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click photo for larger file
Remnant of Tulare Lake Once the Largest Freshwater Lake ''West of the Mississippi''
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Photographer: Aaron Schusteff
ID: 0000 0000 0812 0165 (2012-08-03)Copyright © 2012 Aaron Schusteff
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INFORMATION PROVIDED WITH THE PHOTO
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date of photo Jun 11, 2012
location
Tulare Lake (Kings County, California, US)notes Two American White Pelicans (Pelacanus erythrorhynchos) and a Clark's Grebe (Aechmophorus clarkii) are visible in this view looking west at a remnant of the once vast Tulare Lake, which was the largest freshwater lake in the United States west of the Mississippi River during the late 1800's, prior to redirection of its in-flows and conversion to agricultural use by late nineteenth and twentieth century hominids. The following info and quotes come from the 2007 EPA document ''Tulare Lake Basin Hydrology and Hydrography'' (5.6 MB PDF here). The Tulare Lake Basin is a closed interior drainage formed by a combination of tectonic sinking of the southern portion of the San Joaquin Valley and the presence of converging alluvial fans to the north formed by Los Gatos Creek (near Coalinga) on the west, and the Kings River on the east. The remainder of the basin is bounded by the inner coast ranges on the west, by the Sierra Nevada on the east, and by the Tehachapi and San Emigdio Mountains to the south. The lake was fed primarily by run-off from precipitation and snow-melt in the large Sierran portion of the watershed. ''Tulare Lake had no natural outlet when the lake level was below 207 ft (above sea level). At levels above 207 ft, water in Tulare Lake could flow northward into the San Joaquin River Basin [through the then extensive tule marshes of Fresno Slough].'' ''Tulare Lake was estimated to encompass 790 square miles at its highest overflow level of 216 ft recorded in 1862 and 1868. ... The lake was very shallow and annual fluctuations, typically 3 or 4 ft in normal years or 5 to 10 ft in wet years, could expose or submerge 100 square miles of land or more.'' Together with the surrounding tule marshes and wooded wetlands, Tulare Lake historically occupied a vast area with immense biotic riches: abundant fish, waterfowl, and turtles, as well as antelope and many other animals in the surrounding areas. It is believed that it supported one of the highest population densities of Native American peoples in North America during the centuries prior to Mexican settlement, the Gold Rush, and US annexation. (Something to ponder as you drive what many consider the ''boring'' stretch of I-5 around the Kettleman Hills :-) photo category: Landscape - fieldsite
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Using this photo The thumbnail photo (128x192 pixels) on this page may be freely used for personal or academic purposes without prior permission under the Fair Use provisions of US copyright law as long as the photo is clearly credited with © 2012 Aaron Schusteff.
For other uses, or if you have questions, contact Aaron Schusteff arbonius2[AT]sbcglobal.net. (Replace the [AT] with the @ symbol before sending an email.) |
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