An ancient lake that dried up approximately 130,000 years ago has reemerged after record rainfall in California’s Death Valley, arguably the hottest place on Earth.
Lake Manly was formed during the ice age, when woolly mammoths and saber-toothed tigers roamed the Earth, according to geological studies done on the surrounding ground. As temperatures warmed and the climate shifted, the body of water that was once 100 miles long and 600 feet deep shriveled up.
But after heavy rainfall last month, the white salt pan sometimes returns to its prior watery form, awing Death Valley residents and tourists alike.
The desert valley’s Badwater Basin is nearly 300 feet below sea level, making it the lowest point in North America. Rain often is dumped on the other side of the surrounding mountains, but in recent years, extreme weather has caused water to surge into the basin.
Between September and November, Death Valley received 2.4 inches of rain, with 1.8 inches in November alone — breaking a record set in 1923, according to the National Park Service.
“These fall storms brought more rain than Death Valley typically receives in an entire year,” the NPS added.
The precipitation produced a stunning sight — a glassy, ancient desert lake emerging below snow-capped mountains.
According to locals and park rangers, this most recent iteration of Lake Manly is relatively shallow and won’t last long.
“It’s the size of a lake but it’s not deep. … It’s more like a very, very large riverbed without the flow — a wading pool maybe,” said an employee at Death Valley Inn, told the Los Angeles Times.
“It’s an attraction but it’s not really a lake,” she said.
Between March and February of 2024, rainfall caused the basin to fill, and Lake Manly rose to 3 feet at its deepest point, according to analysis by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). At the time, visitors were permitted to kayak on the lake.
Since the lake has re-emerged, business has risen up to 30% at the Death Valley Inn, the employee told the LA Times.
The flooding has caused road closures throughout Death Valley National Park, including along Badwater Road which leads to Lake Manly. Officials say those driving should proceed with caution.
Death Valley park ranger Nichole Andler says visitors can expect Lake Manly to remain visibile until early next year.
“Some of the best views of the lake are from Dante’s View, and sunrise is a great time to see it,” she told the outlet.
