Tulare Lake Refills in 2023

The Tulare Lake Basin lies in the southern portion of the San Joaquin Valley. It once stretched up to 100 miles long and 30 miles wide. Referred to as the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi River, Tulare Lake appeared naturally as spring rains and snowmelt from the nearby Sierra Nevada mountain range flowed down and filled the basin. By the 1920s, the basin was drained and today remains largely dry. Mostly dry for decades, Tulare tried to become a lake again in 2023, partially refilling some of the basin. Learn more about the basin refilling and then drying up again in Earthshots.