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LAKEPORT, Calif. – Warm water, lack of oxygen and a heavy biomass load in Clear Lake are among the factors that local and state officials believe are behind a fish die-off in the Lakeport area that occurred over the weekend.
Melanie Pressley, who lives on the lake in the north Lakeport area, said the lake looked good on Saturday night, but when she got up Sunday, she saw hundreds of dead fish on the water.
She said there was a wide variety of fish involved in the die-off – “big, small, medium, anything in between.”
Pressley said that in the 10 years she has lived at her current residence in Lakeport, she's never seen such a die-off, although they're not uncommon on the lake.
“I've heard of it, I've never seen it in a big mass like this,” she said.
Carolyn Ruttan of Lake County Water Resources said she got a report of the die-off on Sunday. She confirmed Pressley's statement that all types of fish were involved.
The area where the die-off occurred starts at Berger Bay, which Ruttan said is the midpoint between north and south Lakeport on the eastern side of Clear Lake, and moves south along the southern part of the lake's upper arm.
“In my opinion, it's low oxygen,” Ruttan said of the die-off's cause.
Ruttan explained that it's fairly common for such die-offs to occur in the summer when oxygen levels drop, “especially in those coves and little nooks and crannies around our lake where there's very little water movement.”
She said there was another die-off two to three weeks ago in Cache Creek.
Warm water can't hold as much dissolved oxygen as cold water, which is why fish dive down deeper, looking for cooler temperatures, Ruttan said.
In such cases, she said boats on the lake help with moving the water and improving conditions.
Pressley said she emailed the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, which sent out a representative on Monday afternoon to visit with her.
She said the Fish and Wildlife staffer also raised the issues of low oxygen levels and heat.
“They're looking into other things as well,” she said.
Ruttan said another factor is that a cyanobacteria bloom is going on. She said it is prevalent in the Oaks and lower arms and most of the upper arm, even in the middle of the upper arm.
“This particular cyanobacteria has been blooming off and on since May,” she said.
Ruttan said the cyanobacteria bloom creates oxygen but also uses that oxygen at night.
The progress of decomposition also requires oxygen, Ruttan said.
“The amount of biomass in our lake right now is enormous,” and much of it is due to that cyanobacteria bloom, Ruttan said.
Some fish in the lake that were introduced and not native – such as threadfin shad – suffer terribly from big temperature and oxygen swings, Ruttan said. In past years there have at times been large threadfin shad die-offs on the lake.
She noted that the bass is one of the most robust fish, although it relies on threadfin shad as a food sources.
Ruttan said often it's the larger, older fish that get hit the hardest by low oxygen conditions.
“Seniors are not as able to grab as much oxygen,” she said, explaining that their gills don't work as well, and because they're already compromised they just succumb.
Pressley said there is still a big mass of dead fish by her home.
However, she said a group of vultures and pelicans – which she and her family are jokingly calling the “Lakeport cleanup crew” – are doing their part to disperse the fish by eating them.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – It’s been almost a year since the Valley, Rocky and Jerusalem Fires re-defined the natural landscape and life in South Lake County.
This phase of our recovery coupled with the hot weather and fire season have been particularly stressful and sensitive for many of the fire survivors.
Between Aug. 6 and 22, the Middletown Art Center, or MAC, will offer all Lake County residents opportunities to process and reframe the tragic, life changing experiences of last summer through a creative healing arts program called “Community Works.”
MAC, in partnership with Tri Uplifting, invites all residents and neighbors, directly and indirectly affected by the fires, to participate in a journey of self-expression, release and healing through the arts, movement and mindfulness.
Each day of this two-week series offers enriching, creative and healing arts classes and workshops for all ages. The daily schedule will include yoga, meditation or breath work in the mornings followed by late morning or mid day art classes, an after-school series for children, and evening classes for adults or the whole family.
You will find a range of classes including “Putting Words and Art Together” (which kicks the program off this Saturday, Aug. 6, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.), print making, mask making, classes focused on combining sculpture with movement and writing, “Drawing the Inside Out,” watercolors, jewelry making, sculpture, stress relief techniques, community dance, sound healing, music and more.
All activities will be free of charge and everyone is welcome regardless of art experience.
