Tulare Lake in the San Joaquin Valley was once the second-largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi. For more than 100 years it’s been a dry lake bed. Today, the area is used as farmland and is covered in houses, farms, and ranches. But due to the epic rains California received this winter and early spring, the lake is back. The lake’s rapid return has displaced residents, farmers, and farm workers.
Tulare Lake was once a large lake surrounded by marshes and wetlands.
At full capacity the lake held 6.5 million acre-feet of water. Over the years the lake shrank in size as waterways were diverted, and it eventually became a dry lake bed. The last time Tulare Lake came back was in 1955.
As the weather warms, many are concerned about the record-level snowfall in the Sierra melting and flowing down to the valley, causing even more flooding and destruction.
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Not only have people lost their farms, but food storage for livestock has been destroyed, plus farm equipment.
Flooding to the area has already resulted in billions of dollars of damages and lost revenue.
California state officials said they plan to bolster infrastructure in the area.
On April 25, 2023, California Gov. Gavin Newsom visited Tulare Lake to survey the damage. He reiterated that California would provide FEMA support, funds from the state’s rapid response fund, and Disaster CalFresh benefits for residents and workers regardless of immigration status.
California has been in a drought on-and-off for many years. One might think all the rain would be welcome, especially by farmers.
However, the region has been starved of water for so long the ground is not able to absorb a sudden deluge. In fact, the heavy rains California experienced this year caused flooding throughout the state.
Videos of the lake on social media show what looks like water covering flat land as far as the eye can see.
