The History of Lake Tulare, California: Past and Present
Faculty Mentor
Richard Orndorff
Document Type
Poster
Start Date
10-5-2023 9:00 AM
End Date
10-5-2023 10:45 AM
Location
PUB NCR
Department
Geography
Abstract
Lake Tulare in California’s Central Valley was once the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi. The lake supported a rich ecosystem and was a vital resource for Native Americans in the region. In the late 19th century, settlers began draining marshes at the lake’s edge for farms, thus beginning a long period of progressive desiccation and replacement by agriculture. I will discuss the history and consequences of human interactions with Tulare Lake. I will also look at historic periods when flooding partially refilled the lake basin (such as 1938 and 1955) as well as present conditions in spring of 2023. Lake Tulare has filled again due to high rain and snowfall from atmospheric rivers pouring into California from the Pacific Ocean.
Recommended Citation
Scoles, Alexander, "The History of Lake Tulare, California: Past and Present" (2023). 2023 Symposium. 56.
https://dc.ewu.edu/srcw_2023/res_2023/p1_2023/56
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
The History of Lake Tulare, California: Past and Present
PUB NCR
Lake Tulare in California’s Central Valley was once the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi. The lake supported a rich ecosystem and was a vital resource for Native Americans in the region. In the late 19th century, settlers began draining marshes at the lake’s edge for farms, thus beginning a long period of progressive desiccation and replacement by agriculture. I will discuss the history and consequences of human interactions with Tulare Lake. I will also look at historic periods when flooding partially refilled the lake basin (such as 1938 and 1955) as well as present conditions in spring of 2023. Lake Tulare has filled again due to high rain and snowfall from atmospheric rivers pouring into California from the Pacific Ocean.
