What is Tulare Lake and why did it reappear?

Tulare Lake, historically known as Pa'ashi, is a large ancient lake in California's San Joaquin Valley that reappeared in spring 2023 due to heavy snowmelt and storms.

How has the return of Tulare Lake affected the San Joaquin Valley?

The refilled lake covered approximately 94,000 acres, disrupting farming and infrastructure, and has led to the return of wildlife and altered local weather patterns.

What does the reappearance of Tulare Lake signify for California's water management?

Its return challenges the idea of permanent human control over water resources and prompts discussions about land use, climate change impacts, and future water management strategies.

Home / Environment / Tulare Lake Reborn: Valley Flooded by Ancient Waters

Tulare Lake Reborn: Valley Flooded by Ancient Waters

26 Jan

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Summary

Once a vast freshwater lake, Tulare Lake has refilled, covering 94,000 acres.
Its return disrupted farming and infrastructure in California's San Joaquin Valley.
The lake's reappearance highlights climate change impacts and water management questions.

Tulare Lake Reborn: Valley Flooded by Ancient Waters

In the spring of 2023, Tulare Lake, historically known as Pa'ashi, reappeared in California's San Joaquin Valley. This event, caused by heavy snowmelt and storms, flooded approximately 94,000 acres of land previously used for agriculture and infrastructure.

Historically, Tulare Lake was the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi River. Indigenous Yokuts people understood its fluctuating nature, but 19th-century settlers attempted to control its waters for farming, leading to its perceived disappearance by 1898.

Despite engineered diversions, the lake refilled multiple times in the 20th century, causing periodic flooding of farms situated on its ancient bed. The record snowpack and atmospheric rivers of winter 2022-2023 triggered its most significant resurgence in decades, comparable in size to Lake Tahoe.