How did ‘Lake Manly’ return after 10 thousand years?
Badwater Basin is the lowest point in North America. This is where ‘Lake Manly’ used to be. History tells that this lake was at its peak during the Ice Age. At that time this lake used to be about 300 meters i.e. 1000 feet deep. But as the ice age ended, this lake also dried up.
Rain broke all previous records
Death Valley is counted among the driest places on Earth. The average rainfall here is less than 2 inches in a year. But this time the weather has taken a turn. According to statistics, the wettest autumn (September to November) has ever been recorded in Death Valley.
During this period there has been 2.41 inches of rain. If we talk only about the month of November, it has also made a record. 1.76 inches of rain has been recorded in November. This figure may sound very small. But this is a big thing in terms of Death Valley.
Miracle in Death Valley! Where people used to yearn for every drop, now a lake is flowing there. (Photo: NPS/S.Sanford)
When a year’s worth of rain falls in a single month at some place, the situation is sure to change. It is as if nature has opened the tap of the sky to quench the thirst of the desert.
Is this a warning of climate change?
- Scientists have not yet been able to tell the exact reason for this unusual weather. But it is being linked to climate change. Weather patterns are changing all over the world. Somewhere there is drought and somewhere there is flood. This incident of Death Valley can also be a part of this series.
- As the Earth warms, extreme weather events are becoming more severe. This lake reminds us that the land around us that is dry today was not always like this. Millions of years ago there used to be ice and rivers here. Between 128,000 and 186,000 years ago, Lake Manly was at its peak and extended for 100 miles.
There is excitement among tourists about the return of the lake. But the administration has advised to exercise caution. Many roads have been covered with debris due to storm and rain. Many paved and unpaved roads of the park are currently closed. Officials have appealed to the tourists to check the latest information on the government website before coming. Apart from this, it is not yet clear what effect this unseasonal rain will have on the famous wild flowers here.





























