Lake Lahontan
| Lake Lahontan | |
|---|---|
Lake Lahontan lacustrine terraces | |
Lake Lahontan Lake Lahontan | |
Extent of prehistoric Lake Lahontan | |
| Location | Northwestern Nevada, parts of northeastern California and southern Oregon |
| Coordinates | 39°48′N 118°30′W / 39.8°N 118.5°W |
| Type | Endorheic prehistoric lake |
| Etymology | Louis-Armand de Lom d'Arce de Lahontan, Baron de Lahontan |
| Part of | Great Basin |
| Basin countries | United States |
| First flooded | approx. 12,700 years ago |
| Surface area | 8,500 square miles (22,000 km2) |
| Max. depth | 500 to 900 feet (150 to 270 m) |
| Surface elevation | 4,157 feet (1,267 m) |
| Location | |
Interactive map of Lake Lahontan | |
Lake Lahontan was a large endorheic prehistoric lake during the Pleistocene that occupied modern northwestern Nevada and extended into northeastern California and southern Oregon. The area of the former lake is a large portion of the Great Basin that borders the Sacramento River watershed to the west.
The lake was named by Clarence King during the Geological Exploration of the Fortieth Parallel. The name honors Louis-Armand de Lom d'Arce de Lahontan, Baron de Lahontan, a French soldier and explorer.