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Tulare Lake’s return expected to be a long-term issue. Here’s what Gavin Newsom is doing

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an order Friday aimed at communities and residents hurt by the return of Tulare Lake.

The executive order means there will be ongoing support and emergency response for those hit by the historic rains seen this year in the state, the office said in a news release.

The communities are expected to experience a long-term hardship as the snow melts and runs down from the Sierra Nevada for months.

State agencies like Cal Fire, the Department of Water Resources and the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services have been managing response efforts, as well as providing technical assistance, resources and support with a focus on protecting public health and safety, the release said.

“With historic rain and snowpack creating immense challenges for this region, our first priority is protecting lives and livelihoods impacted by this devastating flooding,” Newsom said. “State officials are on the ground to assist communities, support the local emergency response underway and prepare for the surge of snowmelt runoff in the months ahead.”

About a dozen atmospheric rivers going back to December have pummeled a dry California with rainwater and snow, bringing much of the state out of the drought but also damaging infrastructure and homes with flooding.

The Tulare Lake basin has had the roughest time from the pooling of a body of water that last was seen in 1983. While the historic lake was large — the largest lake west of the Mississippi River — it was also shallow, about 37 feet deep in high-water years.

Some have speculated the lake flooding will be around for a significant time. The 1983 flooding took about two years to dry out, according to John T. Austin, a now-retired scientist with the National Park Service and author of “Floods and Droughts in the Tulare Lake Basin.”

The Corcoran clay layer and other factors slow the water from seeping.

“Only about 4% of the water goes through the ground; an enormous amount just evaporates,” he told the Bee in a recent interview.

Here are some highlights from Newson’s order, according to its announcement:

  • Streamlines regulations in order to expedite preparation and recovery efforts. The order suspends certain statutes and regulations to expedite emergency flood preparation and response activities such as floodwater diversion, debris removal and levee repairs in the Tulare Lake Basin.

  • Boosts staffing for emergency response efforts. The order waives work hour limitations for retired annuitants working with state agencies and departments on the emergency response.

  • Supports impacted schools. The order enables a school in Alpine County that has been closed due to storm impacts to relocate to temporary facilities to continue classes. The order also suspends academic assessments for three schools in Pajaro Valley Unified School District, if a federal waiver is approved.

A farming ranch is surrounded by floodwater in the old Tulare Lake basin area of Kings County south of Corcoran on Thursday, March 23, 2023. CRAIG KOHLRUSS/ckohlruss@fresnobee.com
A farming ranch is surrounded by floodwater in the old Tulare Lake basin area of Kings County south of Corcoran on Thursday, March 23, 2023. CRAIG KOHLRUSS/ckohlruss@fresnobee.com