NASA photo of the endorheic Tarim Basin

An endorheic basin (from Greek endo ‘inside’ + rhein ‘to flow’; also terminal or closed basin) is a closed drainage basin that retains water and allows no outflow to other bodies of water such as rivers or oceans. The Tarim Basin ( is a large Endorheic basin occupying an area of more than 400000 km² Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly A drainage basin is an extent of Land where Water from Rain or Snow melt drains downhill into a body of water such as a River, Normally the water accruing in drainage basins flows out through surface rivers or by underground diffusion through permeable rock to the oceans. "Riverine" redirects here For the use of that term in Maritime geography, see there Permeability in the Earth sciences (commonly symbolized as κ, or k) is a measure of the ability of a material (typically a rock or unconsolidated However, in an endorheic basin, rain (or other precipitation) that falls within it does not flow out but may only leave the drainage system by evaporation and seepage. In Meteorology, precipitation (also known as one class of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric Evaporation is the process by which Molecules in a Liquid state (e Soil mechanics is a discipline that applies principles of Engineering mechanics, e The bottom of such a basin is typically occupied by a salt lake or salt pan. The salt lake or saline lake is a landlocked body of Water which has a concentration of Salts (mostly Sodium chloride) and other minerals significantly Natural salt pans are flat expanses of Ground covered with Salt and other Minerals usually shining white under the Sun. Endorheic basins are also called internal drainage systems.

Endorheic basin showing waterflow input

Endorheic regions, in contrast to exorheic regions which flow to the ocean in geologically defined patterns, are closed hydroloic systems. Their surface waters drain to inland terminal locations where the water evaporates or seeps into the ground, having no access to discharge into the sea. ^[1] Endorheic water bodies include some of the largest lakes in the world, such as the Aral Sea and the Caspian Sea, the world’s largest saline body of water cut off from the ocean. The Aral Sea ( Kazakh: Арал Теңізі Aral Tengizi, Orol dengizi Russian: Аральскοе мοре Tajik / Persian: Daryocha-i The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged Sea. ^[2]

Endorheic lakes

Endorheic lakes are bodies of water that do not flow into the sea. Most of the water falling on earth masses finds its way to the oceans through a network of rivers, lakes and wetlands or through evaporation. However, there is a class of water bodies that are located in closed or endorheic watersheds where the topography prevents their drainage to the oceans. These endorheic watersheds (containing water in rivers or lakes that form a balance of surface inflows, evaporation and seepage) are often called terminal lakes or sink lakes. ^[3]

Endorheic lakes are usually in the interior of a body mass, far from an ocean. Their watersheds often confined by natural geologic land formations such as a mountain range, cutting off water access to the ocean. The inland water flow into dry watersheds where the water evaporates, leaving a high concentration of minerals and other inflow erosion products. Over time this input of erosion products can cause the endorheic lake to become relatively saline. Since the main outflow pathways of these lakes are chiefly through evaporation and seepage, endorheic lakes are usually more sensitive to environmental pollutants inputs than water bodies that have access to oceans. ^[2]

Occurrence

Endorheic regions can occur in any climate but are most commonly found in hot desert locations. A desert is a Landscape or region that receives very little precipitation. In areas where rainfall is higher, riparian erosion will generally carve drainage channels (particularly in times of flood), breaking the enclosed endorheic hydrological system’s geographical barrier and opening it to the surrounding terrain. "Riparian" redirects here For the legal doctrine see " Riparian water rights. Hydrology (from Greek Yδωρ hudōr, "water" and λόγος logos, "study" is the study of the movement distribution and quality of The Black Sea was likely such a lake, having once been an independent hydrological system before the Mediterranean Sea broke through the terrain separating the two. The Black Sea is an inland Sea bounded by southeastern Europe, the Caucasus and the Anatolian peninsula ( Turkey

Endorheic regions tend to be far inland with their boundaries defined by mountains or other geological features that sever their access to oceans. Since the inflowing water can evacuate only through seepage or evaporation, dried minerals or other products collect in the basin, eventually making the water saline and also making the basin vulnerable to pollution. ^[2] Continents vary in their concentration of endorheic regions due to conditions of geography and climate. Australia has the highest percentage of endorheic regions at 18 percent while North America has the least at 5 percent. ^[4] Approximately 18 percent of the earth’s land drains to endorheic lakes or seas, the largest of these land areas being the interior of Asia.

