How Deep is Manly Lake? Here are the answers and scientific facts

JAKARTA – Manly Lake, a temporary lake that appeared in Death Valley in the summer of 2023, varying in depth over time. According to the latest satellite image analysis, the lake’s depth reached a maximum of 15 cm on February 17, 2024. The depth then gradually decreased until the lake finally dried up at the end of March 2024.

Even though it is relatively shallow, Manly Lake is an interesting phenomenon because it occurs in the driest place in North America. Its appearance was caused by heavy rain brought by Hurricane Hilary in August 2023.

Research into the depth of Manly Lake was carried out using data from the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite which was launched in 2022.

As reported by IFL Science, this satellite is equipped with an instrument called the Ka-band Radar Interferometer (KaRIn) which is capable of measuring water surface height.

By combining surface elevation data from SWOT with Badwater Basin land elevation data, the researchers were able to accurately estimate the depth of Manly Lake.

This information about the depth of Manly Lake is important for understanding the dynamics of a unique lake system in a dry area such as Death Valley. It can also help predict the future emergence of temporary lakes, as well as measure the impact of climate change on water availability in the region.

(wbs)