Mormon Lake, elevation 2166 m with maximum historic surface area of 31.4 km2, lies in a forested endorheic basin covering 103 km2. It is the largest unaltered freshwater body on the 337,000 km2 Colorado Plateau. Prehistorical (before AD 1878) highstands were ca. 9 and 24 m relative to depocenter datum. These levels likely occurred during four multidecadal episodes of cool, wet conditions between ca. 3.55 and 0.20 ka BP. Maximum historical levels (early 1900s) were up to 7.9 m, whereas modern (post-1941) levels were frequently zero or relatively low. Historical climate records indicate reconstructed lake levels correlate directly with annual precipitation and inversely with temperature. Early highstands were associated with above average precipitation and the lowest temperatures of the 116 yr record. The lake receded after 1941; thereafter, frequent drying and low-water levels resulted from recurrent drought and steadily increasing temperatures. Consequently, a wet episode from the 1970s to the 1990s had precipitation like the early 1900s, but highstands were only ca. 3.8 m. The historical lake-level chronology is consistent with changes of hydrologic balance predicted by climate models, that is, reduced effective precipitation (precipitation minus evaporation). These changes, particularly aridification, apparently began in the 1970s or earlier. Global oceanic and atmospheric climate modulate lake levels and regional hydroclimate.

中文翻译：

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亚利桑那州摩门湖的历史和史前水位作为衡量美国科罗拉多高原西南部气候变化的指标

摩门湖，海拔2166米，最大历史表面积31.4公里2，位于覆盖 103 公里的森林覆盖的内流盆地2. 它是 337,000 公里上最大的未改变淡水水体2科罗拉多高原。史前（公元 1878 年之前）的高架大约是。9 和 24 m 相对于沉积中心基准。这些水平可能发生在 ca 之间的四个数十年的凉爽潮湿环境中。3.55 和 0.20 ka BP。历史最高水平（1900 年代初期）高达 7.9 m，而现代（1941 年后）水平通常为零或相对较低。历史气候记录表明，重建的湖泊水位与年降水量直接相关，与温度成反比。早期的高位与高于平均水平的降水和 116 年记录的最低温度有关。1941 年后湖水退去；此后，频繁的干旱和低水位是由于经常发生的干旱和不断升高的温度造成的。所以，从 1970 年代到 1990 年代的一个潮湿事件有像 1900 年代初期那样的降水，但高位只是 ca。3.8 米。历史湖泊水位年表与气候模型预测的水文平衡变化一致，即有效降水减少（降水减去蒸发）。这些变化，尤其是干旱化，显然始于 1970 年代或更早。全球海洋和大气气候调节湖泊水位和区域水文气候。