California’s Lost Tulare Lake Returns After 130 Years Then Vanishes Again (opens in new tab)

Tulare Lake, once the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi River, mysteriously returned after disappearing for more than 130 years\. Drained in the 19th century to create farmland, the lake resurfaced in 2023 after extreme snowmelt and flooding overwhelmed California’s arid landscape\. Its dramatic return revived birds, fish, and wildlife, while also reconnecting Indigenous communities to a place of deep cultural significance\. But the rebirth may be short-lived, as efforts to drai...