diff --git a/main.js b/main.js
index a15f6c33..3add6200 100644
--- a/main.js
+++ b/main.js
@@ -530,7 +530,6 @@ function generate() {
     reGraph();
     drawCoastline();
 
-    elevateLakes();
     Rivers.generate();
     defineBiomes();
 
diff --git a/modules/river-generator.js b/modules/river-generator.js
index f88db0e9..c5ed2d52 100644
--- a/modules/river-generator.js
+++ b/modules/river-generator.js
@@ -91,17 +91,19 @@
         const x = p[i][0], y = p[i][1];
 
         // lake outlets draw from lake
-        let n = -1, out2 = 0;
-        while (outlets.includes(i, n+1)) {
-          n = outlets.indexOf(i, n+1);
+        let out2;
+        for (let n = outlets.indexOf(i); n !== -1; n = outlets.indexOf(i, n+1)) { // in case multiple lakes share outlet
           const l = features[n];
           if ( ! l ) {continue;}
           const j = cells.haven[i];
-          if(cells.r[j] === l.river) {
-          } else {
+          // allow chain lakes to retain identity
+          if(cells.r[j] !== l.river) {
             let touch = false;
             for (const c of cells.c[j]){
-              if (cells.r[c] === l.river) touch = true;
+              if (cells.r[c] === l.river) {
+                touch = true;
+                break;
+              }
             }
             if (touch) {
               cells.r[j] = l.river;
@@ -114,7 +116,7 @@
           }
           flowDown(i, cells.fl[i], l.totalFlux, cells.r[j]);
           // prevent dropping imediately back into the lake
-          out2 = cells.c[i].filter(c => h[c] >= 20).sort((a,b) => h[a] - h[b])[0]; // downhill land cell
+          out2 = cells.c[i].filter(c => cells.f[c] !== cells.f[j]).sort((a,b) => h[a] - h[b])[0]; // downhill cell not in the source lake
         }
 
         // near-border cell: pour out of the screen
@@ -203,10 +205,6 @@
         }
       })
     }
-    lakes.forEach(copy => {
-      pack.features[copy.i].height = copy.height;
-      pack.features[copy.i].shoreline = copy.shoreline;
-    }); // write to real data
     land.sort((a,b) => h[b] - h[a]); // highest cells go first
     let depressed = false;
 
@@ -221,11 +219,9 @@
           depressed = true;
         }
       }
-      // write changed
-      depression && lakes.forEach(copy => pack.features[copy.i].height = copy.height);
       for (const i of land) {
         const minHeight = d3.min(cells.c[i].map(c => cells.t[c] > 0 ? h[c] : 
-          pack.features[cells.f[c]].height || h[c] // NB undefined is falsy
+          pack.features[cells.f[c]].height || h[c] // NB undefined is falsy (a || b is short for a ? a : b)
           ));
         if (minHeight === 100) continue; // already max height
         if (h[i] <= minHeight) {
diff --git a/modules/ui/heightmap-editor.js b/modules/ui/heightmap-editor.js
index c64265f2..b2f7712a 100644
--- a/modules/ui/heightmap-editor.js
+++ b/modules/ui/heightmap-editor.js
@@ -288,7 +288,6 @@ function editHeightmap() {
     drawCoastline();
 
     if (changeHeights.checked) {
-      // elevateLakes();
       Rivers.generate(changeHeights.checked);
     }
 
@@ -313,7 +312,6 @@ function editHeightmap() {
 
     for (const i of pack.cells.i) {
       const g = pack.cells.g[i];
-      // if (pack.features[pack.cells.f[i]].group === "freshwater") pack.cells.h[i] = 19; // de-elevate lakes
       const land = pack.cells.h[i] >= 20;
 
       // check biome