Prior to the American settlement of California, Tulare Lake was the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi River. In the second half of the 19th century, the lake was dried up by diverting its tributary rivers for agricultural irrigation and municipal water uses. In 2023, we witnessed a rare reappearance of the lake due to unusually high levels of rainfall and snow melt. It contained rusting farm equipment, manure, and a toxic mix of agricultural chemicals and pesticides. It is sometimes referred to as a "phantom lake" or as the "lake that would not die."