186,000-year-old lake awakens in California's Death Valley

A vast desert, rugged mountains, and unbearable dryness—this is the environment in which Death Valley, California, USA, is located. Where the existence of water is a matter of imagination, a million-year-old lake has awakened again in the valley of death. Due to continuous heavy rains, water has accumulated in the lower areas of Death Valley, revealing the ancient Manley Lake, which was last active about 128,000 to 186,000 years ago.

According to geological research, at that prehistoric time, the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California were covered in ice. A huge amount of water created by melting ice accumulated in the Death Valley region and formed this huge lake from there. According to researchers, Manley Lake was once about 160 kilometers long, making it one of the largest inland lakes in North America.

The location of Manley Lake is also very exceptional. It is located in the lowest land in North America, with an elevation of about 282 feet below sea level. The entire area is extremely hot and dry all year round. The intense sun and hot winds cause the ground to crack and crack. The return of the lake water in such a hostile environment has created great interest among nature lovers and tourists.

According to the US Weather Service, Death Valley received an unusual amount of rainfall from September to November this year. A total of 2.41 inches of rain was recorded there in these three months. In particular, 1.76 inches of rain fell in November, which is the highest in the last hundred years. The previous highest rainfall was 1.7 inches in 1923.

As a result of this heavy rain, water accumulated in the low-lying areas of the desert, and the appearance of the ancient Manly Lake was visible again. However, this year is not the first time - the lake had woken up for a short time before. Two years ago, Cyclone Hillary caused heavy rains in Death Valley, which caused the lake to fill up and was navigable for weeks.

Scientists say the unusual rainfall in the arid region and the resurgence of ancient reservoirs are signs of climate change. They also believe it could be a sign of a major shift in the Earth's climate system. How long Lake Manly remains visible depends on the weather, but the return of this body of water to the desert is considered a rare and miraculous event of nature.