Pls explain for me this sentence

[Lyf]

Here is a passage:
"But the Great Basin has not always been so arid. Many of its dry, closed depressions were once filled with water. Owens Valley, Panamint Valley, and Death Valley were once a string of interconnected lakes. The two largest of the ancient lakes of the Great Basin were Lake Lahontan and Lake Bonneville. The Great Salt Lake is all that remains of the latter, and Pyramid Lake is one of the last briny remnants of the former."

I don't understand the sentence in Bold, the word" the former" refer to what?
Pls explain for me, thank you very much!

[hobbes]

Originally Posted by Lyf

Here is a passage:
"But the Great Basin has not always been so arid. Many of its dry, closed depressions were once filled with water. Owens Valley, Panamint Valley, and Death Valley were once a string of interconnected lakes. The two largest of the ancient lakes of the Great Basin were Lake Lahontan and Lake Bonneville. The Great Salt Lake is all that remains of the latter, and Pyramid Lake is one of the last briny remnants of the former."

I don't understand the sentence in Bold, the word" the former" refer to what?
Pls explain for me, thank you very much!

In this instance:

Latter - The Second ,or last 'item' to be mentioned. (Lake Lahontan)
Former - The First, or previous 'item' to be mentioned. (Lake Bonneville)

"A long time ago there were two salt lakes called, Lake Lahontan & Lake Bonneville. These dried up and left large flat areas covered in salt (brine is salty water), they are now known as The Great Salt Lake (WAS Lake Bonneville) and Pyramid Lake (WAS Lake Lahontan)."