In deserts, water inflow is low and loss to solar evaporation high, drastically reducing the formation of complete drainage systems. Closed water flow areas often lead to the concentration of salts and other minerals in the basin. Minerals leached from the surrounding rocks are deposited in the basin, and left behind when the water evaporates. Thus endorheic basins often contain extensive salt pans (also called salt flats, salt lakes, alkali flats or playas). Natural salt pans are flat expanses of Ground covered with Salt and other Minerals usually shining white under the Sun. The salt lake or saline lake is a landlocked body of Water which has a concentration of Salts (mostly Sodium chloride) and other minerals significantly In Chemistry, an alkali (from Arabic: Al-Qaly القلي القالي) is a basic, ionic salt of an Alkali metal These areas tend to be large, flat hardened surfaces and are sometimes used for aviation runways or land speed record attempts. Aviation refers to activities involving man-made flying devices ( Aircraft) including the people organizations and regulatory bodies involved with them A runway ( RWY) is a strip of land on an Airport, on which Aircraft can take off and land. The land speed record is the fastest speed achieved by any wheeled vehicle on land as opposed to one on water or in the air or on rails.

Both permanent and seasonal endorheic lakes can form in endorheic basins. Some endorheic basins are essentially stable, climate change having reduced precipitation to the degree that a lake no longer forms. Even most permanent endorheic lakes change size and shape dramatically over time, often becoming much smaller or breaking into several smaller parts during the dry season. As humans have expanded into previously uninhabitable desert areas, the river systems that feed many endorheic lakes have been altered by the construction of dams and aqueducts. As a result many endorheic lakes in developed or developing countries have contracted dramatically, resulting in increased salinity, higher concentrations of pollutants, and the disruption of ecosystems.

Notable endorheic basins and lakes

Major endorheic basins of the world. Basins are shown in dark gray; major endorheic lakes are shown in black.

Antarctica

Endorheic lakes in Antarctica are located in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Victoria Land, Antarctica, the largest ice-free area in Antarctica. "Dry valleys" redirects here For other uses see Dry valley The McMurdo Dry Valleys are a row of Valleys in Victoria Land is a region of Antarctica bounded on the east by the Ross Sea and on the west by Wilkes Land.

• Don Juan Pond in Wright Valley is fed by groundwater from a rock glacier and remains unfrozen throughout the year. Don Juan Pond is a hypersaline lake in Victoria Land, Antarctica, which has even greater Salinity than the Dead Sea. The Wright Valley is one of several Dry Valleys in the Transantarctic Mountains, located west of McMurdo Sound at approximately.
• Lake Vanda in Wright Valley has a perennial ice cover, the edges of which melt in the summer allowing flow from the longest river in Antarctica, the Onyx River. Lake Vanda is a Lake in Wright Valley, Victoria Land, Ross Dependency, Antarctica. The Wright Valley is one of several Dry Valleys in the Transantarctic Mountains, located west of McMurdo Sound at approximately. The Onyx River is a meltwater stream which flows westward through the Wright Valley from Wright Lower Glacier to Lake Vanda, during a few months of the Antarctic The lake is over 70 m deep and is hypersaline.
• Lake Bonney is in Taylor Valley and has a perennial ice over and two lobes separated by the Bonney Riegel. Lake Bonney or Bonney Lake may refer to Lake Bonney (Antarctica, a frozen saline lake in the McMurdo Dry Valleys Bonney Lake Washington The lake is fed by glacial melt and discharge from Blood Falls. Its unique glacial history has resulted in a hypersaline brine in the bottom waters and fresh water at the surface.
• Lake Hoare, in Taylor Valley, is the freshest of the Dry Valley lakes receiving its melt almost exclusively from the Canada Glacier. Lake Hoare ( is a Lake about 2 Miles (32 km) long between Lake Chad and Canada Glacier in Taylor Valley, Victoria The lake has an ice cover and forms a moat during the Austral summer.
• Lake Fryxell, in adjacent to the Ross Sea in Taylor Valley. Lake Fryxell is a Lake 45 km (3 mi long between Canada Glacier and Commonwealth Glaciers at the lower end of Taylor Valley in Victoria Land NOAA Ross seajpg|thumb|200px|thumb|Ice in the Ross Sea Antarctica]] The Ross Sea is a deep bay of the Southern Ocean in Antarctica between Victoria The lake has an ice cover and receives its water from numerous glacial meltwater streams for approximately 6 weeks out of the year. Its salinity increases with depth.

