Extent of prehistoric Lake Lahontan

For the modern reservoir, see Lake Lahontan (reservoir)

Ancient Lake Lahontan was an enormous endorheic lake that existed during the ice age, covering much of northwestern Nevada, extending into northeastern California and southern Oregon. At its peak approximately 12,700 years ago (during a period known as the "Sehoo Highstand"), the lake had a surface area of about 8,000 square miles (20,700 km²), with its largest component centered at the location of the present Carson Sink. The depth of the lake was approximately 800 feet (240 m) at present day Pyramid Lake, and 500 feet (150 m) at the Black Rock Desert. Lake Lahontan © 2004 Matthew Trump File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Lake Lahontan © 2004 Matthew Trump File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Modern Lake Lahontan is a man-made reservoir on the Carson River in northwest Nevada in the United States. ... The shores of Lake Hart, an endorheic desert lake in South Australia In geography, an endorheic basin is a watershed from which there is no outflow of water (either on the surface as rivers, or underground by flow or diffusion through rock or permeable material). ... A lake is a body of water surrounded by land. ... Variations in CO2, temperature and dust from the Vostok ice core over the last 400 000 years For the animated movie, see Ice Age (movie). ... State nickname: Silver State, Battle Born State (official) Other U.S. States Capital Carson City Largest city Las Vegas Governor Kenny Guinn Official languages None Area 286,367 km² (7th)  - Land 284,396 km²  - Water 1,971 km² (0. ... State nickname: The Golden State Other U.S. States Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger Official languages English Area 410,000 km² (3rd)  - Land 404,298 km²  - Water 20,047 km² (4. ... State nickname: Beaver State Other U.S. States Capital Salem Largest city Portland Governor Ted Kulongoski Official languages None Area 255,026 km² (9th)  - Land 248,849 km²  - Water 6,177 km² (2. ... The Carson Sink is a large playa, approximately 300 sq mi (780 km²) in area, in the Lahontan Valley of northwestern Nevada. ... This article is about Pyramid Lake in Nevada. ... The Black Rock Desert is a dry lake bed in northwestern Nevada in the United States. ...

Climate change around the end of the Pleistocene epoch led to a gradual desiccation of ancient Lake Lahontan. The lake had largely disappeared in its extended form by approximately 9,000 years ago. As the surface elevation dropped, the lake broke up into series of smaller lakes, most of which rapidly dried up leaving only a playa. These playas include the Black Rock Desert, the Carson Sink and the Humboldt Sink. The only modern day remnants existing as true lakes are Pyramid Lake and Walker Lake. Winnemucca Lake has been dry since the 1930s and Honey Lake periodically desicates and has been dry since mid 2003. The ancient shoreline is evidenced by tufa formations throughout the area. The Pleistocene Epoch is part of the geologic timescale, usually dated as 1. ... The word epoch can mean either an interval of time, or a particular point in time used as a reference point. ... The playa and shore of Lake Hart, an endorheic desert lake in South Australia An alkali flat (known in US and Mexico as a playa) is a dry lakebed, generally the shore of, or remnant of, an endorheic lake. ... The Black Rock Desert is a dry lake bed in northwestern Nevada in the United States. ... The Carson Sink is a large playa, approximately 300 sq mi (780 km²) in area, in the Lahontan Valley of northwestern Nevada. ... The Humboldt Sink is an intermittent dry lake bed, approximately 11 mi (18 km) and 4 mi (6 km) across, in northwestern Nevada in the United States. ... This article is about Pyramid Lake in Nevada. ... Walker Lake can refer to: Walker Lake in Nevada in the United States Walker Lake in Texas in the United States This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Winnemucca Lake, located just east of Pyramid Lake in northwestern Nevada, was formerly a shallow tule-filled lake and an important stop for migrating waterfowl. ... Events and trends The 1930s were spent struggling for a solution to the global depression. ... 2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Tufa is the name for an unusual geological formation. ...

Surprisingly, the watershed feeding Lake Lahontan is not thought to have been significantly wetter during its highstand than it is currently. Rather, its desiccation is thought to be mostly due to increase in the evaporation rate as the climate warmed. Recent computer simulations indicate that if precipitation and evaporation rates within the watershed were maintained at their historical yearly maximum and minimum, respectively, Lake Lahontan would return.

The existence of the lake coincided roughly with the first appearance of humans in that region of North America. Archaelogical evidence exists along the ancient lake shore of early human habitation. World map showing location of North America A satellite composite image of North America North America is the third largest continent in area and fourth in population after Asia and Africa in area and population and Europe in population. ...

See also

• List of prehistoric lakes
• Lake Bonneville

This a partial list of prehistoric lakes. ... A butte in the Great Salt Lake Desert Lake Bonneville was a prehistoric pluvial lake that covered much of North Americas Great Basin region. ...

External links

• Exploring Nevada's Ice Age Lake