In this episode of H2O and Beyond, we explore the story of Tulare Lake — once the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi — and one of the most overlooked water systems in the United States.

Joined by experts from the Tulare Basin Watershed Partnership, we dive into the history, science, and complexity of a lake that doesn’t behave like most others. Unlike permanent lakes, Tulare Lake has always been dynamic — rising and falling with storms, droughts, and human intervention. But over the past century, it’s been almost completely engineered, drained, and reshaped to support agriculture in California’s Central Valley.

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro – The lake that disappeared… and came back

04:20 How the basin works (why water gets trapped)

09:00 Why the lake constantly rises and falls

13:20 Human engineering – levees, farming, and control

19:05 Ecosystem overview – why this place was unique

27:30 Wildlife + biodiversity of the lake

34:10 Native communities and how they lived with the lake

40:50 Modern challenges – agriculture, water demand, sustainability

42:40 Hope for the future + closing thoughts

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Resources: https://www.tularebasinwatershedpartnership.org/

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