Ancient lake reappears in Death Valley after record-breaking rains | California

After record rains, an ancient lake in Death Valley National Park, which had disappeared, is visible again.

The temporary lake, known informally as Manly Lake, reappeared at the bottom of Badwater Basin, located 282 feet below sea level, in California. The basin is the lowest point in North America, according to the National Park Service.

Repeated storms from September to November filled the apartment with runoff, forming a thin layer of water. This year’s version is smaller and shallower than the one seen two years ago, when the remnants of Hurricane Hilary flooded the area — and even briefly allowed kayaking there.

The park received more precipitation in just two months than it usually receives in an entire year. From September to November, 2.41 inches of rain fell in Death Valley, according to the National Weather Service. November alone brought 1.76 inches, surpassing the 1923 record of 1.7 inches.

Between 128,000 and 186,000 years ago, glaciers covered the Sierra Nevada. Melt water from these ice sheets fed rivers which flowed into a huge valley lake, the original Manly Lake, which once stretched almost 160 km long.

Today, the basin is usually dry and its surface cracked by sun and wind. But the recent flood has transformed it further, offering visitors a glimpse of what the desert might have looked like millennia ago.

Experts have also warned about broader environmental changes occurring in Death Valley. In recent years, when temperatures soared near 130F (54.4C), so-called hot tourists flocked to experience the extreme conditions. Increasing heat has raised concerns about the risks posed to native plants, birds and wildlife.

In August 2023, more than 2 inches of rain fell in a single day in Death Valley, breaking previous rainfall records. Flooding washed away the trails, causing the park to be closed until mid-October. In July of that year, the valley broke heat records when it reached temperatures of 128F (53.3C). The hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth is 134 F (56.7 C) in July 1913 in the same section of the park.

In 2016, a series of storms accompanied by heavy rains brought a rare bloom of millions of wildflowers to Death Valley. The National Park Service says it’s still too early to predict whether current conditions could lead to another bloom of yellow flowers.