com.terraforged.biome.provider.TerraBiomeProvider;
 import com.terraforged.biome.provider.DesertBiomes;
+import com.terraforged.biome.provider.TerraBiomeProvider;
 import com.terraforged.chunk.TerraContext;
 import com.terraforged.core.cell.Cell;
 import com.terraforged.n2d.Module;
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/chunk/TerraChunkGenerator.java b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/chunk/TerraChunkGenerator.java
index fc171c1..02127f3 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/chunk/TerraChunkGenerator.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/chunk/TerraChunkGenerator.java
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ import com.terraforged.chunk.generator.SurfaceGenerator;
 import com.terraforged.chunk.generator.TerrainCarver;
 import com.terraforged.chunk.generator.TerrainGenerator;
 import com.terraforged.core.cell.Cell;
-import com.terraforged.core.tile.Tile;
 import com.terraforged.core.tile.Size;
+import com.terraforged.core.tile.Tile;
 import com.terraforged.core.tile.chunk.ChunkReader;
 import com.terraforged.core.tile.gen.TileCache;
 import com.terraforged.feature.BlockDataManager;
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/chunk/TerraContext.java b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/chunk/TerraContext.java
index f6f4d42..d2fa621 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/chunk/TerraContext.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/chunk/TerraContext.java
@@ -29,12 +29,12 @@ import com.electronwill.nightconfig.core.CommentedConfig;
 import com.terraforged.api.chunk.column.DecoratorContext;
 import com.terraforged.api.chunk.surface.ChunkSurfaceBuffer;
 import com.terraforged.api.chunk.surface.SurfaceContext;
+import com.terraforged.chunk.settings.TerraSettings;
 import com.terraforged.config.PerfDefaults;
 import com.terraforged.core.concurrent.thread.ThreadPools;
 import com.terraforged.core.tile.gen.TileCache;
 import com.terraforged.core.tile.gen.TileGenerator;
 import com.terraforged.material.Materials;
-import com.terraforged.chunk.settings.TerraSettings;
 import com.terraforged.world.GeneratorContext;
 import com.terraforged.world.WorldGeneratorFactory;
 import com.terraforged.world.heightmap.Heightmap;
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/chunk/util/TerraContainer.java b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/chunk/util/TerraContainer.java
index 242ed09..297abf9 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/chunk/util/TerraContainer.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/chunk/util/TerraContainer.java
@@ -68,14 +68,7 @@ public class TerraContainer extends BiomeContainer {
             return (TerraContainer) biomes;
         }
 
-        TerraContainer container;
-        if (biomes == null) {
-            // create new container based on the provided ChunkReader
-            container = TerraContainer.create(reader, biomeProvider);
-        } else {
-            // converts an existing non-tf biome container into one that TerraForged can use
-            container = TerraContainer.convert(chunk.getPos(), biomes, biomeProvider);
-        }
+        TerraContainer container = TerraContainer.create(reader, biomeProvider);
 
         // replace/set the primer's biomes
         ((ChunkPrimer) chunk).func_225548_a_(container);
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/command/TerraCommand.java b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/command/TerraCommand.java
index aeb419b..47987c7 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/command/TerraCommand.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/command/TerraCommand.java
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ import com.terraforged.Log;
 import com.terraforged.biome.provider.TerraBiomeProvider;
 import com.terraforged.chunk.TerraChunkGenerator;
 import com.terraforged.chunk.TerraContext;
+import com.terraforged.chunk.settings.SettingsHelper;
 import com.terraforged.command.arg.BiomeArgType;
 import com.terraforged.command.arg.TerrainArgType;
 import com.terraforged.command.search.BiomeSearchTask;
@@ -44,7 +45,6 @@ import com.terraforged.command.search.TerrainSearchTask;
 import com.terraforged.core.cell.Cell;
 import com.terraforged.core.concurrent.Resource;
 import com.terraforged.data.DataGen;
-import com.terraforged.chunk.settings.SettingsHelper;
 import com.terraforged.world.WorldGenerator;
 import com.terraforged.world.terrain.Terrain;
 import com.terraforged.world.terrain.Terrains;
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/data/LangGenerator.java b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/data/LangGenerator.java
index 99130de..5fe97ad 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/data/LangGenerator.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/data/LangGenerator.java
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 package com.terraforged.data;
 
+import com.terraforged.chunk.settings.TerraSettings;
 import com.terraforged.core.util.NameUtil;
 import com.terraforged.gui.preview2.PreviewSettings;
-import com.terraforged.chunk.settings.TerraSettings;
 import com.terraforged.util.nbt.NBTHelper;
 import net.minecraft.nbt.CompoundNBT;
 import net.minecraft.nbt.INBT;
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/gui/SettingsScreen.java b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/gui/SettingsScreen.java
index 01bb69c..772d1d0 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/gui/SettingsScreen.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/gui/SettingsScreen.java
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@
 
 package com.terraforged.gui;
 
