Historic Tulare Lake Returns to Life After Record-Breaking Winter in California's Central Valley

The historic Tulare Lake in California's Central Valley, which was drained by agricultural canals more than a century ago, has returned to life after a historically wet winter.

Imagine the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi River slowly disappearing due to human activity. That's what happened to Tulare Lake, also known as Los Tules, in California's Central Valley. But after a century of being drained by agricultural canals, this historic lake has made a remarkable comeback thanks to a record-breaking winter.

State workers have scrambled to rebuild levees, construct walls, and bring in sandbags by helicopter to contain the surging waters. But even with their efforts, tens of thousands of people in Kings County and the surrounding San Joaquin Valley remain at risk of flooding as vast swathes of farmland have already been inundated.

Tulare Lake's history is one of abundance and prosperity. Native American tribes once thrived on the lake's bounty of fish and wildlife, using boats made from its reeds to gather food. But as farmers diverted water from its tributaries for irrigation and dams were built, Tulare Lake began to shrink gradually until it eventually disappeared altogether.

However, every few decades, nature reminds us of the power it holds, and the 2022-2023 winter was one of those times. With historically high rain and snowfall, the lake was once again reborn, providing a glimpse into its glorious past. In all, the state experienced 33 atmospheric rivers through the end of March, with one exceptional, two extreme, seven strong, 16 moderate, and seven weak events.

For perspective, California averages about 44 atmospheric rivers a year, but typically, only about six of them are strong storms that contribute most of the annual precipitation total. We are ahead of the curve. Scientists estimate that the lake could remain in place for another two years.