Something incredible has happened in California's San Joaquin Valley. After being gone for 130 years, an ancient lake has suddenly reappeared.
This unexpected event has left scientists confused and has important meaning for the local native people.
Tulare Lake, also known as Pa'ashi, was a significant freshwater lake in the US before disappearing.
Known as Tulare Lake or Pa'ashi, meaning 'big water' in the Tachi Yokut Tribe's language, this body of water was the largest freshwater lake in the United States outside of the Mississippi River before it disappeared in the late 19th century.
The massive lake, with an incredible expanse of 100 miles in length and 30 miles in width at its peak, played a crucial role as a valuable natural asset for the indigenous communities.
Unfortunately, in the pursuit of agricultural progress, the lake was deliberately emptied, compelling the indigenous population to leave their ancestral territories.
Vivian Underhill, a postdoctoral research fellow at Northeastern University, studied the lake and uncovered the dark history behind its disappearance.
The displacement of indigenous communities was part of a settler colonial project aimed at rendering their land claims irrelevant.
Ancient Lake Pa'ashi mysteriously reappeared after vanishing for 130 years
After its initial disappearance, the lake reemerged partially during different periods in the 1930s, 1960s, and 1980s.
However, it was only in 2023, an astonishing 125 years later, that the lake experienced a complete resurgence.
This bizarre phenomenon was the result of abundant rainfall and the melting of snow, which led to extensive flooding in the region and ultimately brought back the lake to its majestic state.
Although the lake hasn't regained its original dimensions, it now stretches approximately 22 miles in length and 12 miles in width. Even in its reduced size, it remains a substantial body of water.
One fascinating observation made by researchers is the instinctual return of birds to the lake.
Vivian Underhill is surprised at how the birds seem always to find their way back as if they are searching for the lake.
Moreover, the Tachi Yokuts people, who were forced from their land decades ago, have returned to the area and are once again able to practice their rituals and traditions at the lake.
This resurgence holds deep significance for them, as it symbolizes resilience and reclamation of their ancestral land.
