Please note: Due to browser FTP deprecation, users will no longer be able to access NCEI data via browser FTP clients. Users may access data via NCEI Web Accessible Folders and/or FTP client supported applications. We apologize for any inconvenience. See this document as reference.
Lake Level Reconstruction
The water level in lakes fluctuates with changes in moisture balance (precipitation minus evaporation) within the lake basin. In closed basin lakes, particularly in arid regions, lake level fluctuations can be dramatic, resulting in fossil shoreline deposits and other features indicative of past lake levels. A history of moisture balance and climate in the basin can then be derived.
Obtaining Data at the World Data Center
Search Datasets
- Google Earth Map
Locate and download lake level studies using a Google Earth map interface. Google Earth must be installed to use this search tool. - Interactive Map
Select study locations by region, proximity to a point, or text-based attributes. - Search All Paleoclimatology Data
Access a free text search of our entire study archive. - NCEI Paleo Web Service
Harvest Lake Level study metadata records using the NCEI Paleo Web Service
Browse Datasets
Contributing Data
Investigators who wish to contribute their data to our lake level archive can find information on contributing below. Data and study description information can be contributed by emailing your data to paleo@noaa.gov.
Other Data Archives
Additional sources of NCEI data and information on lake level histories.
