Badwater
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Badwater | |
|---|---|
 Badwater Basin elevation sign |
|
| Elevation: | −282 feet
(−86.0 metres; note that the sign conversion is incorrect [1])[1] |
| Location: | Death Valley, |
| Province: | Basin and Range |
| Coordinates: | |
| Topo map: | USGS |
| Type: | Graben |
Badwater is a basin in California's Death Valley, noted as the lowest point in North America, with an elevation of 282 feet (86 m) below sea level.
The site itself consists of a small spring-fed pool of water next to the road; however, the accumulated salts of the surrounding basin make it undrinkable, thus the name "Badwater". The pool does have animal and plant life, including pickleweed, aquatic insects, and the Badwater Snail.
The pool is not actually the lowest point of the basin, which is several miles to the west and varies in position. However, the salt flats are hazardous to traverse (in many cases being only a thin white crust over mud), and so the sign is at the pool.
Badwater is the starting point of the Badwater Ultramarathon, which ends high on Mount Whitney, 85 miles (137 kilometers) to the west.
[edit] Image gallery
 The pool at Badwater basin. |
 The pathway leading to the salt flats next to the pool at Badwater Basin. |
 The salt flats at Badwater Basin. |
 The Badwater Salt Flats, as seen from Dante's View in 1984. |
 Badwater Panorama. The salt flat is the white road in the middle left, and the pool is on the right. |
 A three-photo panoramic image of Badwater Basin. The left side looks west, while the right side looks to the north (toward Furnace Creek). |
[edit] References
- ^ Elevations and Distances in the United States. U.S Geological Survey (29 April 2005). Retrieved on November 9, 2006.
Fauna, Flora and Minerals
Borax • Chuckwalla • Death Valley monkeyflower • Death Valley pupfish • Devil's Hole pupfish • Salt Creek Pupfish
History
Death Valley Railroad • Greenwater • Lake Manly • Skidoo
Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad • Twenty mule team
Places
Amargosa Range / River / Valley • Ash Meadows NWR • Badwater • Ballarat • Beatty • Chloride City • Death Valley Junction • Eureka Dunes • Furnace Creek • Panamint City / Range / Springs / Valley • Racetrack • Rhyolite • Scotty's Castle • Stovepipe Wells • Telescope Peak • Trona • Ubehebe Crater • Zabriske Point
Transportation
CA SR127 • CA SR178 • CA SR190 • NV SR373 •NV SR374 • Trona Railway • US 95
