Ancient lake from ice age comes back to life in Death Valley after record rainfall
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Between 128,000 and 186,000 years ago, when ice covered the Sierra Nevada, a lake 100 miles long and 600 feet deep sat in eastern California in what is now the Mojave Desert.As the climate warmed and the ice retreated, the lake dried up, leaving a white salt pan in its place.But a November of record rainfall has brought the ancient lake, known as Lake Manly, back to life.Now Death Valley, one of the hottest places on Earth and the lowest point in North America, has a desert lake framed by snow-capped mountains.As far as lakes go, this one is pretty small and is likely to disappear soon.But it’s a marvel to people who live in or visit Death Valley, and a reminder of the extreme weather that has been hitting the area more than 200 feet below sea level.Climate change has been a growing concern.
A few years ago, when temperatures approached the 130-degree mark, “heat tourists” flocked to the desert.Officials have expressed concern about how hotter conditions can affect the plants, birds and wildlife.
Then, there is the rain.From September to November, the park received 2.41 inches of rain, with 1.76 inches of that total coming in November alone, the Park Service said.
The previous wettest November on record was 1.70 inches, set in 1923.The lake last made an appearance in 2023 after Hurricane Hilary, which degraded to a post-tropical low before reaching Southern California, dumped 2.2 inches of rain on the park and filled the basin.
Water levels receded until February 2024, when an atmospheric river dumped an additional 1.5 inches of rain onto the lake, making it deep enough that people could kayak on it.NASA researchers found that the temporary lake was about 3 feet to less than 1.5 feet deep over the course of about six weeks in February and March 2024.
The lake there today doesn’t really compare, locals say.“It’s an attraction but it’s not really a lake,” said ...