LAKEPORT, Calif. – Ground movement is slowing and studies are continuing at the site of a north Lakeport subdivision plagued by a landslide since late March.
County staff gave the Board of Supervisors the latest in a series of update on the Lakeside Heights subdivision during the board's meeting on Tuesday morning.
Seven homes have been red-tagged and about another 10 homes have been served voluntary evacuation notices, according to county officials and subdivision residents.
Supervisor Rob Brown, whose daughter and son-in-law own one of the homes damaged in the landslide, once again recused himself from the discussion, and Supervisor Jim Comstock was absent due to knee surgery.
Special Districts Administrator Mark Dellinger told the board that ground movement has slowed and less water appears to be coming out of the ground at a location on Downing Drive.
However, as of Sunday morning, a new crack was identified in front of the bus stop on Downing Drive, he said.
Emergency funding requests have been submitted to state agencies and geologists with the US Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service are scheduled to be on site within the next week, Dellinger said.
His department is monitoring variances between a new compound meter installed to determine how much water is going into the subdivision and individual water meters at the 29 hilltop homes.
Dellinger said a third leak detection report will be done and a geotechnical report from the county's consultant is being completed this week.
Public Works Director Scott De Leon, the incident commander the county appointed after the board declared a local emergency last month, said that his department is continuing to monitor the part of the slide above Hill Road.
He said they haven't seen movement since May 14. “If you go there every day you don't really see it,” he said.
De Leon added of the slide, “We expect that one of these days that's going to come down the hill.”
County officials previously reported that they have plans in place should the slide reach Hill Road, including alternative access to nearby Sutter Lakeside Hospital.
He said Lake County Vector Control went out and treated some standing water at the request, made at last week's board meeting, of a resident.
So far, the county has received no word from the California Emergency Management Agency or the governor's office regarding its request for a state emergency declaration, De Leon said.
Supervisor Anthony Farrington asked about a comment made at last week's meeting by a subdivision resident raising a concern that firefighters had “hammered” a water line – turning off a hydrant in mid-flow, thereby damaging water lines – while fighting a March 6 chimney fire at one of the homes.
Dellinger said he has talked to Lakeport Fire Chief Ken Wells and planned to meet with him later on Tuesday. He said Wells also is drafting a letter in response to the matter.
Wells told Lake County News in a separate interview that no such hammering took place, with firefighters only shutting off hydrants when there is no flow. He also said such hammering is difficult to do in looped water systems like the one in place in Lakeside Heights.
It also wasn't accurate that the fire required a new water meter to be installed, according to county staff.
Farrington also wanted to know if staff was considering digging up a manhole where a large water flow previously had been found to see if water flow had stopped.
Supervisor Denise Rushing suggested that they may need to dig other holes, and wanted to hear from geotechnical and hydrological experts about what should be done.
De Leon said the county is requesting additional geotechnical and hydrological study of the area.
Board Chair Jeff Smith said he was hoping they would get someone with the necessary knowledge on the project, adding they were “digging holes in the dark” and the study needed science behind it.
Dellinger said staff could look at digging up the manhole, as Farrington suggested.
He said they're also continuing to have delays with getting information from the state Department of Water Resources that could help identify well locations in the area.
Rushing, who is heading to Washington, DC this week, said she will be meeting with US Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer. She asked for staff to provide her with information about the situation to take to the legislators.
Farrington asked staff to move forward with a third leak test and then to consider excavating the manhole.
During public comment, community member Randall Fitzgerald submitted a list of questions as Rushing had suggested he do at last week's meeting. The list included inquiries about the previous leak reports and the issues relating to the March 6 fire. Dellinger said he could have answers to all of Fitzgerald's questions by next week.
Farrington asked Special Districts staff if there was anything they could do for the subdivision's residents who are having to move out, including waiving of payments or payment plans.
Special Districts fiscal officer Jan Coppinger said they already are doing that. “All of these people have been good customers,” she said, adding that they will do what they can to help them.
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