The drying of the lake, which may have occurred because of the Bølling-Allerød climate oscillation, left the salt deposits of Salar de Uyuni.

[4] The highland is in the Andes, the world's longest mountain chain which was formed during the Tertiary with a primary phase of uplift in the Miocene.

This pattern probably occurred because the threshold between the two basins progressively eroded, allowing water from Titicaca to flow into the southern Altiplano.

[9] In the Coipasa basin, a major debris avalanche from the Tata Sabaya volcano rolled over terraces left by Lake Tauca.

[68] The quantity of water was sufficient to depress the underlying bedrock, which rebounded after the lake disappeared; this has resulted in altitude differences of 10 to 20 metres (33 to 66 ft).

[87] About 60,000 years ago, the Desaguadero probably began transporting water from Lake Titicaca to the Uyuni area and the southern paleolakes.

[93][94] A theory proposed by Campbell in 1985 that a former Altiplano-wide lake catastrophically drained into the Rio Beni during the Holocene[95] has not received much support.

[28] Based on a 60,000-square-kilometre (23,000 sq mi) surface area, the evaporation rate has been estimated at over 70,000,000,000 cubic metres per year (2.5×1012 cu ft/a)—comparable to the discharges of the Nile or Rhine.

[86] A dry period is also noted in Africa and other parts of South America around 18,000 BP, and the retreat of the Amazon rainforest may have produced the lake low-water mark.

[163] The drying of Lake Minchin left a salt layer about 20 metres (66 ft) thick in the Salar de Uyuni, where gullies formed.

Around 15,438 ± 80 BP (the Tauca Ia phase), water levels in Salar de Uyuni were 4 metres (13 ft) higher than the current salt crust.

Lake levels then rose to 27 metres (89 ft) above the salt flat, accompanied by freshwater input (Tauca Ib).

[178] An even-earlier start was proposed by 2001 research, based on sediments in the Uyuni basin, which determined that Lake Tauca began developing 26,100 BP.

[179] Research in 2006 postulated that the Lake Tauca transgression began 17,850 BP and peaked at altitudes of 3,765 to 3,790 metres (12,352 to 12,434 ft) between 16,400 and 14,100 years ago.

[198] The end of the Tauca phase was followed by dry and cold conditions in the Puna, similar to the Younger Dryas, then by an early-Holocene humid period associated with decreased solar radiation.

[204][45] A glacial advance in the Turbio valley (a feeder of the Elqui River) between 17,000 and 12,000 years ago has been attributed to the Central Andean Pluvial Event.

[218] Increased precipitation during the Tauca phase was probably triggered by the southern movement of the ITCZ and the strengthening of the South America monsoon,[219] possibly caused by chilling in the northern hemisphere[220] and North Atlantic, along with higher water temperatures off Northeastern Brazil.

[221] Combined with a southern shift of high pressure zones, increased moisture during late glacial times[222] would have flowed from the Amazon.

[221] An intensification and southward shift of the South Atlantic Convergence Zone[b] may have contributed to the precipitation increase[228] but not all records agree.

[193] The ideal conditions for the development of paleolakes in the Altiplano do not appear to exist during maximum glaciation or warm interglacial periods.

[237] Research in 2013 indicated that the climate at the Tunupa volcano (in the centre of Lake Tauca) was about 6 to 7 °C (11 to 13 °F) colder than present, with rainfall estimated at 320 to 600 millimetres (13 to 24 in).

Glacial shrinkage beginning 14,500 years ago probably occurred at the same time as a drop in lake levels, although dating ambiguity leaves room for debate.

[273] Traces of the Tauca and Coipasa humid episodes have been found at Salar Pedernales and in the Rio Turbio valley, respectively; past 26° south latitude.

[d][307] A glacial advance in central Chile around 15,000 years ago, also associated with increased precipitation and the Lake Tauca period, was probably triggered by tropical circulation changes.

[308] Landslide activity decreased in northwestern Argentina[309] but increased at Aricota, Locumba River, Peru;[310] alluvial fans were active in the Cordillera Oriental of Peru;[189] tufa deposition began[d] in the Cuncaicha cave north of Coropuna;[311] the climate grew wetter over the southern Amazon[312] as evidenced in Brazilian cave deposits;[287] precipitation and forest cover in Pampa del Tamarugal increased[313] with an interruption ("Late Pleistocene Pampa del Tamarugal desiccation event") during the Ticaña lowstand;[193] the vegetation limit in the Atacama desert descended towards the coast; groundwater discharge in the Atacama increased;[314] wetlands developed[d] at Salar de Punta Negra;[315] the "Pica glass" formed in the Atacama as a consequence of increased vegetation and the occurrence of wildfires in this vegetation[316] and plant pathogens such as rust fungi were more diverse than today.

[323] In the Atacama area, Tauca-age paleolakes had provided the environment for first settlers;[306] during the Central Andean Pluvial Event, humans settled the desert[324] and set up commercial networks to the coast.

[324] In the Altiplano,[327] the wet period that was contemporaneous to Lake Tauca[202] allowed the settlement of the region[e][329] and the Central Andean Pluvial Event did the same in the Pampa del Tamarugal[330] and the southern Atacama valleys.

[331] The initial peopling of the Salar de Atacama region was during the Lake Tauca[d] time, but a sharp population drop took place after its drying.

[336] Lake Tauca may have supplied water to the Rio de la Plata region, sustaining life there during dry periods.

[82] The high aerosol content of the air in the Uyuni region has been attributed to fine sediments left by Lake Tauca.