News

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Forecasted storms expected in the Feather River basin this weekend may require using Lake Oroville’s flood control outlet spillway – also known as the main spillway – this week or next.

After last year’s spillway incident, the Department created the 2017/18 Lake Oroville Winter Operations Plan to ensure public safety in the event of major storm events.

This plan triggers more aggressive outflow from Hyatt Powerplant and potential use of the main spillway should the reservoir’s elevation reach 830 feet during the month of April.

The current forecasts show the potential for inflows to raise the reservoir to near the 830-foot trigger elevation by the middle of next week. Currently, the lake elevation is 794 feet.

In anticipation of the incoming weather, DWR began increasing outflows on Tuesday from Hyatt Powerplant to approximately 10,000 cubic feet per second, or cfs. The total capacity of outflows from Hyatt Powerplant is currently 12,500 cfs. If necessary, DWR also has use of the River Valve Outlet System which has an additional maximum outflow capacity of 4,000 cfs.

DWR’s objective for the year has been to minimize use of the main spillway while it is still under construction.

However, because forecasts are uncertain, DWR is taking proactive steps such as early notification to downstream communities, regulatory agencies and construction crews to prepare for possible use of the main spillway next week in the event the lake level reaches an elevation of 830 feet, even after increasing outflows through Hyatt Powerplant.

Phase one of the reconstruction of the main spillway was completed in November to handle outflows of 100,000 cfs.

The design of the partially reconstructed spillway was approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Division of Safety of Dams and an Independent Board of Consultants that has been overseeing reconstruction.

Phase II of construction on the main spillway will begin in May, depending on weather.

Phase I included repair and replacement of the upper chute and end of the chute with structural concrete, and construction of a temporary roller-compacted concrete, or RCC, section in the middle chute.

Since the surface finish of the temporary RCC section is not as smooth as the structural concrete sections, the flow may be more turbulent than in the upper chute. Additional wear may also occur to the surface of the temporary RCC.

Phase I construction included structural concrete cutoff walls at the connections between the structural sections and RCC section as measures to protect against possible wear of the RCC.

If the main spillway is used, inspectors will be closely monitoring the chute and flows.

DWR has notified state and federal regulatory agencies, local and statewide public safety organizations including the Butte County Sheriff’s Office, partner state agencies, as well as local, state and federal elected officials, and community members and stakeholders about the increase in outflows and potential use of the spillway.

Because the forecasts are dynamic, they could change in magnitude and timing. DWR will provide regular communication to the community, stakeholders and the media about forecasts and their impact to Oroville operations over the coming days as the storms approach.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Five and a half months after the Sulphur fire broke out, the Board of Supervisors has terminated the ongoing local emergency for the incident.

The Sulphur fire, which began on Oct. 8 near Clearlake Oaks, quickly spread to Clearlake, where it did most of its damage. It burned approximately 2,207 acres and more than 160 structures.

Then-Lake County Health Officer Dr. Karen Tait issued a proclamation of a local health emergency, which was ratified by the Board of Supervisors and regularly updated until it was finally terminated unanimously last Tuesday by the board, at the request of county Health Services staff.

Health Services Director Denise Pomeroy told the board that the cleanup has been completed and the US Army Corps of Engineers, the agency overseeing Lake County’s cleanup, has been gone for several weeks.

Lake County Environmental Health Director Jesse Kang told the board that all the properties that signed up for debris removal with the Army Corps have been completed, and the Army Corps has given the county a letter saying its work is completed, debris is removed and soil testing is done.

Kang said the owners of 14 properties opted to do private cleanup. Of those, he said all have been cleaned, but at the time of the board meeting eight were pending soil testing results.

Now that the Lake County Environmental Health Division and Army Corps of Engineers have confirmed that the cleanup steps listed on the signs have been completed, and with the board terminating the proclamation of a local health emergency, the county reported that property owners may choose to remove the checklist signs originally posted by the Army Corps of Engineers.