Schedules will be available on the Middletown Art Center’s Facebook page, on the MAC Web site, www.MiddletownArtCenter.org and on the MAC outdoor bulletin board. Please check the Web site for updates.
These inspiring creative happenings will culminate in an exhibition and festive opening reception of Community Works at MAC on Aug. 27 from 6 to 8 p.m., featuring work produced by participants.
The public is invited to submit art work that deals with the fire experience created outside of the program as well. Submissions of work created at home are due by Aug. 18. Email image files or questions to
The exhibit will be on view through Labor Day weekend (Sept. 5).
“Members of our community have gone through tremendous loss and trauma … We encourage everyone to take the time to nurture themselves, and give form and voice to their experience through the arts.” said Lisa Kaplan, president of the Middletown Art Center. “'Community Works' provides all of us with an opportunity to process, reframe and release the devastation and chaos into self expression and beauty, while honoring the resilience of our own human spirit and the natural world around us. Come to as many or as few classes as you wish, they all free and available to everyone during these two weeks to support our continued recovery. The arts are healing. Experiment enjoy and enrich yourself!”
In advance of the Mindfulness Triathlon that will be put on by Tri Uplifting on Sept. 17 in Middletown’s Library Park, members of the Tri Uplifting organization will be offering a sampling of their practices including guided mediation, yoga, and mindfulness as part of Community Works.
For more information about Community Works and the schedule of classes offered, visit www.MiddletownArtCenter.org , or find them on Facebook. To reserve your spot, please email
MAC was made by community for community and is a growing arts and cultural hub in south Lake County powered by membership, donations and volunteer energy.
MAC offers classes, art exhibits, and cultural events including music, artist presentations and film screenings. To submit artwork for consideration, teach a class, join or support MAC visit www.middletownartcenter.org or contact by email or phone. All donations to MAC are tax-deductible.
Community Works is made possible through generous support of Roby and Associates, a public insurance adjuster, and by Lake County Rising Valley Fire Relief Fund.
MAC is located at 21456 Highway 175, at the junction of Highway 29 in Middletown.
The gallery is now open Thursday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Friday, noon to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.; or by appointment.
LUCERNE, Calif. – A Monday afternoon fire destroyed a singlewide mobile home in a Lucerne park.
The fire at Lorraine Village on Highway 20 was first reported at around 3 p.m., according to scanner reports.
Northshore Fire responded, with Cal Fire and the US Forest Service also dispatched to assist, reports from the scene indicated.
The arriving units reported there were live power lines down, which was hampering their efforts to fight the fire. Pacific Gas and Electric was requested to respond.
There had been concerns the fire could spread to nearby wildland, but reports from the scene indicated that the quick arrival of firefighters prevented it from moving beyond the mobile home park.
Northshore Fire Chief Jay Beristianos reported just before 3:30 p.m. that the fire was under control.
Due to a breached and failed meter, Beristianos reported over the air that the main propane supply to the park needed to be temporarily shut off while repairs were made, with the propane company called and asked to respond to the scene.
Beristianos told Lake County News that the mobile home, which had an addition, was destroyed in the fire.
He said a neighboring home sustained damage to its swamp cooler and siding, and had broken windows as a result of the fire.
The owner of the home that was destroyed was in a back bedroom at the time the fire began and escaped uninjured. Beristianos said a working smoke detector would have alerted the resident sooner.
The resident and two cats were displaced and are being assisted by Red Cross, Beristianos said.
Total resources on scene included seven engines, one medic unit, two command personnel, two support vehicles and a total of 24 personnel, Beristianos said.
Beristianos said the fire's cause is under investigation.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
NORTH COAST, Calif. – The four people who died in a Friday crash in Humboldt County involving a REACH medical transport plane have been identified.
The Humboldt County Coroner's Office on Monday said the four crash victims were Crescent City residents Larry Mills, 54; Deborah Kroon, 49; Michelle Tarwater, 30; and April Rodriquez, 35.
REACH Air Medical Services said Mills was the plane's pilot, while Kroon was the flight nurse and Tarwater was a certified flight paramedic. Rodriguez was a patient they were taking to Oakland.
The four died early Friday morning while en route from the REACH Air Medical Services and Cal-Ore Life Flight base at Crescent City Airport to Oakland International Airport aboard a twin-engine Piper PA31.
