Last year, an ancient lake reemerged at Death Valley National Park after the region’s wettest fall on record. Several inches of water filled Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America, which is 282 feet below sea level. The basin is usually bare without moisture, which makes this a rare phenomenon.
During the Ice Ages,
the basin—usually referred to as Lake Manly—had depths up to 700 feet and
measured nearly 100 miles long. Between 128,000 and 186,000 years ago, ice
covered the Sierra Nevada. Rivers flowed into a long valley that fed Lake
Manly.
Between September and
November of 2025, 2.41 inches of rain fell in Death Valley, which doesn’t
typically see that much rain in a full year. November recorded 1.76 inches of
rain, breaking the 1923 record of 1.7 inches. Similar conditions have not been
seen since (Pacific) Hurricane Hilary struck the region, bringing more than 2
inches of rain on August 20, 2024.
The water can’t drain
out of the basin because it is contained and at such a low elevation. The
basin’s edges act like a seal, so the only way for water to escape is through
evaporation.
When Lake Manly holds
water, it creates a vibrant reflection of the surrounding mountains. But the
most exciting aspect of the rainfall is that it could spark a superbloom of
wildflowers the following spring. The pace and amount of rain were perfect for
a significant wildflower display the next spring. The last superbloom occurred
in 2016.
In February 2026, Death
Valley National Park hosted the Dark Sky Festival, which gives visitors the
opportunity to sky gaze. Death Valley is a Gold Tier Dark Sky Park, the highest
rating of darkness.
This small patch of
water offers a window into the landscape of the Ice Ages. Rivers from the
Sierra Nevada carved through valleys and filled the basin to remarkable depths.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/death-valley-s-record-rainfall-revives-ancient-lake-that-existed-128-000-years-ago/ar-AA1TaUFT?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=6951e98d66ac476aa9252e415f564bb0&ei=43
