Ancient Lake Manly Reemerges in California’s Death Valley After Millennia — Record Rainfall Brings Ice Age Waters Back

An ancient lake that dried up thousands of years ago has returned to California’s Death Valley after record rainfall filled the Badwater Basin, offering a rare glimpse of prehistoric Lake Manly. Scientists say the shallow waters are temporary but remarkable in the driest place in North America.

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Dec 13, 2025 - 11:42

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Ancient Lake Manly Reemerges in California’s Death Valley After Millennia — Record Rainfall Brings Ice Age Waters Back

DEATH VALLEY, Calif. — A striking natural phenomenon has captured the attention of scientists and visitors alike as an ancient lake reappears in Death Valley National Park following an unusually wet season.

After months of record-setting rainfall, water has once again collected in the Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America at 282 feet below sea level, forming a shallow lake in a place normally known for its extreme dryness and heat.

The temporary waters have revived a remnant of Lake Manly, a massive pluvial lake that once dominated the region during the Ice Age. At its peak more than 100,000 years ago, Lake Manly stretched for about 100 miles and reached depths of up to 600 feet before the climate warmed and the basin dried into desert.

This year’s rainy season—from September through November—brought 2.41 inches of precipitation, including a record 1.76 inches in November alone, surpassing long-standing rainfall records for the valley.

Although the new lake is far smaller and shallower than its ancient predecessor or even the body of water that briefly formed in 2023 after Hurricane Hilary, it has transformed the barren salt flats into a rare desert oasis, attracting sightseers and boosting local business.

Rangers say the lake is temporary, and its longevity will depend on future weather patterns, evaporation rates, and seasonal warmth, but for now it provides a spectacular reminder of Death Valley’s prehistoric past and its remarkable climatic swings.

The resurgence of Lake Manly highlights broader changes in weather patterns and offers scientists and park visitors a unique opportunity to witness a landscape shaped by ice age hydrology now brought briefly back to life.