Early into the flight, Mills declared an emergency due to smoke in the cockpit and said he was going to return to Crescent City. Communication was lost with the plane minutes later when it disappeared off radar northeast of Arcata, REACH said.
A search that took place over the course of Friday found the crash site north of McKinleyville at around 10 a.m. By Friday night, the bodies of all four had been recovered, authorities said.
Mills was a devoted father and husband with more than 20 years of flying experience. He'd been a volunteer first responder for 12 years and had been with Cal-Ore since April.
Kroon came to the United States from New Zealand and had spent 25 years as a critical care nurse, working in hospitals across the country. She had joined Cal-Ore in October 2014.
Tarwater, who had been with Cal-Ore since 2011, was the first in the region to receive National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians-Paramedic certification.
“Due to privacy concerns for the family, the company cannot share any information about the patient at this time,” REACH said in its statement.
The cause of the crash remained unknown on Monday.
The National Transportation Safety Board was on scene investigating the accident, with a preliminary report expected in 10 to 14 days.
“We all have the same questions, but until we have factual reports from the NTSB, there is nothing more we can share,” said REACH President Sean Russell.
REACH said a memorial procession and service for Mills, Kroon and Tarwater will take place on Wednesday, Aug. 3.
The procession will begin at noon that day and will lead from the Crescent City Fire Department to Brookings, Ore.
The services will be held at the band shell in Azalea Park in Brookings. Seating will begin at 1 p.m. due to the anticipated large turnout, with the service at 3 p.m. Additional details are available at http://reachair.com/news-events/ .
On Monday, state Sen. Mike McGuire tweeted a picture from the floor of the State Senate when a motion was passed to adjourn in honor of the four crash victims.
REACH has bases throughout Northern California, including one in Lakeport.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
Remembering 3 brave members of the Cal-Ore flight crew - along w/ patient - who passed away in the #Humboldt crash. pic.twitter.com/7FamGpymc3
— Mike McGuire (@ilike_mike) August 2, 2016
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Updates to the city's zoning ordinances will be the main agenda topic for the Clearlake Planning Commission's meeting this week.
The Clearlake Planning Commission will meet beginning at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 2, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.
The commission will host a public workshop on the city's zoning interpretation and procedures manual.
Gary Price, the city's contract planner, explains in his report to the commission that the city is in the process of conducting a comprehensive update to its zoning code, which he said has many conflicts and internal inconsistencies “that have caused it to be difficult to understand and administer.”
Since April, city staff has developed the zoning interpretation and procedures manual which is meant to provide a mechanism for staff to develop consistent interpretations of the code on an as-needed basis, provide consistent procedures for administering the code and provide an understanding to staff and the zoning code update team of how to best develop the new code based on the city's organizational and resource needs, according to Price.
On Tuesday the commission will review the evolving manual “to understand what interpretations and procedures have been developed” during the city's planning program since April, Price said.
He said staff appreciates any comments and suggestions the commission will have on the manual.
“Also, as the Manual evolves and grows over the next six months, staff would anticipate returning to the Commission for another workshop or study session to continue this overview of staff's work,” Price said.
The meeting is open to the public, and community input on the manual is welcome.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Community socials designed to refresh the spirits of those recovering from last year's fires in Lake County will be held the last two Mondays of each month from 6 to 8 p.m.
Middletown Community United Methodist Church, 15833 Armstrong St., will be the host on Aug. 22, with the multi-use room at Cobb Mountain Elementary School, 15895 Highway 175, the location of the event on Aug. 29.
A free nutritious dinner will be served by Lake Family Resource Center's “Be FRESH Team,” with the center also providing games and activities for the young and young at heart.
These socials, which began last April, have been sponsored by the Lake Area Rotary Club Association, or LARCA, and Lake County Rising.
Joining these socials now will be the Lake County Fire Oral History Project, administered by the Lower Lake Historic Schoolhouse Museum and funded by LARCA and the Lower Lake Historical School Preservation Committee.
The Oral History Project will provide an opportunity for people to have their individual stories of survival and recovery recorded for posterity.
Community members can mark Aug. 22 and 29, as days they can go out for dinner to rest, relax and have some fun with their neighbors as their community continues its long recovery process.