Asia

Caspian Sea, a giant inland basin

Much of western and Central Asia is a single, giant inland basin. The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged Sea. Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south It contains a number of lakes, including:

• The Central Asian Internal Drainage Basin, the largest of the three major basins covering Mongolia. The Central Asian Internal Drainage Basin or Central Asian Inland Basin is largest of the three major hydrological basins that cover Mongolia, the other Mongolia (mɒŋˈɡoʊliə, literally Mongol country/nation,) is a Landlocked Country in East
• The Caspian Sea, the largest lake on Earth. The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged Sea. In fact, a large part of Eastern Europe drained by the Volga River also belongs to its basin.
• The Aral Sea, whose tributary rivers have been diverted, leading to a dramatic shrinkage of the lake. The Aral Sea ( Kazakh: Арал Теңізі Aral Tengizi, Orol dengizi Russian: Аральскοе мοре Tajik / Persian: Daryocha-i The resulting ecological disaster has brought the plight faced by internal drainage basins to public attention.
• Lake Balkhash (Kazakhstan)
• Lop Nur Basin, in the southeastern portion of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwestern China
• Issyk-Kul, Son-Kul and Chatyr-Kul lakes in Kyrgyzstan
• Sistan Basin covering areas of Iran and Afghanistan
• Tarim Basin in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
• Uvs Nuur basin, Mongolia, Tuvan Republic of Russia
• The Dead Sea, the lowest surface point on Earth and one of its saltiest bodies of water, lies between Israel and Jordan. Lake Balqash ( Kazakh: kk Балқаш Көлі, also Balkhash from the Russian ru Озеро Балхаш) is a Lake in southeastern Kazakhstan, also Kazakstan ( Қазақстан, Qazaqstan, qɑzɑqˈstɑn Казахстан, Kazakhstán,) officially the Lop Nur ( Chinese: 罗布泊 Pinyin: Luóbù Pō also Lake Lop, Lop Nuur) Lop Nor = Lob-nor = Lo-pu po Xinjiang ( Uyghur: شىنجاڭ Shinjang;; Postal map spelling: Sinkiang; Turkish: Sincan, Sincan Uygur Özerk Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Issyk Kul (also Ysyk Köl, Issyk-kol; Ысыккөл Иссык-Куль is an Endorheic Lake in the northern Tian Shan mountains Son-Kul (also Son Köl or Songköl, Соңкөл) is an Endorheic alpine Lake in the Tian Shan mountains in central Chatyr-Kul (also Chatyr Köl, Chatyrkol, Kyrgyz: Чатыркөл) is an Endorheic alpine Lake in the Tian Shan Kyrgyzstan (ˈkɻ̩gɪztɑn (AmE or /'kɝgəztan/ (BrE Kyrgyz: Кыргызстан; Russian: Киргизия or Киргизстан or Кыргызстан The Sistan Basin is an inland Endorheic basin encompassing large parts of south-western Afghanistan and south-eastern Iran, one of the driest regions in For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, The Tarim Basin ( is a large Endorheic basin occupying an area of more than 400000 km² Xinjiang ( Uyghur: شىنجاڭ Shinjang;; Postal map spelling: Sinkiang; Turkish: Sincan, Sincan Uygur Özerk The Uvs Nuur Basin (also Ubsu-Nur Basin) is a fragile mountain Endorheic basin, named after Uvs Nuur, a large shallow and very saline lake in the basin's Mongolia (mɒŋˈɡoʊliə, literally Mongol country/nation,) is a Landlocked Country in East Tyva Republic (Респу́блика Тыва́ Respublika Tyva, rʲɪˈspublʲɪkə tɨˈva Тыва Республика Tyva Respublika) or Tuva Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending The Dead Sea (יָם הַ‏‏מֶ‏ּ‏לַ‏ח, "Sea of Salt"البَحْر المَيّت, "Dead Sea" is a salt lake between For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern
• Sambhar Lake in Rajasthan, north-western India, is also the terminal point of an endorheic basin. Sambhar Salt Lake, India 's largest Salt Lake, sits 96 km south west of the city of Jaipur (Northwest India and 64 km north east of Ajmer Rājasthān ( Devanāgarī: राजस्थान raːdʒəst̪ʰaːn is the largest state of the Republic of India in terms of area India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country

