DEVA Deluge 2022

Monsoonal rain flooded Mud Canyon in Death Valley National Park on Aug. 5, 2022.
Monsoonal rain flooded Mud Canyon in Death Valley National Park on Aug. 5, 2022.

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Two restroom structures sit in front of brown mountains, below large rocks carried from flash floods cover the parking lot.
Large rocks carried from August 5, 2022 flash floods cover the parking lot at Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. August 6, 2022.

NPS

On August 5, 2022, unprecedented rains caused severe flash floods across Death Valley National Park. These flooding events brought large flows of debris across roads, damaging and ultimately closing all roads in the park.

The amount of water that fell over Death Valley was significant in many ways. The rain gauge recorded 1.70 inches of rain, making this the rainiest day in recorded history at the Furnace Creek weather station. In just a few hours, the park received three-quarters of its 2.20-inch annual average rainfall.

"The heavy rain that caused the devastating flooding at Death Valley was an extremely rare, 1000-year event", says Daniel Berc, meteorologist with the National Weather Service Las Vegas. “A 1000-year event doesn't mean it happens once per 1,000 years, rather that there is a 0.1% chance of occurring in any given year."

In the days after, the park and its partners continue to assess and mend damages caused by these floods. Most all roads in the park received damage. The most up to date park and road information can be found on the alerts & conditions page.

 

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Sounds of running water.

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Duration:
18.7 seconds

Flood waters travel down Mud Canyon over damaged road.

 
 

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    Death Valley Road Status

    Open Roads (paved)
    Closed Roads
    Dirt Roads:
    All backcountry roads have areas of moderate to severe damage. Some areas are impassable and many roads have not yet been assessed. Travel not recommended.
    --- Hiking Trails
     
     

    Last updated: October 6, 2022

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    Contact Info

    Mailing Address:

    P.O. Box 579
    Death Valley, CA 92328

    Phone:

    760 786-3200

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