LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Areas along the lakeshore in Lakeport remain under a mandatory evacuation order due to the anticipation that Clear Lake – already in flood stage – will rise still higher due to the rain forecast for this week.
As the water continued to rise, officials in the city of Lakeport called for mandatory evacuations on Monday afternoon at three lakeside trailer parks – Lucky Four Resort, Aqua Village Mobile Home Park and Willopoint Resort – and the area of Esplanade Street from Main Street to K Street, which has been closed to all by residential traffic since earlier this month.
An emergency command center was set up at Lakeport City Hall, where city staff and police personnel were monitoring the situation through the night.
Lakeport Community Development Director Kevin Ingram, acting as the public information officer for the command center, said they were encouraging residents to leave the areas in the evacuation order due to concerns about forecasted high winds, which exacerbate the lake’s rising elevation.
At Willopoint Resort, the manager reported that residents had agreed to evacuate. The park is having issues with its sewer and its power also had been shut off.
Elsewhere, however, many residents indicated they were staying in an effort to save their homes. They were putting up barriers to protect the residences, and some indicated they were planning to wait until Tuesday morning to decide if they would, in fact, leave.
The Red Cross set up an emergency evacuation shelter at the Lakeport Seventh-day Adventist Church on Park Way.
The church has been an evacuation center over the last few years in other local emergencies, including the Valley and Clayton fires, and more recently has been the site of the county’s winter warming center for the homeless.
Early on Monday evening, Pastor Randy Brehms said about 15 to 20 people had come in. They were expecting about 60 people, but prepared for as many as 90 evacuees to take shelter there, with Brehms noting that many evacuees may stay with friends and family.
The church welcomed evacuees with warm food, a friendly atmosphere and a safe place to stay. Animal evacuees also were welcomed.
Just how long Lakeport’s evacuees may need to be away from home rests on the severity of incoming storms and the impact on Clear Lake’s conditions.
The lake, which passed the 9-foot Rumsey flood stage nearly two weeks ago, was closed by the Board of Supervisors last week to motorized vessels. The urgency ordinance has a 60-day limit, and is expected to be lifted sooner, once the lake falls below flood stage.
The National Weather Service has issued an updated flood warning that’s in effect through Thursday and a high wind warning set to expire at 8 a.m. Tuesday.
Rain is expected to continue on Tuesday and Wednesday, with a break on Thursday, followed by more chances of showers on Friday and Saturday. Sunday is forecast to bring sunny weather, followed by a slight chance of showers on Monday.
Ingram said the forecasts the city had received showed Clear Lake continuing to rise, with its elevation expected to top 11 feet Rumsey.
Shortly after 2 a.m. Tuesday, Clear Lake was at 10.24 feet Rumsey, according to the United States Geological Survey. That’s the lake’s highest elevation in 19 years.
During the February 1998 flood, Clear Lake reached 11.44 feet Rumsey, its highest elevation since February 1909, when the lake was at 13.38 feet Rumsey. The highest recorded elevation since records began being kept in 1873 was 13.66 feet Rumsey in January of 1890, according to records compiled by Lake County Water Resources.
Late Monday and into early Tuesday, Cache Creek Dam’s releases increased, reaching more than 6,300 cubic feet per second, the highest release rate so far this year.
Elsewhere around the county, Sheriff Brian Martin said his office has received no reports of anyone needing to be rescued from the lake, with people residing in susceptible areas notified by flood advisories issued by the sheriff’s office.
Over the weekend, the California Office of Emergency Services fulfilled mission requests for a levee inspection at Hidden Valley Lake over the weekend, he said.
Martin noted that, fortunately, the recommendations were for mitigation efforts, and the California Department of Water Resources representative felt a levee breach “was very unlikely.”
He said local officials also held a conference call regarding flooding, and there were no requests made for Cal OES missions. “Should things change, we will make requests as they come in from the various agencies.”
Martin said flooding is occurring as it was projected. “We anticipate there will be more flooding as this storm system passes through.”
In the case of a levee failure, Martin said local officials also have discussed making a request to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for an inmate sandbag crew. But that request has to wait for an actual need to arise, he added.
For Lakeport residents impacted by the flooding, the following information numbers have been made available.
– The city of Lakeport has designated 707-263-5614 as a line for community members with questions.
– Red Cross’ temporary shelter for evacuees at the Seventh-day Adventist Church, located at 1111 Park Way in Lakeport, can be reached at 707-263-6002. Pets will be allowed at the shelter.
– Lake County Animal Care and Control has set up an information line for residents needing help and information related to animals and the evacuation at 707-245-5276.
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.