Australia

Australia, being very dry and having exceedingly low runoff ratios due to its ancient soils, has a great prominence of variable, endorheic drainages. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The most important are:

• Lake Eyre Basin, which drains into the highly variable Lake Eyre and includes Lake Frome. The Lake Eyre Basin is a Drainage basin that covers one-sixth of all Australia. Lake Eyre (pronounced "air" is the lowest point in Australia, at approximately ( AHD) below sea level and on the rare occasions that it fills the Lake Frome ( is a large Endorheic Lake in South Australia, east of the Northern Flinders Ranges.
• Lake Torrens, to the west of the Flinders Ranges in South Australia. Lake Torrens is a 5700 square kilometre Endorheic saline rift lake in South Australia. The Flinders Ranges is South Australia 's largest Mountain range which starts approximately 200 km north west of Adelaide. South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country
• Lake Corangamite, a highly saline crater lake in western Victoria. Lake Corangamite is Victoria’s largest natural Lake, located near Colac in south-west Victoria, Australia in the Lakes and Craters region of Crater Lake is a Caldera Lake located in the US state of Oregon.
• Lake George, formerly connected to the Murray-Darling Basin

A false-colour satellite photo of Australia’s Lake Eyre
Image credit: NASA’s Earth Observatory

Africa

• Lake Turkana in Kenya
• The Okavango Delta, an endorheic inland delta in the Kalahari Desert of Botswana
• Lake Ngami in Botswana
• Lake Chad (between Chad and Cameroon), fed by the Chari and Logon rivers
• Etosha pan in Namibia’s Etosha National Park
• Qattara Depression in Egypt
• Chott Melrhir in Algeria
• Lake Chilwa in Malawi
• Afar Depression in Eritrea, Ethiopia and Djibouti

