CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Clear Lake's very low water levels combined with demand that's outstripping the water supply is leading the Konocti County Water District to prepare to implement water rationing and a districtwide emergency.
District General Manager Frank Costner told Lake County News that the crisis situation is necessitating the emergency measures, which the district hasn't had to take in the past 30 years.
Costner said the district will host a special meeting on the emergency declaration and rationing at 1 p.m. Wednesday, June 25, at the district offices, 15844 35th Ave. in Clearlake.
He said county public health and emergency services officials, as well as representatives of the city of Clearlake, are expected to attend the Wednesday meeting.
The district serves the areas within Clearlake's southeastern limits, with more than 2,000 connections and about 4,500 residents in its service area, according to county documents.
Konocti County Water District draws water from Clear Lake, which it then treats and distributes to customers. Costner said the district has a 2,500-acre-per-foot contract with Yolo County Flood Control & Water Conservation District, which owns the water rights to Clear Lake.
Costner said several serious problems emerged about three weeks ago for the district, which is now in crisis and needing its customers to conserve water.
For one, Costner noted, “The quality of the lake water is really bad.”
He added, “It's low, it's shallow and it's warm,” and as a result the lake is producing a lot of algae – much more than is normal, Costner said.
Costner – who has been the system's general manager for 10 years, and worked for the district 27 years total – said he's never seen the lake as low as it is now, and suggested things are as bad – or worse – than they were during the 1970s drought.
A comparison of current Clear Lake levels and those from 1976 through the US Geological Survey – full 1977 records were not available – show the lake's levels this year actually have been lower on a monthly average than they were in 1976.
However, partial 1977 records through the Lake County Department of Water Resources show that year's levels are still far lower than 2014's.
The current low water level is leading to another concern. “We’re having a hard time keeping up with the demand of the system,” Costner said.
The district is almost at the point where they're going to only be able to produce nonpotable water, which doesn't meet drinking water standards. Costner said that will mean boil water notices will have to be issued for customers if the district can't keep up with the demand.
Costner said he believes that one of the reasons that water demand is so high is because of a large number of marijuana grows in the Avenues area of the city.
There's also the issue of water theft, he said, with people stealing from standpipes and water hydrants.
Over this past weekend, 1,000 gallons of water was stolen from a metered hydrant, Costner said.
Costner said his district is getting mutual aid from the nearby Highlands Mutual Water Co. The two districts share an intertie, through which Konocti has been getting several thousand gallons of water a day. Golden State also is offering mutual aid.
The Clearlake Oaks County Water District has volunteered operator relief, he said. That district's staff informed its board last week of the assistance being offered to Konocti County Water during its crisis situation.
On Thursday evening, Costner is set to give a verbal report on the district's Wednesday meeting, its emergency declaration and water rationing measures to the Clearlake City Council.
At that point, the council will consider giving city staff direction for possible followup measures, according to the council's agenda.
The Konocti County Water District can be reached by telephone at 707-994-2561.
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