Death Valley National Park closed indefinitely by flooding (two dead)

SFGate ^ | 8/17/2004

[lainie]

Death Valley National Park has been closed indefinitely because of heavy flooding in the Mojave Desert that killed at least two people and washed away stretches of road.

Fierce storms that hit the desert over the weekend triggered flooding that washed cars off roads and sent mud, rock and debris cascading into the Furnace Creek Wash.

...

California Highway 190 -- a main road between the eastern Sierra and Nevada -- was closed to through traffic for 130 miles, from U.S. 395 in the Owens Valley to Death Valley Junction near the Nevada state line. The CHP said state Highway 178 also was closed to Shoshone, Calif.

"We have extensive roadway damage," Susan Lent, a spokeswoman for the California Transportation Department said Tuesday. "A 6-foot by 50-foot wide section has been completely washed away. There's a big 6-foot deep hole -- that's in one area, and there are several areas like that along the road."

...

[also Needles, Calif.]

Road crews cleared mud and rock from U.S. 95, which reopened Tuesday morning between Needles and Laughlin, Nev.

Needles Highway, a state highway connecting the two towns on the west side of the Colorado River, might remain closed until Wednesday, Stumbaugh said.

[lainie]

Not to be outdone by the east coast, there's wild desert weather out there.

[lainie]

Art Bell can't drive to D.V. right now :)

[Mike Darancette]

And the alluvial fans get a little larger.

[SeattleNeedsHelp]

This is an amazing place for a weekend getaway.  Stayed there during New Years 2000 -  highly recommended!!!!

 

 

Furnace Creek Resort

 

[Rakkasan1]

hence the name-Death Valley

[BigBobber]

Anyone know if these heavy rains mean a great wildflower display a few months hence? I try to get to the desert every year and I'm wondering what month next spring would be best?

[concentric circles]

I love driving into Death Valley from the Owens Valley. You start in a valley with 10,000+' mountains on either side, pass the colorful abyss of Rainbow Canyon, then enter the broad salt flats of Panamint Valley overshadowed by 11,000' Telescope Peak. The road climbs through Towne Pass and the Panamint Mountains until you first see Death Valley far below. The scale of the scenery just seems to expand by magnitudes with each passage into the next valley, growing more and more spectacular.

Here's a little wild flower info from Death-Valley.US

"Some years the desert is spectacular with wildflowers; other years the blossoms are almost nonexistent (but never totally absent). A good wildflower year depends on at least three things:

Well-spaced rainfall through-out the winter and early spring
Sufficient warmth from the sun
Lack of desiccating winds

"Most of the "showy" plants are desert annuals, also referred to as ephemerals (short-lived). Colors range from white and yellow to purple, blue, red and bright magenta.

"The best time to see a spring floral display is in years when rainfall has been several times the Death Valley annual average of about 1.9 inches. In general, heavy rains in late October with no more rain through the winter months, will not bring out the flowers as well as rains that are evenly-spaced throughout the winter and into the spring.

"Peak Blooming Periods for Death Valley are usually...

Mid February - Mid April at lower elevations (valley floor and alluvial fans)

Best Areas: Jubilee Pass, Highway 190 near the Furnace Creek Inn, base of Daylight Pass
Dominant species: desert star, blazing star, desert gold, mimulus, encelia, poppies, verbena, evening primrose, phacelia, and various species of cacti (usually above the valley floor).

Early April - Early May at 2,000 to 4,000 ft. elevations

Best areas: Panamint Mountains
Dominant species: paintbrush, Mojave desert rue, lupine, Joshua tree, bear poppy, cacti and Panamint daisies.

Late April - Early June above 4,000 ft. elevations

Best areas: High Panamints
Dominant species: Mojave wildrose, rabbitbrush, Panamint daisies, mariposa lilies and lupine."

[Redcloak]

People don't realize just how wet Death Valley can get. As I recall, there are a few drownings each year from people who venture out onto the lake bed. There's a thin layer of salt that covers several feet of muck. Break through and it's adios muchacho!

[lainie]

I'm no scientist but my gut feeling is that this rain won't change the normal course of wildflower seasons. It's too dang hot. The water evaporates quickly and it's too hot for any flowers, that aren't ordinarly visible, til mid-late autumn.

(how's that for a completely uneducated guess)

[BurbankKarl]

I read that those two victims were swept from the visitors center parking lot and were found downstream a couple miles.

[BurbankKarl]

[lainie]

The storm downed power and phone lines throughout much of Death Valley. Southern California Edison used helicopters to ferry in replacement poles, and restored service about 5:30 p.m. Monday.

The storm accomplished one good thing, knocking the temperature down from the peak of 125 degrees it reached last week to less than 100

[BigBobber]

Thanks for the info. I was in Joshua Tree last year and the flowers were fantastic! Should be another good Spring in 2005.

[Abigail Adams]

It looks nice. But isn't it, ummmm, really HOT there?

[SeattleNeedsHelp]

October thru March is best - temps in mid 70's

 

http://www.weather.com/weather/climatology/monthly/USCA0286?from=search