North America

Great Salt Lake, Satellite photo (2003) after five years of drought

• The Valley of Mexico. Lake George (or' Weerewaa' in the indigenous language is a Lake in south-eastern New South Wales, Australia about 30 minutes drive north-east The Murray-Darling Basin is 3375km long drains one-seventh of the Australian land mass and is currently by far the most significant agricultural area in Australia For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Lake Eyre (pronounced "air" is the lowest point in Australia, at approximately ( AHD) below sea level and on the rare occasions that it fills the Lake Turkana (tər-kăn'ə tʊr-kä'nə formerly known as Lake Rudolf, is a Lake in the Great Rift Valley in Kenya, with its far northern The Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia to the north Somalia to the northeast Tanzania to the south The Okavango Delta (or Okavango Swamp) in Botswana, is the world's largest inland delta. The Republic of Botswana (Lefatshe la Botswana is a Landlocked nation in Southern Africa. Lake Ngami is an Endorheic Lake in Botswana north of the Kalahari Desert. Lake Chad (in French Lac Tchad) is a historically large shallow lake in Africa, whose size has varied greatly over the centuries Chad (Tchad تشاد Tshād) officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a Landlocked country in Central Africa. The Republic of Cameroon is a unitary republic of central and western Africa. The Logon or Logone River is a major Tributary of the Chari River. thumb|300px|right|Blick on the Etoscha pan thumb|300px|right|Ausgetrockneter soil of the Etoscha pan ---> The Etosha pan Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa on the Atlantic coast Etosha National Park is a national park in the Kunene Region of northwestern Namibia. The Qattara Depression (منخفض القطارة 'Munkhafad al-Qattarah' is a Desert basin within the Libyan Desert of north-western Egypt. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. Chott Melrhir (شط ملغيغ is a large Endorheic salt lake in northeastern Algeria, located at. Algeria ( ar [[Arabic]] الجزائر, Al Jaza'ir ælʤæˈzæːʔir Amazigh: ⴷⵥⴰⵢⴻⵔ Dzayer) officially the People's Lake Chilwa is the third-largest Lake in Malawi ( Africa) after Lake Malawi and Lake Malombe. The Republic of Malawi (məˈlɑːwi or; formerly Nyasaland) is in southern Africa. The Afar Depression (also called the Danakil Depression or the Afar Triangle) is a Geological depression in the Horn of Africa, where it Eritrea () ( Ge'ez: ኤርትራ ʾErtrā, Arabic: إرتريا Iritriya) officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in NOTE This intro is the result of careful NPOV work Please do not make potentially controversial edits to it without first discussing on the talk page Djibouti ( جيبوتي Jībūtī, Somali: Jabuuti) officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Great Salt Lake, located in the northern part of the US state of Utah, is the largest salt lake in the western hemisphere the fourth-largest terminal A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply Valley of Mexico is a highland Plateau in central Mexico roughly coterminous with the present-day Distrito Federal and the eastern half of the State In Pre-Columbian times, the Valley was substantially covered with five lakes, including Lake Texcoco, Lake Xochimilco, and Lake Chalco. The pre-Columbian era incorporates all period subdivisions in the history and prehistory of the Americas before the appearance of significant European influences Lake Texcoco (Lago de Texcoco was a natural Lake formation within the Valley of Mexico, a basin with an average Elevation of 2236 m Above Lake Xochimilco is an ancient Endorheic lake located in the Valley of Mexico, part of a series of lakes which included the brackish Lake Texcoco, Lake Chalco was an Endorheic lake formerly located in the Valley of Mexico and was important for human development in central Mexico.
• Crater Lake in Oregon
• Devil's Lake (North Dakota)
• Devil's Lake (Wisconsin)
• The Great Divide Basin in Wyoming, a small endorheic basin that straddles the Continental Divide. Crater Lake is a Caldera Lake located in the US state of Oregon. Oregon ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Devil's Lake (often written as Devils Lake) is a freshwater Lake in the U Devil's Lake is an Endorheic lake in the South Range of the Baraboo Hills about two miles south of Baraboo Wisconsin, in Sauk County, Wisconsin The Great Divide Basin is a 3860 Square mile (10000  Km²) endorheic Drainage basin in south central Wyoming, located between The State of Wyoming ( is a sparsely populated state in the western region of the United States. A continental divide is a line of elevated Terrain which forms a border between two watersheds such that Water falling on one side of the line eventually
• The Great Basin, which covers much of Nevada and Utah, includes:
  • The Black Rock Desert in Nevada, location of the Thrust2 and ThrustSSC landspeed record runs, and the annual home to the Burning Man festival
  • Death Valley in California and Nevada, the lowest land point in the United States
  • Groom Dry Lake in Nevada, location of the secret Area 51 base
  • Utah’s Great Salt Lake, the largest terminal lake in the Western Hemisphere
  • Salton Sea in California, a lake accidentally created in 1905 when irrigation canals ruptured, filling a desert endorheic basin and recreating an ancient saline sea
  • Utah’s Sevier Lake
  • Pyramid Lake in Nevada
  • Mono Lake in California
• Rogers Lake, at Edwards Air Force Base in California
• Tulare Lake, an endorheic basin at the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley fed by the Kern River; since the late 19th century the lake bed has been reclaimed and used as farmland, though it occasionally floods when rainfall is especially heavy
• New Mexico has a number of desert endorheic basins including:
  • The Tularosa Basin, a rift valley;
  • Zuni Salt Lake, a maar;
• Bolsón de Mapimí, in northern Mexico;
• Guzmán Basin, in northern Mexico southwestern New Mexico;
• Lago de Atitlán, in the highlands of Guatemala;

