# The flooded disaster that is Tulare Lake in California’s Central Valley **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 30, 2023, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flooded-disaster-that-is-tulare-lake-in-california-s-central-valley/983363 "2023-04-30T05:50:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flooded-disaster-that-is-tulare-lake-in-california-s-central-valley/983363/21 "2023-05-01T13:30:47Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > As I said, we aren’t going to starve but prices will go up because the overall amount of production has gone down. As noted by **Twoflower** above, only if your name is Milo Minderbinder. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flooded-disaster-that-is-tulare-lake-in-california-s-central-valley/983363/22 "2023-05-01T13:44:20Z")
Oh, my God! Maybe it’s just because of what I see on the news, but I have the impression that, as far as water is concerned in California, it’s either feast or famine. It’s either water shortages and wild fires, or torrential rain, flooding, and mud slides. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flooded-disaster-that-is-tulare-lake-in-california-s-central-valley/983363/23 "2023-05-01T13:54:26Z")
Cotton might be the largest crop in the area but the next largest are things like grapes, corn, alfalfa, almonds, and pistachios. Although more might be planted in cotton if these floods leave farmlands with contamination. You can grow cotton on land you wouldn’t want to grow food on. Also, it’s a lot cheaper/easier/faster to replant with cotton, corn, and alfalfa than crops that require multi-year investments before harvest, like grapes and nuts. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flooded-disaster-that-is-tulare-lake-in-california-s-central-valley/983363/24 "2023-05-01T13:59:25Z")
Flooding is a disaster for those who are inundated, although everyone should be aware of their risks. But we really need events like this. It recharges the ground water, reduces soil salt levels, and prevents ground subsistence and sink holes. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flooded-disaster-that-is-tulare-lake-in-california-s-central-valley/983363/25 "2023-05-01T14:05:48Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > Maybe it’s just because of what I see on the news, but I have the impression that, as far as water is concerned in California, it’s either feast or famine. It’s not only California. Quite a lot of places in the world have been seeing alternating floods and droughts. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flooded-disaster-that-is-tulare-lake-in-california-s-central-valley/983363/26 "2023-05-01T14:07:49Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > It’s not only California. Quite a lot of places in the world have been seeing alternating floods and droughts. Yes, you are unfortunately right, and it appears to be a very disturbing trend. ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flooded-disaster-that-is-tulare-lake-in-california-s-central-valley/983363/27 "2023-05-01T14:07:50Z")
> [@carnut](#): > > I would like to point out that the lake was there first and that any farmer willing to farm this “land” is taking a calculated risk. Perhaps farming here is the actual disaster, not the lake reappearing. I grew up in a farming community near the Minnesota River. The local lore was that the farmers next to the river came out even - tremendously productive land that flooded out every so often, making it equivalent to land a bit higher up. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flooded-disaster-that-is-tulare-lake-in-california-s-central-valley/983363/28 "2023-05-01T14:53:57Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > Oh, my God! Maybe it’s just because of what I see on the news, but I have the impression that, as far as water is concerned in California, it’s either feast or famine. It’s either water shortages and wild fires, or torrential rain, flooding, and mud slides. Yes you’re right. Lately, California just can’t win. I’ve lived here since 1979 and it does seem to be feast or famine with most years being famine. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flooded-disaster-that-is-tulare-lake-in-california-s-central-valley/983363/29 "2023-05-01T14:57:45Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > There’s plenty of farmland. There aren’t enough lakes. I was hoping Owens Lake would be overflowing. [At least it has water in it.](https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/151157/a-surge-of-floodwater-for-owens-lake) Owens Lake with water! Wow that would be something if it came back and wasn’t drained by LA DWP. I used to go to Bishop a lot. In the winter if 80 and 50 were snowed in, and the northern passes closed, I’d sometimes have to go down and over Tehachapi. Owens Lake with water would be something to see! ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flooded-disaster-that-is-tulare-lake-in-california-s-central-valley/983363/30 "2023-05-01T19:39:22Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > It recharges the ground water, reduces soil salt levels, and prevents ground subsistence and sink holes. Ii was thinking about the salt (and other nasty things) reduction “silver lining”. OTOH some of that will end up in places it doesn’t belong. Long term gentle increase in rainfall does help the last two, but sudden bursts like this actually makes things worse. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flooded-disaster-that-is-tulare-lake-in-california-s-central-valley/983363/31 "2023-05-01T20:20:08Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > I used to go to Bishop a lot. Curious, Why? Bishop is nothing but a gas stop (and speed-trap) for me. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flooded-disaster-that-is-tulare-lake-in-california-s-central-valley/983363/32 "2023-05-01T20:42:55Z")
