LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Concerns about flooding and hazards in the lake led to the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voting to temporarily reduce the speed limit on Clear Lake, with local officials also closing additional boat ramps.
On Tuesday, new Water Resources Director Philip Moy and Sheriff Brian Martin went to the supervisors to ask that they add to the agenda a special extra item – a proposed urgency ordinance to immediately reduce the speed limit to 5 miles per hour. The board voted to take up the matter as an extra item.
The sheriff's office and Water Resources said the urgency ordinance is meant to minimize wake damage to lakeshore properties and to help ensure the safety of boaters operating among the heavy debris load on the lake surface.
The urgency ordinance calls for the reduced speed limit to remain in effect during the local disaster – which Martin declared on Jan. 13 due to the rains – and as long the lake level is at 7.9 feet Rumsey or higher. Officials said the public will be notified when the boating speed restriction is lifted.
On Wednesday night, Clear Lake's depth peaked at 8.60 feet Rumsey before rolling back slightly. Flood stage is at 9 feet Rumsey.
The Cache Creek Dam continues to have high volume releases, according to the US Geological Survey. On Wednesday night, releases were at 3,170 cubic feet per second.
For perspective, the dam's peak release on Jan. 25, 2016, was 2.5 cubic feet per second, according to US Geological Survey records.
The break in the rain is forecast to continue into next week. The National Weather Service's forecast calls for possible rain on Tuesday night, with greater chances of precipitation on Wednesday.
While that break should help alleviate flooding concerns, the current lake level led local officials to take additional safety measures this week.
Clearlake Public Works Director Doug Herren said that on Wednesday afternoon he had closed two ramps at Thompson Harbor in Redbud Park until further notice.
Two ramps remained open at that point, but Herren said they could be closed if the lake level continued to rise.
Referring to the temporary speed limit reduction on the lake, Herren urged boaters to exercise special caution and to reduce their speeds.
“We've got a lot of trees and a lot of debris in the water,” said Herren.
Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen said city of Lakeport boat ramps at First, Third and Fifth streets, along with Clearlake Avenue also are closed.
On Wednesday afternoon, Lakeport Public Works crews were removing the city's aluminum docks due to the high water.
The concrete ramps were flooded or nearly flooded at that point.
Further down the lakeshore, Lakeport resident Norm Ihle said his family had to vacate their home due to flooding.
He said the last time they had to leave their home due to high water was when the lake flooded in the spring of 2011.
Questions about lake flooding or speed limit issues should be directed to the Lake County Sheriff's Office at 707-262-4200 or Water Resources Department at 707-263-2344.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
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