Latest Pleistocene lake highstands in Death Valley, California

A spatially explicit model of runoff, evaporation, and lake extent: Application to modern and late Pleistocene lakes in the Great Basin region, western United States

“…We did not restore the original lake level like we did for Lake Bonneville, because lakes along the Mojave Rivers are not major lakes like Lake Bonneville. Also, Lake Manly probably reached its maximum LGM depth after the lowering of the outlet levels of upstream lakes such as Lake Manix [ Anderson and Wells , 2003; Enzel et al , 2003; Phillips , 2008].…”

“…During OIS 2 Panamint Valley was the terminal basin of the Owens River system, being fed by overflow from Searles Lake, with overflows occurring between 24 ka to at least 15.5 ka [ Jayko et al , 2008]. Although overflow of the Owens river system into Death Valley occurred during the mid‐Pleistocene, overflow appears not to have occurred during OIS2 [ Anderson and Wells , 2003; Phillips , 2008], and the main sources of flow into Lake Manly were the Mojave and Amargosa river systems [ Anderson and Wells , 2003; Enzel et al , 2003; Reheis and Redwine , 2008; Wells et al , 2003]. The surface elevation and area of Lake Manly during the LGM were between 46 and 61 m above sea level and approximately 1600 km 2 , respectively [ Ku et al , 1998; Li et al , 1997], but these high OIS 2 lake levels apparently date to about 26–24 ka [ Caskey et al , 2006].…”

“…The surface elevation and area of Lake Manly during the LGM were between 46 and 61 m above sea level and approximately 1600 km 2 , respectively [ Ku et al , 1998; Li et al , 1997], but these high OIS 2 lake levels apparently date to about 26–24 ka [ Caskey et al , 2006]. Flows into Lake Manly from the Mojave River system appear to have been most significant after 18 ka subsequent to breaching of Lake Manix through Afton Canyon and erosional lowering of the outlet of Silver Lake [ Anderson and Wells , 2003; Enzel et al , 2003; Reheis and Redwine , 2008; Tchakerian and Lancaster , 2002; Wells et al , 2003]. Death Valley has not supported a perennial lake since the desiccation of Lake Manly around 10 ka [ Lowenstein et al , 1998].…”

Geomorphology and tectonics at the intersection of Silurian and Death Valleys, Southern California - 2005 Guidebook Pacific Cell Friends of the Pleistocene

“…In late Pleistocene time the south end of Silurian Valley was occupied by pluvial Lake Mojave between about 20 and 10 ka (Wells and others, 2003); overflow from this lake traversed northern Silurian Valley to join the Amargosa River, which emptied into Lake Manley in Death Valley (Anderson and Wells, 2003a). A smaller lake, Lake Dumont, existed where Valjean Valley meets Silurian Valley, and Kingston Wash enters the Silurian Valley system at Salt Spring Hills.…”

A topographic fingerprint to distinguish alluvial fan formative processes

“…We minimize this issue by examining surficial deposits from relatively young fans along the eastern flank of Death Valley. The lack of lake sediments and shorelines on these surfaces indicates the fan surface developed after the drawdown of pluvial Lake Manly (Hooke, 1972;Smith, 1976;Li et al, 1996), which likely occurred ∼ 12 ka (Anderson and Wells, 2003).…”