Ancient Lake Manly Reappears in Death Valley After Record Rainfall
DEATH VALLEY, Calif. — After thousands of years of absence, an ancient lake has returned to California’s Death Valley National Park, brought back to life by an unprecedented series of storms that drenched the desert basin. The Badwater Basin, known as the lowest point in North America at 282 feet below sea level, has transformed into a shallow lake reminiscent of the prehistoric Lake Manly that once filled the valley during the Ice Age.
Lake Manly, which stretched nearly 100 miles and reached depths of 600 feet over 100,000 years ago, disappeared as the climate warmed and the region dried out. But between September and December 2025, Death Valley received 2.41 inches of rain — a remarkable amount for one of the driest places on Earth. November alone saw a record-breaking 1.76 inches of precipitation, surpassing typical annual rainfall totals, according to a release from the National Park Service.
These heavy rains have refilled the basin, creating a shallow lake that is smaller and less deep than the one that appeared in 2023 after Hurricane Hilary delivered 2.2 inches of rain. Earlier this year, an atmospheric river event added another 1.5 inches of rainfall, deepening the lake enough for visitors to kayak, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. This latest resurgence, while more modest, has nonetheless sparked renewed interest in the park.
Visitors and locals alike have been drawn to the rare spectacle of water pooling in the salt flats of Badwater Basin, an area typically known for its stark, arid landscape. An employee at the nearby Death Valley Inn noted a 20 to 30 percent increase in business since the lake reemerged, describing the water body as “more like a very, very large riverbed without the flow, a wading pool maybe.”
The reappearance of Lake Manly offers a vivid reminder of the region’s dynamic climatic history and serves as a natural laboratory for scientists studying desert hydrology and climate change. The National Park Service continues to monitor the lake’s evolution as evaporation gradually diminishes its size.
Death Valley’s transformation underscores the significant impact of atmospheric rivers and other extreme weather phenomena on desert ecosystems. These events, which can deliver intense rainfall over short periods, have become a focus of study within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as climate patterns shift.
For now, the shallow waters of Lake Manly provide a rare and fleeting glimpse into a prehistoric landscape, inviting visitors to witness a natural wonder that has not been seen in millennia.
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