Europe

• Neusiedlersee/Fertő tó in Austria and Hungary
• Lake Trasimeno in Italy
• Lake Velence in Hungary
• Lake Prespa between Albania, Greece and the Republic of Macedonia

All these lakes are drained, however, either through manmade canals or via karstic phenomena. The Great Basin is a large arid region of the western United States. Nevada ( is a state located in the western region of the United States of America. The State of Utah (ˈjuːtɔː or) is a western state of the United States. The Black Rock Desert is a Dry lake bed and the surrounding Endorheic basin in northwestern Nevada in the United States. Nevada ( is a state located in the western region of the United States of America. Thrust2 is a British designed and built jet propelled car, which held the world Land speed record from 4 October 1983 to 15 October 1997 Thrust SSC ( '''S'''uper'''S'''onic C ar is a British designed and built jet -propelled car developed by Richard Noble, Glynne Burning Man is an annual event held in Death Valley is the lowest driest and hottest Valley in the United States. Area 51 is a nickname for a military base located in the southern portion of Nevada in the western United States Area 51 is a nickname for a military base located in the southern portion of Nevada in the western United States Great Salt Lake, located in the northern part of the US state of Utah, is the largest salt lake in the western hemisphere the fourth-largest terminal The Western Hemisphere, also Western hemisphere or western hemisphere, is a geographical term for the half of the Earth that lies West The Salton Sea is an inland Saline lake, occupying the lowest elevations of the Salton Sink, part of the larger Colorado Desert in Southern California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. Year 1905 ( MCMV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Sevier Lake (sɛˈviːr is an intermittent and Endorheic lake which lies in the lowest part of the Sevier Desert, Millard County Utah. Pyramid Lake is an Endorheic salt lake, approximately 188 Square miles (487  km ² in area in the Great Basin in the northwestern Mono Lake is an Alkaline and hypersaline lake in California, United States that is a critical nesting habitat for several bird species and is California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. Edwards Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located on the border of Kern County and Los Angeles County California in the Antelope Edwards Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located on the border of Kern County and Los Angeles County California in the Antelope California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. Tulare Lake is an extinct fresh-water Lake that was formerly the largest in the Western United States. The San Joaquin Valley (ˌsæn wɑːˈkiːn refers to the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta The Kern River is a river in the US state of California, approximately long New Mexico ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States of America. The Tularosa Basin is a Graben basin in the basin and range area east of the Rio Grande in southern New Mexico, mostly in Otero County A rift valley is a linear-shaped lowland between highlands or mountain ranges created by the action of a geologic Rift or fault. Zuni Salt Lake, also Zuñi Salt Lake or Fence Lake ( Navajo: Áshįįh) is a rare high desert lake and a classic Maar. A maar is a broad low- Relief Volcanic crater that is caused by a Phreatomagmatic eruption, an Explosion caused by Groundwater Bolsón de Mapimí is an Endorheic river basin located in the center-north of the Mexican Plateau. The Guzmán Basin is an Endorheic basin of northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. Lake Atitlán ( Lago de Atitlán) is a large Endorheic Lake in the Guatemalan Highlands Lake Neusiedl (Neusiedlersee Fertő tó is the second largest Steppe lake in Central Europe, straddling the Austrian �� Hungarian border Lake Neusiedl (Neusiedlersee Fertő tó is the second largest Steppe lake in Central Europe, straddling the Austrian �� Hungarian border Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic Lake Trasimeno or Trasimene (in Italian: Lago Trasimeno) is the largest lake in the Italian peninsula south of the Po with a surface Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Lake Velence is the third largest lake in Hungary. It is a popular holiday destination among Hungarians Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic Prespa is the name of two freshwater Lakes in Southeast Europe, shared by Greece, Albania, and the Republic of Macedonia. This article is about the country in southern Europe For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Albania topics. Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία The Republic of Macedonia (Република Canals are artificial channels for water There are two types of canals water conveyance canals which are used for the conveyance and delivery of water and Waterways Karst topography is a landscape shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble Bedrock, usually Carbonate rock such as Limestone Minor additional endorheic lakes exist throughout the Mediterranean countries Spain (e. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. g. Laguna de Gallocanta), Italy, Cyprus (Larnaca and Akrotiri salt lakes) and Greece. Gallocanta is a municipality located in the province of Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία

