The United States is filled with mountains and valleys, from thousands of feet above sea level to hundreds of feet below. Each state has its lowest point, but have you ever considered what is the lowest point in the US? Keep reading to learn where the lowest point is located, as well as other low points across the world.
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How They Measure the Lowest Point
Scientists use a combination of surveying techniques to measure low points across the world. These include referencing the “mean sea level” as the base point, GPS, satellite altimetry, and gravity readings to pinpoint data with high accuracy.
The “mean sea level” is the standard reference point for measuring elevation, as serving as the starting point for researchers. They then use a combination of GPS, satellite, and gravity readings to further narrow down the exact measurement below sea level. After that, they compare it to the Earth’s geoid model to find the vertical position of a point.
What is the Lowest Point in the US?
The lowest point in the US goes to Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park, California with a depth of 282 feet below sea level. Interestingly enough, the highest point in the contiguous US is just 84.6 miles to the northwest at Mount Whitney.
Badwater Basin is a small spring-fed pool of “bad water” in accumulated deposits of salt that surround the basin. While it may seem uninhabitable, there are some animal and plant species there including pickleweed, aquatic insects, and the Badwater snail. The pool is actually not the lowest point though; that is several miles to the west and can vary in position depending on rainfall and evaporation patterns.
The basin inspired the name of Badwater Crater on Mars, which is the lowest point on the planet and shares several similarities.
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Other Low Points in the US
There are several other low points scattered across the US, though not many are as drastic as Badwater Basin. Below are a few examples of low points and how they compare to sea level:
- New Orleans, Louisiana (8 feet below)
- Ouachita River, Arkansas (55 feet above)
- Colorado River, Arizona (70 feet above)
- Lake Champlain, Vermont (95 feet above)
US States with the Lowest Average Elevation
While certain locations across America are named the lowest elevation points, researchers have also figured out which US states have the lowest average elevation. Of course, Colorado and Montana have mountains taking them out of the running, but some of these states might be surprising. Check out the lowest five states here:
- Delaware (60 feet average)
- Louisiana (100 feet average)
- Florida (100 feet average)
- Rhode Island (200 feet average)
- New Jersey (250 feet average)
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What is the Lowest Point in the Western Hemisphere?
Looking at the whole Western Hemisphere, the lowest point in elevation lies in South America. Laguna del Carbón is a salt lake in Santa Cruz Province, Argentina, and sits at 344 feet below sea level. This makes Laguna del Carbón not only the lowest point in the Americas but the seventh-lowest point on Earth. The location lies on private land, and as such, does not receive many visitors unless they gain permission from the owners.
What is the Lowest Point in the World?
When thinking about the lowest point in the world, it may surprise you that it is the shores of a lake. The Dead Sea takes the award for the lowest land-based elevation on Earth, with the lake’s surface being 1,412 feet below sea level. Dropping to 997 feet deep, the Dead Sea is also the deepest hypersaline lake in the world. The landlocked lake is bordered by Jordan, the West Bank, and Israel, lying in the Jordan Rift Valley.
Similar to Badwater Basin, the high salinity of the water and banks makes for a harsh environment for wildlife, hence the name “Dead Sea.” Visitors come from all over the world to see the Dead Sea and have done so for thousands of years.
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Conclusion
While these low points may be scattered around the world, they do have a lot of similarities. From the salty nature of the area to the few species living in the area, it says something about elevation affecting the environment and surrounding flora and fauna. If you’re in the mood to travel, it might be worth visiting one of these lowest points on Earth and exploring a place that looks like another world.
