Death Valley National Park transforms into land of ephemeral lakes after Hurricane Hilary
On Aug. 20, remnants from Hilary dropped about a year’s worth of rain for the park in just one day. The rainwater flowed into nearly every basin in the park, forming temporary lakes.
DEATH VALLEY, Calif. – The hottest and driest place in the U.S. has turned into an aquatic wonderland after Hurricane Hilary brought historic rains to Death Valley National Park two months ago.
On Aug. 20, remnants from Hilary dropped about a year’s worth of rain for the park in just one day. The rainwater flowed into nearly every basin in the park, forming ephemeral lakes.
"The most notable one is the one at Badwater Basin," said Matthew Lamar, park ranger at Death Valley National Park. He noted that Badwater Basin, a salt flat that is 282 feet below sea level and as far as the eye can see, is the lowest point in North America.
Photos taken last weekend and earlier this week showed just how much rainwater remained in the usually dry Badwater Basin, which has turned the salt flat into an expansive reflecting pool.
The basin filled with about 2 feet of water soon after the storm. The last time a similar lake formed at Death Valley was in 2005, when another major rain event occurred, according to Lamar.
DEATH VALLEY FLOODED BY REMNANTS OF HURRICANE HILARY
"The event we experienced in August was one of these dynamic events that has helped to shape Death Valley," Lamar said. "Some of those impacts will last for years and some, like the lake, will maybe only last for weeks or months."
The current depth of the lake in Badwater Basin stands at about a couple inches, but the view is still impressive, he said.
Park officials are unsure about how much longer the lake will last, but Lamar believes visitors will still be able to view the transformed Badwater Basin at least through next week and the weekend.
In addition to the temporary lakes, the August storm also caused the desert park to become greener than usual for this time of year.
"It's a really special thing," Lamar said. "If people have the ability to come out and experience those changes, even the temporary ones, it truly is special."