CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – After months of work and planning, Lake County's first “floating island” was launched on Saturday.
As a group of community members looked on, local officials and representatives from the company Floating Islands West launched the 150-square-foot manmade island near Clarks Island, located at 12565 E. State Highway 20, between Tower Mart and the Clearlake Oaks boat launch.
The effort has taken form under the auspices of the Clarks Island Sustainability Initiative, which began meeting last January under the direction of Northshore Supervisor Denise Rushing.
Tule revegetation and natural building projects also are taking place at the 1.48-acre Clarks Island, purchased by the county in late 2007.
The floating island, constructed of 2,250 recycled plastic bottles, is a centerpiece of the plans to revitalize the natural setting. It will be held in place with two 350-pound anchors, the county reported.
Rushing said Saturday that the floating island has the same efficacy for filtering the lake as about an acre and a half of restored wetland.
She said water quality monitoring has already begun in the area.
On Saturday, a boat full of the first Clarks Island “ecotourists” – who came over from the Clearlake Keys – came to see the floating island.
For more information about Clarks Island, visit www.konoctitrails.com/clarks-island or www.facebook.com/pages/Clarks-Island-Sustainability-Initiative/131571996892818 .
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews , on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .
