He added that they are working on 'potential alternatives' for Burning Man in case the area is not dried out


The desert where Burning Man is held every year has been transformed into a lake by the melting of record winter snow levels in the mountains surrounding it - and there's no guarantee it will be dry for the festival.

Experts say the massive pool of standing water in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada is unusual and there is a possibility the area might not dry out before Burning Man - meaning it would have to be relocated.

The desert basin is transformed into mud every year by the run-off of melting snow, but this past season's high precipitation has formed the lake and the playa could still be muddy in late August and impossible to drive across.

Officials insist they are confident it will dry, but they are seemingly playing a stressful game of wait and see with mother nature.

Thousands drive onto the desert playa every year, which is located two hours north of Reno in Gerlach, to take part in Burning Man from August 27 to September 4.

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The Black Rock Desert where the massive arts rendezvous Burning Man is held annually each summer still has large pools of standing water (pictured above) on the Nevada playa thanks to an extra wet winter season

Thousands are expected to make the trek to Gerlach, which is two hours north of Reno, to take part in Burning Man from August 27 to September 4. But there are concerns that the usually dry lake bed may not be completely dried out in time for the event

The large amount of water that's still covering the desert that hosts Black Rock City, has Burning Man organizers and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) officials seemingly playing a stressful game of wait and see what happens

The playa, which is an alkaline dust flat that was Lake Lahontan 12,000 years ago, received more water than expected this year thanks to the abundant amounts of precipitation this winter in the region

BLM spokesman Kyle Hendrix told DailyMail.com that it's 'taking a bit longer to dry this year due to the above average participation we saw earlier in the year'

Hendrix said: 'The playa drys at different rates each year depending on a number of factors like temperature, wind, rainfall, etc'

He added: 'Standing water is on the playa is not something we see every year.' Pictured above is a kayaker in the flooded water on the playa in March 2017

Since January, the majority of the 129 square-mile playa in Black Rock Desert has been covered in water thanks to the wet winter. Since 1991, the annual event has been held in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, except for once in 1997 when it was at the nearby Hualapai Flat

'The playa drys at different rates each year depending on a number of factors like temperature, wind, rainfall, etc,' BLM spokesman Kyle Hendrix told DailyMail.com.

'The playa is taking a bit longer to dry this year due to the above average participation we saw earlier in the year.

'Standing water on the playa is not something we see every year.'

Hendrix added that the government agency is working to 'determine decision-making timelines and potential alternatives.'

Burning Man spokeswoman Megan Miller believes that there's still time for the alkaline dust flat - that was Lake Lahontan 12,000 years ago - to dry out.

'We still have a solid month of drying out to do, but, honestly, we don't think we'll ever have to cancel the event,' she told the Reno-Gazette Journal.

Burning Man spokeswoman Megan Miller believes that there's still time for the desert to dry out. Pictured above is Franziska Goltz dancing on the playa at Burning Man in 2014

She said: 'We still have a solid month of drying out to do, but, honestly, we don't think we'll ever have to cancel the event'

Hendrix added that the government agency is working to 'determine decision-making timelines and potential alternatives' just in case it's not dry enough

The site of Burning Man in the Black Rock Desert is located about two hours from Reno, Nevada on the West Coast

Miller is confident that Burners, the name given to attendees of the event, will still be able to attend the annual bacchanal.

But just in case the water does not dry out completely, Miller said organizers have two alternative plans that she wouldn't reveal.

Burning Man organizers have been discussing the issue with the BLM, the federal agency that oversees the Black Rock Desert and issues the multi-million dollar special event permit each year.

Black Rock Desert field office manager for the BLM told the newspaper there is no 'true backup area' for Burning Man to use if another area is needed.

The event is usually granted the permit from the BLM at the end of July or in early August, which is just before organizers begin the laborious task of building Black Rock City.

But just in case the water does not dry out completely, Miller said organizers have two alternative plans that she wouldn't reveal. Black Rock Desert field office manager for the BLM said there is no 'true backup area' for Burning Man to use if another area is need

The event is usually granted the permit from the BLM at the end of July or in early August, which is just before organizers begin the laborious task of building Black Rock City

Hendrix said: 'If the BLM determines the playa to be too wet for the event to be held safely, the agency will not issue the permit.'

'If the BLM determines the playa to be too wet for the event to be held safely, the agency will not issue the permit,' Hendrix said.

'Depending where on the playa you are, we are seeing mud and water 6'-8' below the surface.

'This was determined after preforming a variety of test to include taking small core samples below the playa surface.'

The water that had drained into the flat seems to have pooled in from the Quinn River, which runs to the Black Rock Desert from Oregon.

The flooding on the playa is also a result of the heavy rainfall this past winter on the West Coast combined with rare snow-melt from the Granite Range located just north of the playa.

The majority of the desert basin has been covered in water since January, allowing people to enjoy the water and kayak.

'It was like nature handed us a gift,' kayaker Renee Aldrich told the Reno Gazette-Journal in March. 'It's a rare occurrence and it felt really magical to see it like that.'

The water that had drained into the flat seems to have pooled in from the Quinn River, which runs to the Black Rock Desert from Oregon. The flooding on the playa is also a result of the heavy rainfall this past winter on the West Coast combined with rare snow-melt from the Granite Range located just north of the playa

Burning Man requires a 22 square-mile area on the Black Rock Desert, which edges have slowly been drying out

However, even if the water that's currently on the desert basin disappears, there's still the issue of whether it will be dried out enough for heavy trucks to drive on and airplanes to land on for Burning Man

Burning Man requires a 22 square-mile area on the Black Rock Desert, which edges have slowly been drying out.

However, even if the water that's currently on the desert basin disappears, there's still the issue of whether it will be dried out enough for heavy trucks to drive on and airplanes to land on for Burning Man.

The playa's famously flat surface could be damaged if the heavy equipment, airplanes and vehicles get stuck in the fine sediment.

'There are a series of tests preformed by a hydro-geologist leading up to the event that are used to measure where water is below the playa,' Hendrix explained.

'There are also multiple load bearing tests that are used to determine how much weight the playa surface can support.'

The playa's famously flat surface could be damaged if the heavy equipment, airplanes and vehicles get stuck in the fine sediment

Only time will tell if the area can dry out in time for the event, where an estimated 65,000 people are expected to attend this year

Executive Director of the Friends of Black Rock High Rock told News for Nevada that in years past, the playa has been covered in water for days during the summer months.

'I haven't heard any stories of the whole playa staying flooded in water for the whole year. But that doesn't mean it hasn't happened,' he said.

'Every year during the summer there are times when the playa is covered in water for days.

'So, it's not that uncommon for playa conditions to affect summer events especially in late spring or early fall.'

Only time will tell if the area can dry out in time for the event, where an estimated 65,000 people are expected to attend this year.