The recent phenomenon of “Lake Manly” at Death Valley National Park, which drew tourists from around the globe to kayak and marvel at the unusual sight in one of the world’s driest places, has now come to an end. The National Park Service announced on Monday that the lake, formed in Badwater Basin in late February, is no longer suitable for boating activities.
The formation of “Lake Manly” was deemed an “extremely rare event” by the Park Service, resulting from record-breaking torrential rains and flooding in the area. Initially expected to last for a couple more weeks, the lake attracted visitors eager to experience a rare opportunity to navigate its waters in the midst of the desert landscape.
However, the temporary lake has since become too shallow and distant from the road for safe boating access without risking damage to the environment. As a result, visitors are now prohibited from bringing any watercraft to the lake. Despite this restriction, tourists can still appreciate the breathtaking reflections of the surrounding peaks in the calm waters, at least for the time being.
According to NPS Park Ranger Nichole Andler, the eventual transformation of the lake into a muddy, wet terrain before eventually drying out into the iconic white salt flats is anticipated. This cycle is a natural process characteristic of the basin’s ephemeral waters.
The formation of “Lake Manly” was a result of several storms that brought record amounts of rain to Death Valley National Park over the past six months. The basin, situated along the border of central California and Nevada, experienced a transformation from a dry salt flat to a shallow reflecting pool, particularly after the remnants of Hurricane Hilary passed through.
Subsequent storms, including an atmospheric river event in early February, further contributed to the lake’s formation and subsequent expansion. However, intense winds in late February and early March caused the lake to disperse and become shallower, hastening its eventual demise.
The prolonged existence of “Lake Manly” was deemed especially rare, considering that water in the basin typically evaporates faster than it accumulates. Nichole Andler emphasized the exceptional nature of the event, suggesting that such occurrences are nearly unprecedented, if not once-in-a-lifetime occurrences.
In summary, the brief existence of “Lake Manly” in Death Valley National Park, brought about by extraordinary weather conditions, provided a unique spectacle for visitors. While the opportunity for boating has ceased, the memory of this ephemeral lake and its reflection of the surrounding landscape will endure as a testament to the unpredictable forces of nature in one of the world’s most extreme environments.