For more information regarding the checklist signs please call Lake County Health Services, Environmental Health Division at 707-263-1164.

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.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake Police Department is encouraging the community’s seniors to take advantage of a program it offers to help keep them safe and connected.

The department’s Volunteers in Police Services offers the “You Are Not Alone,” or YANA, program.

The program provides regular phone calls to seniors who live alone, who have limited family or community contacts, or seniors who just want someone to check in on them on a regular basis.

Seniors also can call the YANA program for help finding specific services and resources.

YANA promotes peace of mind and a sense of security for elderly residents. It’s a great resource for seniors who enjoy independent living, but have no friends or family nearby to check on them regularly, officials said.

If an emergency occurs during a phone call, the VIP/YANA volunteer will arrange for a police officer and/or medical assistance to be sent to the residence right away.

Additionally, if the volunteer is unable to reach the senior citizen after multiple attempts, they may request a police officer conduct a welfare check on the individual.

Seniors can register for the program by calling 707-994-8201, Extension 322.

They should leave a message with their name and call back number and a volunteer will contact them.

Services can also be requested on the Clearlake Police Department Web site at http://clearlake.ca.us/302/YANA-Gold-You-Are-Not-Alone.

Anyone interested in joining the YANA program as a volunteer can also leave a message at the number listed above.

NORTH COAST, Calif. – A Hopland woman who formerly served as a volunteer firefighter and was arrested in January for vandalisms at two fire facilities has been found incompetent to stand trial and is undergoing an evaluation before the case proceeds.

Rachael Diane Seivertson, 29, of Hopland, Calif., was arrested Jan. 14, as Lake County News has reported.

She’s facing three felony counts and a misdemeanor in the case, according to Mendocino County Superior Court filings.

However, Mike Geniella, a spokesman for the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office, said Seivertson was found to be incompetent to stand trial following a hearing by Superior Court Judge John Behnke on Feb. 21.

Authorities linked Seivertson to vandalism incidents at both the Hopland Cal Fire Station and the Hopland Fire Department just days apart during the first half of January.

At the Cal Fire station, the investigation found more than $8,000 in damage to vehicles while an estimated $10,000 in damage was done at the Hopland Fire Department, where windows were broken out on the fire station windows as well as on emergency vehicles, which also had their tires slashed, according to the original Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office report.

At the time of her arrest, authorities said they believed Seivertson’s motive was revenge.

The Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office subsequently charged her with four counts.

The counts include three felonies, all for vandalism in excess of $400, and a misdemeanor for kicking a correctional officer when she was booked in January, according to court records.

The case can’t move forward until her mental status is determined.

“She is undergoing evaluation. Her status is scheduled to be reviewed by Judge Behnke on April 16,” Geniella said.

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.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Following one of the driest Februaries in California history, late winter storms increased the Sierra Nevada snowpack but were not enough to put the state on track for an average year.

Monday’s snow survey by the California Cooperative Snow Surveys Program indicates that water content in the statewide mountain snowpack increased from 23 percent of the March 1 average to 52 percent of today’s historical average.

The early-April snow survey is the most important for water supply forecasting because the snowpack is normally at its peak before it begins to melt with rising spring temperatures.

“These snowpack results – while better than they were a few weeks ago – still underscore the need for widespread careful and wise use of our water supplies,” said California Department of Water Resources Director Karla Nemeth. “The only thing predictable about California’s climate is that it’s unpredictable. We need to make our water system more resilient so we’re prepared for the extreme fluctuations in our water system, especially in the face of climate change.”

The snow survey conducted at Phillips Station by Frank Gehrke, chief of the California Cooperative Snow Surveys Program, found a snow water equivalent of 12.4 inches, or 49 percent of average for this time of year as recorded since 1964.

Snow water equivalent is the amount of water contained within the snowpack. The snowpack normally provides about a third of the water for California’s farms and communities as it melts in the spring and summer and fills reservoirs and rivers.

