Scientists make 'huge' $540 billion discovery at the bottom of a giant lake

[Blues Heron]

3. It was filled by accident when an irrigation canal from the Colorado river was overwhelmed during a flood

And drained into the basin for a solid two years. This was back in 1900-02 The basin itself is what would be the northern end of the gulf of California were it not cut off from the ocean by the delta of the Colorado river.