Russian earthquake waves reach Death Valley, shake unique fish habitat

DEATH VALLEY, Nev. – A powerful earthquake centered along Russia’s eastern coastline sent seismic energy rippling across the globe on Tuesday, producing underground waves that impacted one of the most unique fish in the Desert Southwest.

According to rangers at Death Valley National Park, just 21 minutes after the magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck the Kamchatka Peninsula, small but measurable waves were recorded at Devils Hole - a narrow, water-filled cavern that is home to pupfish.

Scientists call the phenomenon a seiche, which occurs when seismic activity causes water to violently slosh in an enclosed basin.

The inch-long, iridescent fish rely on a shallow rock shelf near the water’s surface for both spawning and foraging. 

Park staff said that initial video evidence shows this most recent quake had less impact compared to seismic events earlier this year.

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"Fortunately, biologists are less concerned about the impacts of the July 29 quake on the pupfish. The waves generated by this earthquake were smaller than those from the previous quakes, as the epicenter was farther away. The 10-inch waves from the Kamchatka quake only removed some materials from the shallow shelf," the NPS said in a statement.

Additionally, experts said the timing of the event during the heart of the summer may help the pupfish's environment recover more quickly. 

Earlier quakes in December and February triggered stronger waves, which interrupted much of the fish’s algae and food sources.

During a survey in March, only 38 pupfish were documented, which was a stark drop from historical highs that topped 200 in the early 1990s.

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The Devils Hole pupfish has been closely monitored since the 1970s, with biologists conducting surveys twice a year to track the species' health and population figures.

The National Park Service said the next official count is scheduled for the fall and will hopefully offer a clearer picture of the status of the fish.

With viable eggs and newly hatched larval fish observed during the most recent survey, scientists remain cautiously optimistic that the rare pupfish are in the early stages of a recovery.