South America

MODIS image from November 4, 2001 showing Lake Titicaca, the Salar de Uyuni, and the Salar de Coipasa. Lake Titicaca is a lake located on the border of Bolivia and Peru. Salar de Uyuni (or Salar de Tunupa) is the world's largest Salt flat at 10582 km² (4085 square miles These are all parts of the Altiplano

• Altiplano basin, one of the largest and second highest in the world. The Altiplano ( Spanish for high plain) where the Andes are at their widest is the most extensive area of High plateau on earth outside The Altiplano ( Spanish for high plain) where the Andes are at their widest is the most extensive area of High plateau on earth outside
• Lake Valencia (Spanish: Lago de Valencia) the second largest lake in Venezuela. Lake Valencia ( Lago de Valencia) is the third largest Lake in Venezuela, exceeded in size only by Lake Maracaibo and Lake Guri.
• Salar de Atacama, Atacama Desert, Chile (although close to the Altiplano it is not part of it)
• Northwest Pampas Basins in the Dry Pampas of Argentina
• Southwest Pampas Basins in the Dry Pampas of Argentina
• Meseta Somuncura in the Patagonia region of Argentina

Ancient

Some of the Earth’s ancient endorheic systems include:

• The Black Sea, until its merger with the Mediterranean
• The Mediterranean Sea itself and all its tributary basins, during its Messinian desiccation (5 m. Salar de Atacama is the largest Salt flat in Chile. It is located 55 km south of San Pedro de Atacama, is surrounded by mountains and has no drainage Atacama redirects here for the political-administrative region of Chile, see Atacama Region. Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the The Semi-arid Pampas, also known as the Dry Pampas, is a temperate grassland ecoregion of central Argentina. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. The Semi-arid Pampas, also known as the Dry Pampas, is a temperate grassland ecoregion of central Argentina. Llao LLaojpg|thumb|250px| Lake Nahuel Huapi, near Bariloche, Argentina The Black Sea is an inland Sea bounded by southeastern Europe, the Caucasus and the Anatolian peninsula ( Turkey The Messinian Salinity Crisis, also referred to as the Messinian Event, is a period when the Mediterranean Sea evaporated partly or completely dry during the y. BP aprox. ) as it became disconnected from the Atlantic Ocean.
• Lake Lahontan in the western US
• Ebro and Duero basins, draining most of northern Spain during the Neogene and perhaps Pliocene. Ancient Lake Lahontan was a large Endorheic Lake that existed during the Ice age, covering much of northwestern Nevada, extending into northeastern The Ebro ( Ebre) is Spain 's most voluminous river Its source is in Fontibre ( Cantabria) The Douro or Duero ( Latin: Durius, Spanish: Duero, Portuguese: Douro, pron. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. The Neogene is a geologic period and system starting 2303 ± 0 The Pliocene epoch (spelled Pleiocene in some older texts is the period in the Geologic timescale that extends
• Lake Bonneville (Utah)

See also

• List of endorheic basins

References

1. ^ Drainage systems. Lake Bonneville was a prehistoric Pluvial lake that covered much of North America 's Great Basin region The following is a list of Endorheic basins — watersheds which do not drain to the sea Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved on 2008-02-11. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 660 BC - Traditional founding date of Japan by Emperor Jimmu.
2. ^ ^{a b c} Endorheic Lakes: Waterbodies That Don't Flow to the Sea. United Nations Environment Programme. Retrieved on 2008-02-11. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 660 BC - Traditional founding date of Japan by Emperor Jimmu.
3. ^ What is a watershed and why should I care?. university of delaware. Retrieved on 2008-02-11. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 660 BC - Traditional founding date of Japan by Emperor Jimmu.
4. ^ Saline Lake Ecosystems of the World. Springer. Retrieved on 2007-07-31. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 30 BC - Battle of Alexandria: Mark Antony achieves a minor victory over Octavian 's forces but most of his army subsequently

External links

• Primer on endorheic lakes
• The Silk Roads and Eurasian Geography
• The role of climate during high plateau formation. Insights from numerical experiments