From Daily Galaxy:
A long-vanished lake has reappeared in California’s Central Valley, submerging nearly 94,000 acres of farmland and reviving disputes over water rights, land management, and environmental justice. Tulare Lake, historically the largest freshwater body west of the Mississippi, returned in early 2023 following months of record-breaking precipitation.
Its resurgence overwhelmed engineered flood control systems across Kings County. Farmland, roads, and critical infrastructure were inundated, prompting evacuations, halting agricultural operations, and exposing gaps in the state’s water management strategy.