What is Badwater Basin?
{{Infobox lake | lake_name = Badwater Basin | image_lake = Badwater.jpg | caption_lake = | location = [[Death Valley]]<br>[[California]] | coords = {{coord|36.23998|-116.83171|region:US-CA_type:waterbody_source:wikimapia| display=inline,title}} | type = [[Endorheic basin]] | inflow = [[Amargosa River]] | outflow = [[Evaporation|Terminal (evaporation)]] | catchment = | basin_countries = [[United States]] | cities = Badwater, California | reference = {{gnis|255963}} }} '''Badwater Basin''' is a [[Basin (geology)|basin]] in [[Death Valley National Park]], [[Death Valley]], [[California]]. The water which goes into it does not flow into any [[ocean]]. Badwater Basin is the lowest point in [[North America]], at {{convert|282|ft|abbr=on}} below [[sea level]]. [[Mount Whitney]], the highest point in the [[48 states]],<ref>the 'touching' states, without [[Alaska]] and [[Hawaii]].</ref> is only 76 miles west of the Basin. It is one of the lowest places in Death Valley. Badwater Basin has a small natural pool of undrinkable water next to the road. The water comes from a [[spring (water)|spring]]. It is called 'Badwater' because people cannot drink the water. This is because so much [[salt]] has built up from the basin. The pool does have animals and plants living there, including pickleweed, [[insect]]s, and the Badwater snail. The pool is not actually the lowest point of the basin. The lowest point is several miles to the west; the exact point which is lowest changes over time. However, the [[salt flats]] are dangerous to travel across (in many cases being only a thin white crust over mud). Therefore, the sign states that the lowest point is at the pool, where people can see it. This is not the lowest point in the [[Western Hemisphere]]. [[Laguna del Carbón]] in [[Argentina]] is lower, at -105 meters (-344 feet). ==Geography== [[File:Lake Badwater, Death Valley, 2005.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Badwater Basin following the