+import com.terraforged.chunk.settings.SettingsHelper;
+import com.terraforged.chunk.settings.TerraSettings;
 import com.terraforged.gui.element.TerraLabel;
 import com.terraforged.gui.page.Page;
 import com.terraforged.gui.page.PresetsPage;
@@ -32,8 +34,6 @@ import com.terraforged.gui.page.SimplePage;
 import com.terraforged.gui.page.SimplePreviewPage;
 import com.terraforged.gui.page.WorldPage;
 import com.terraforged.gui.preview2.PreviewPage;
-import com.terraforged.chunk.settings.SettingsHelper;
-import com.terraforged.chunk.settings.TerraSettings;
 import com.terraforged.util.nbt.NBTHelper;
 import net.minecraft.client.Minecraft;
 import net.minecraft.client.gui.IGuiEventListener;
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/gui/page/SimplePage.java b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/gui/page/SimplePage.java
index ea8f7d8..3f976d7 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/gui/page/SimplePage.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/gui/page/SimplePage.java
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 package com.terraforged.gui.page;
 
-import com.terraforged.gui.OverlayScreen;
 import com.terraforged.chunk.settings.TerraSettings;
+import com.terraforged.gui.OverlayScreen;
 import com.terraforged.util.nbt.NBTHelper;
 import net.minecraft.nbt.CompoundNBT;
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/gui/page/UpdatablePage.java b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/gui/page/UpdatablePage.java
index 6b02abd..8b612b7 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/gui/page/UpdatablePage.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/gui/page/UpdatablePage.java
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 package com.terraforged.gui.page;
 
-import com.terraforged.gui.OverlayScreen;
 import com.terraforged.chunk.settings.TerraSettings;
+import com.terraforged.gui.OverlayScreen;
 
 import java.util.function.Consumer;
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/gui/page/WorldPage.java b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/gui/page/WorldPage.java
index 7f1fd81..bba7edb 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/gui/page/WorldPage.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/gui/page/WorldPage.java
@@ -26,9 +26,9 @@
 package com.terraforged.gui.page;
 
 import com.terraforged.TerraWorld;
+import com.terraforged.chunk.settings.TerraSettings;
 import com.terraforged.gui.OverlayScreen;
 import com.terraforged.gui.element.TerraTextInput;
-import com.terraforged.chunk.settings.TerraSettings;
 import com.terraforged.util.nbt.NBTHelper;
 import net.minecraft.client.gui.widget.Widget;
 import net.minecraft.nbt.CompoundNBT;
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/gui/preview/Preview.java b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/gui/preview/Preview.java
index 9a24c78..da54382 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/gui/preview/Preview.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/gui/preview/Preview.java
@@ -30,10 +30,10 @@ import com.mojang.blaze3d.systems.RenderSystem;
 import com.terraforged.core.cell.Cell;
 import com.terraforged.core.concurrent.cache.CacheEntry;
 import com.terraforged.core.concurrent.thread.ThreadPools;
-import com.terraforged.core.tile.Tile;
-import com.terraforged.core.tile.Size;
-import com.terraforged.core.tile.gen.TileGenerator;
 import com.terraforged.core.settings.Settings;
+import com.terraforged.core.tile.Size;
+import com.terraforged.core.tile.Tile;
+import com.terraforged.core.tile.gen.TileGenerator;
 import com.terraforged.n2d.util.NoiseUtil;
 import com.terraforged.util.nbt.NBTHelper;
 import com.terraforged.world.GeneratorContext;
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/gui/preview/PreviewPage.java b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/gui/preview/PreviewPage.java
index 31276aa..0c1bab5 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/gui/preview/PreviewPage.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/gui/preview/PreviewPage.java
@@ -25,10 +25,10 @@
 
 package com.terraforged.gui.preview;
 
+import com.terraforged.chunk.settings.TerraSettings;
 import com.terraforged.gui.OverlayScreen;
 import com.terraforged.gui.element.TerraButton;
 import com.terraforged.gui.page.UpdatablePage;
-import com.terraforged.chunk.settings.TerraSettings;
 import com.terraforged.util.nbt.NBTHelper;
 import net.minecraft.nbt.CompoundNBT;
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/gui/preview2/Preview.java b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/gui/preview2/Preview.java
index 0c99623..a9b9d23 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/gui/preview2/Preview.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/gui/preview2/Preview.java
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 package com.terraforged.gui.preview2;
 
 import com.mojang.blaze3d.systems.RenderSystem;
+import com.terraforged.chunk.settings.TerraSettings;
 import com.terraforged.core.concurrent.thread.ThreadPool;
 import com.terraforged.core.concurrent.thread.ThreadPools;
-import com.terraforged.core.tile.gen.TileGenerator;
 import com.terraforged.core.render.RenderAPI;
 import com.terraforged.core.render.RenderSettings;
 import com.terraforged.core.render.RenderWorld;
-import com.terraforged.chunk.settings.TerraSettings;
+import com.terraforged.core.tile.gen.TileGenerator;
 import com.terraforged.world.GeneratorContext;
 import com.terraforged.world.continent.MutableVeci;
 import com.terraforged.world.continent.SpawnType;
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/gui/preview2/PreviewPage.java b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/gui/preview2/PreviewPage.java
index 7f2bcc0..4f466bd 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/terraforged/gui/preview2/PreviewPage.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/terraforged/gui/preview2/PreviewPage.java
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 package com.terraforged.gui.preview2;
 
+import com.terraforged.chunk.settings.TerraSettings;
 import com.terraforged.gui.OverlayScreen;
 import com.terraforged.gui.element.TerraButton;
 import com.terraforged.gui.page.UpdatablePage;
-import com.terraforged.chunk.settings.TerraSettings;
 import com.terraforged.util.nbt.NBTHelper;
 import net.minecraft.nbt.CompoundNBT;