Well, it’s has the headquarters for Inyo National Forest, and people really like Schat’s Bakkery (not a misspelling); beyond that, it’s mostly a way stop to Mammoth or Tahoe. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flooded-disaster-that-is-tulare-lake-in-california-s-central-valley/983363/33 "2023-05-01T20:48:03Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Long term gentle increase in rainfall does help the last two, but sudden bursts like this actually makes things worse. You may be right. With the soil salinity being fairly bad in much of California, flooding may be more stirring things up than rinsing out. > [@Gatopescado](#): > > > [@Bullitt](#): > > > > I used to go to Bishop a lot. > > Curious, Why? Bishop is nothing but a gas stop (and speed-trap) for me. No, the speed trap is Independence. Bishop has a decent selection of restaurants. Well worthy stopping at on the way the Mammoth, where traffic can be slow and restaurants crowded. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flooded-disaster-that-is-tulare-lake-in-california-s-central-valley/983363/34 "2023-05-01T20:57:06Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > California’s Central Valley, of which this is part, is a major, major producer of fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Well, yes. But this didn’t flood the entire Central Valley, not even close. And I will point out that the Almond industry is one of the causes for water shortages in CA- and they export most of their product. That area grows a lot of cotton and alfalfa also, and those are hardly food crops. > [@markn\_1](#): > > The San Joaquin Valley has about [8000 square miles](https://www.csustan.edu/sites/default/files/groups/Geography/Images/sjvagjb.pdf) of farm land. The flooded area in Tulare Lake is currently less than [300 square miles](https://www.nbcnews.com/science/environment/satellite-images-show-re-emergence-tulare-lake-rcna79569), although it will grow with the snow melt. That’s a big flood, but just by the numbers it seems like it will reduce the agricultural capacity of the valley by only a few percent. Yep. And if the Lake stays, it would be great for the Environment. Not to mention replenishing the aquifer, which has been badly drained by poor crop choices due to really cheap water. > [@carnut](#): > > I would like to point out that the lake was there first and that any farmer willing to farm this “land” is taking a calculated risk. Perhaps farming here is the actual disaster, not the lake reappearing. I can see what you are saying here, and you make an interesting point. > [@Broomstick](#): > > As I said, we aren’t going to starve but prices will go up because the overall amount of production has gone down. Almonds, cotton and Alfalfa mostly. > [@Gatopescado](#): > > Curious, Why? Bishop is nothing but a gas stop (and speed-trap) for me. When I was working for the Feds Bishop was considered the punishment POD. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flooded-disaster-that-is-tulare-lake-in-california-s-central-valley/983363/35 "2023-05-01T21:05:47Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > Schat’s Bakkery (not a misspelling) An Alternate Spelling is _“Overrated”_ 😁 ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flooded-disaster-that-is-tulare-lake-in-california-s-central-valley/983363/36 "2023-05-01T21:15:40Z")
> [@Folacin](#): > > I grew up in a farming community near the Minnesota River. I’m on a hill above that river now, and it’s flood time. Pretty high, but not the worst I’ve seen. Each state deals with farms on flood plains differently. An acquaintance in Illinois had to give up half his acreage for a pittance from the state to let it go back to pre-farming times, but the result is less fertilizer runoff into the river and a healthier ecosystem. It sucks for the farmers but it’s better husbandry of the land and wildlife. We are learning. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flooded-disaster-that-is-tulare-lake-in-california-s-central-valley/983363/37 "2023-05-01T21:16:42Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > Bishop has a decent selection of restaurants. Bishop’s top-rated restaurant on Trip Advisor is the Back Alley Bowl and Grill, which as you’d expect is in a bowling alley. That brings back memories of the early '80s food desert that was Vermillion, South Dakota. The best restaurant was in a bowling alley. Meals were…edible. ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flooded-disaster-that-is-tulare-lake-in-california-s-central-valley/983363/38 "2023-05-01T21:43:32Z")
Back in the 80’s, my brother insisted that the best sushi he’d ever had was at a restaurant attached to a gas station somewhere in South Carolina. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flooded-disaster-that-is-tulare-lake-in-california-s-central-valley/983363/39 "2023-05-01T21:51:02Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > An Alternate Spelling is _“Overrated”_ 😁 I never stopped there, personally, but every time I mention I’m passing through somebody wants me to get them some Sheepherder Bread or some special roll. I make sure I’m always passing through late at night so I have an excuse. Whiskey Creek is okay, I guess. I wasn’t impressed with either the Texas BBQ or pizza joint that people raved about. Mostly I go through Bishop to get to Lake Sabrina or John Muir, and then hit the trail at first light. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flooded-disaster-that-is-tulare-lake-in-california-s-central-valley/983363/40 "2023-05-01T22:36:56Z")
Here’s a new video by Joe Scott on this subject. I’m starting it at 11 min when he starts talking about a roughly 200 year cycle for mass flooding in California. The last time was 1862. [https://youtu.be/bM4EGwzjzNE?t=660](https://youtu.be/bM4EGwzjzNE?t=660) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flooded-disaster-that-is-tulare-lake-in-california-s-central-valley/983363.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flooded-disaster-that-is-tulare-lake-in-california-s-central-valley/983363.md?page=3)