“Despite recent storms, today's snow survey shows that we're still playing catch-up when it comes to our statewide water supplies,” said Gehrke. “While today's snow survey determined that the water content is much higher than February, the state will remain well below average for the year.”
In addition to the manual surveys conducted at Phillips, DWR also logs electronic readings from 103 stations scattered throughout the Sierra. Electronic measurements indicate the snow water equivalent of the northern Sierra snowpack is 11.8 inches, 43 percent of the multi-decade average for today’s date.

The central and southern Sierra readings are 17.6 inches (60 percent of average) and 12.9 inches (50 percent of average) respectively.

Statewide, the snowpack’s snow water equivalent is 14.6 inches, or 52 percent of the April 2 average. Electronic snowpack readings are available on the Internet at: http://bit.ly/2rVa84a.

The Phillips snow course, near the intersection of Highway 50 and Sierra-at-Tahoe Road, is one of approximately 260 that are surveyed manually throughout the winter.

Manual measurements augment the electronic readings from the snow pillows in the Sierra Nevada that provide a current snapshot of the water content in the snowpack.

California’s exceptionally high precipitation last winter and spring resulted in above-average storage in 154 reservoirs tracked by the department.

DWR estimates total storage in these reservoirs at the end of March was 28.2 million acre-feet, or 107 percent of the 26.4 million acre-feet average for this time of year.

NORTH COAST, Calif. – Authorities are continuing their efforts to determine what led to a wreck last Monday that killed a Washington family, are still looking for three of the family’s missing children and believe that the crash off a cliff in a rugged area of the northern Mendocino coast may have been intentional.

In a telephone call with reporters on Sunday evening, acting Assistant Chief Greg Baarts with the California Highway Patrol’s Northern Division and Capt. Greg Van Patten of the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office gave updates on the parallel investigations their agencies are conducting into the crash that killed the Hart family of Woodland, Wash.

“It’s a very daunting task to try to put all the pieces of the puzzle together,” Van Patten told reporters.

Despite the vast interest in the case, Van Patten explained, “We as investigators don’t want to rush to conclusions,” adding, “It’s going to take some time.”

Baarts called the crash “very tragic,” and told reporters, “We’ve been working on this 24/7 since the day that it happened.”

Because their initial conclusion is that the crash may have been an intentional act and not a traffic crash, Baarts said they are investigating it as a possible felony case.

They said they are still trying to find Devonte Hart, 15, Hannah Hart, 16, and Sierra Hart, 12.

Last Monday their siblings, Markis Hart, 19, Jeremiah Hart, 14, and Abigail Hart, 14, and their parents, Jennifer Jean Hart and Sarah Margaret Hart, both age 38, were confirmed dead following a solo-vehicle wreck, as Lake County News has reported.

The bodies of the five family members were found on the afternoon of March 26 after a passerby spotted their GMC SUV on its top on a large rock in the ocean. Authorities said the vehicle went off a 100-foot cliff at the edge of a dirt turnout along Highway 1 at County Road 430, just south of Juan Creek in Westport.

Van Patten said the Harts’ family and friends have indicated that it had been very rare for the family not to travel or to be together, so investigators are going on the assumption that the three missing children were with the rest of their siblings and parents at the time of the wreck.

While the couple had been belted in, their children were not. Van Patten said two of the children were found in the rocks on the shoreline and the third was in the water.

Van Patten said the three missing children also could have been in the water and searchers just weren’t able to locate them.

He said extensive searches inside the crash area and beyond have continued, including through the Easter holiday weekend.

The area where the crash occurred is difficult to search due to its strong and unpredictable ocean tides and the water’s very murky quality. Van Patten said conditions have been such that they haven’t been able to get divers in the water.

He said Mendocino County Sheriff’s Patrol Division staff, with aerial support from CHP fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, continued the search this weekend along the Mendocino Coast and down into the Sonoma County coast. Based on past drownings, Van Patten said it hasn’t been uncommon for bodies to be found counties away.

Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman, who had been at the scene, said last week that the firefighters who first repelled down to the vehicle believed that, by the time of its discovery, it had been there several hours because the engine was cold and water that had pooled in the upturned vehicle was warmer than the ocean, likely because the sun had warmed it.

Since then, authorities had asked people across the region to report seeing the family in the days before the wreck in an effort to track their whereabouts.

Baarts said they have not received any leads in response to that request, but on Sunday they renewed the call to anyone who might have seen the family on their trip from Washington – at restaurants, hotels, gas stations or other locations.

While they so far haven’t gotten leads, Baarts said investigators have talked to witnesses in Oregon and Washington, talked to family members, and have written search warrants for bank and cell phone records, which they’re waiting on now.

They said Sunday they still don’t know why the family was even in Mendocino County.

Both men also acknowledged the many agencies – both inside of California and from other western states – who are assisting as well as the outpouring of resources and assistance.

Vehicle investigation raises possibility of intentional crash

Some of the new information the men shared with reporters on Sunday arose from the CHP’s Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team, or MAIT, investigation so far.

That information has led them to believe that the crash may have been intentional, based on a lack of skid marks, and signs the vehicle accelerated and didn’t brake before going over the sheer cliff, Baarts said.

Baarts explained that the vehicle’s speedometer was “pinned” at 90 miles per hour. However, he said that doesn’t mean that’s how fast the vehicle actually was going, and investigators must look at other reasons that could have caused that speed to be recorded.

For example, he said the speedometer is electronically controlled, and an electronic charge could have caused it to record that 90-mile-per-hour speed, as could an unintentional manipulation during the vehicle’s recovery from the crash scene.

Many other things need to be completed before the speed can be concluded upon, he said.

The reason why investigators believe the wreck may have been intentional is that the vehicle’s computer shows that it came to a stop, most likely in the turnout, before it accelerated and continued to do so over a distance of about 70 feet before going off the cliff and into the ocean, according to Baarts.

He said the lack of physical evidence such as tire friction marks and no burrowing in the gravel pullout and information from the airbag control module suggested that the vehicle went straight off the edge, not off at an angle.

Both Baarts and Van Patten acknowledged during the call that a huge piece of the puzzle lies in the coroner’s investigation.

Regarding that investigation, Van Patten said that on Thursday and Friday autopsies were conducted on the bodies of the five family members located so far.

He said the initial finding and notations were made by a pathologist, and are unofficial findings at this time. Those will be coupled with toxicology testing to be done by an East Coast laboratory as is the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office protocol.

Van Patten said it typically takes four to six weeks to conclude the toxicology testing, and once received he said it will be used to compare against the autopsies’ physical findings.

“This is a very, very complex investigation,” he said, adding that there are numerous agencies and an overwhelming amount of information, and it will take weeks for them to have a clear understanding of whether or not there is a definitive answer as to what occurred.

In response to questions from reporters, Baarts said a search warrant was served at the family’s Washington home and, to the best of his knowledge, no suicide note was found there.

There have been reports in Oregon and Washington media outlets referring to a possible neglect case involving the family that’s being investigated by Child Protective Services.

Van Patten said the local investigators are aware of the case but didn’t have any information about the Washington neglect investigation.

As for the felony aspect of the case, Baarts said the information they have so far is leading them to believe that they could be looking at a variety of felony crimes, such as manslaughter, but said he wasn’t yet in a position to give a final conclusion.

He said the concerns about the felony crime, or crimes, are laid out in the probable cause declaration for a search warrant written for the case.

Baarts said investigators also have come across red flags in speaking with family and friends of the victims, but he declined to be specific.

Anyone who has information about the family is asked to call the CHP’s Ukiah Area Office at 707-467-4000 or the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office 24-hour tipline at 707-234-2100.

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.