On the basis of the information obtained in the reconnaissance conducted since 1963 around Don Juan Pond together with the results of the DVDP core analysis, the salt and water balance in the Don Juan Basin are discussed. Assuming the presence of a paleolake, the volume of the lake was estimated as 12 million cu m from the paleolake shoreline or 26 million cu m from the salt deposits inventory. A water balance model applied to this paleolake, based on the measured inflow and evaporation rates, has resulted in an estimate of 100 years order of magnitude for the time required for the formation of the present pond.