LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – With Clear Lake above its full mark and still rising, the two cities and the county are taking safety measures due to the possibility of the lake reaching flood stage.
Clear Lake passed 7.56 feet Rumsey, the level at which it is considered full, on Friday, as Lake County News has reported.
The lake is at flood stage when it reaches 9 feet Rumsey. Late Monday night, Clear Lake's depth reached 8.56 feet Rumsey, the highest lake level for a January since 1995, according to US Geological Survey records.
The releases from the Cache Creek Dam also have reached near-record levels, with US Geological Survey records showing it peaking at nearly 4,600 cubic feet per second on Sunday, dropping to just over 3,600 cubic feet per second by Monday night.
In Clearlake, city Public Works Director Doug Herren said Monday that the situation was stable, with no flooding occurring.
“So far, so good,” he said.
He credited work his staff did during the summer to clear storm drains and drainage ditches for the good outlook so far, adding this was the first time in his tenure that there haven't been significant issues during the winter due to high water.
Herren also gave substantial credit for the better situation to the volunteer group Citizens Caring For Clearlake, which cleans up illegal dump sites.
“They've actually been working in some of the creeks as well,” on private property, Herren said,
At this time of year, the city's drainage ditches often fill up and get clogged with things like mattresses and clothing. However, the work for Citizens Caring For Clearlake has headed off those issues, he said.
On Monday afternoon, Herren estimated that the city's creeks – Burns Valley, Miller and Molesworth – were at 50 percent of capacity.
With the rain forecast to clear by the middle of this week, Herren noted, “This weather break is going to help us out a lot.
The Cache Creek Dam was releasing about 3,200 cubic feet per second on Monday afternoon, Herren said. He said he's been staying in touch with Yolo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, the agency that owns the water rights to Clear Lake, and it has been very cooperative in letting out more water when he asks.
Herren said the city's boat ramps remained open on Monday, at which the lake level was hovering around 8.5 feet Rumsey. He said if the lake's level continues to rise, and gets closer to 9 feet Rumsey, the docks will get to a height at which they are not safe and he would close them.
A possible closure is a concern for the area's diehard fishermen, who Herren said are finding the lake's depth good for the fish bite. He said they were at the ramps first thing on Monday morning, ready to set out.
In Lakeport, city officials have been working to protect infrastructure, clear debris from drainage areas and watch areas where flooding usually happens, according to City Manager Margaret Silveira.
City Community Development Director Kevin Ingram said that during the height of the storms, city Public Works crews reported clearing logs, reeds and other debris three to four times a day from the city's boat ramps.
Public Works crews have now placed a 600-foot aqua dam along the walkway at Library Park, between the lake and the Carnegie Library. The last time the aqua dam was placed was in the spring of 2011, when the lake was at flood stage.
Ingram said the dam won't stop the water from coming into the park, but will act as a breakwater against wave action so as to protect the park and city infrastructure. “That's its primary purpose.”
He said the creeks are continuing to push water into the lake, and the wave action becomes a problem. “Wind is our biggest enemy at this point.”
Ingram added, “The other problem we run into is our drainage,” noting that Forbes Creek is not moving because it has nowhere to go, as it's pushing against a full lake. Crews also are working to keep debris clear from the creeks.
He said so far there haven't been other major problems, with crews continuing to monitor the situation along the lakeshore, and clearing debris from the lake and in the creeks.
“So far today has been pretty calm,” he said.
Ingram noted that the recent rains have made a good dent in the drought situation, adding that it's still only January.
At the county of Lake, new Water Resources Director Philip Moy said that all of the county park boat access points have been closed.
“In terms of Water Resources, that's the only closure we have right now,” he said.
He said he spoke with Sheriff Brian Martin, who is considering taking to the Board of Supervisors a special request to reduce boat speeds temporarily on the lake. That action would address concerns about boat wakes exacerbating the impacts on flooded properties along the shoreline.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.