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Yolo County Flood Control & Water Conservation District, based in Woodland, owns the water rights to Clear Lake, and began irrigation season last month.

Jennifer Reed, Yolo Flood's project manager, said the wet spring conditions pushed Clear Lake's level up high enough that the district was able to take its full allocation – or 150,000 acre feet – for the first time since 2006.

In 2009, because Clear Lake's level was so low – only at about 4.0 feet Rumsey on May 1 – Yolo Flood was only able to draw 21,767 acre feet from the lake, as Lake County News has reported.

“Last year we saw a lot of land fallowed,” said Reed, noting that there wasn't much of an irrigation season at all. Because of less available water, crops like rice were scaled back in favor of low water crops.

Early in May the water picture was strong enough that Reed said Yolo Flood began doing flood releases.

Lake County's Water Resources Department reported that the Solano Decree, which specifies how much water Yolo Flood and its customers can have during each summer month, requires that the lake be at 7.56 feet Rumsey or higher on May 1 for Yolo Flood to take the full allocation.

From that full level down, the amount of water available is staggered. If the lake is below 3.22 feet Rumsey on May 1, Yolo gets no water from the lake, Water Resources reported.

The county reported that on May 1, Clear Lake measured 7.77 feet Rumsey. On Sunday, the lake level had fallen to 6.92 feet Rumsey, based on the US Geological Survey lake level gauge.

According to Water Resources, 150,000 acre feet totals approximately 3 and a half feet of Clear Lake's depth. The lake reportedly loses another 3 feet each year due to surface evaporation.

Water Resources reported that an acre foot of water totals 326,000 gallons, meaning that Yolo Flood's total allocation in years with a full lake is approximately 48.9 billion gallons.

While it's getting its full measure of water this year, Yolo Flood reported that the late spring rains had another effect – they resulted in planting delays and suppressed demand for water.

With planting decisions needing to be made months in advance, the late rains left some growers uncertain of how to proceed. Reed said they still don't know what the fallout from the rain will be on the district's crops.

“It was looking pretty grim there for a long time,” she said.

The district, which has an average of 60,000 irrigated acres, won't have a normal year, despite the available water, according to Reed.

“We're going to be having a shortened irrigation system because of the late spring rains and also because of construction that has to happen downstream on the Capay diversion dam,” Reed said.

The district isn't putting into effect any water allotments for growers this year, because Reed said they believe they can meet the demand based on their current water supplies.

Besides Clear Lake, the district also owns the water in Indian Valley Reservoir, which is part of its water supply equation, said Reed.

The district reported that on Friday Indian Valley Reservoir had nearly 99,000 acre feet in storage, more than twice its level last year. While that's better than it was, Reed said it's still slimmer than the district would like.

She explained that the Clear Lake watershed is much bigger than the reservoir's.

“This year is a really great example of how well Clear Lake can respond to the storms that come in,” said Reed.

Indian Valley's watershed requires a much bigger rain year to fill up, she added. In 2006 the reservoir was “filled to the brim.”

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 and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf .

Several local businesses have closed their doors recently for a variety of reasons. Business owners and local officials explained that the current economy isn't always the main factor in their decisions to open or close.

“It is really normal for transition to occur within a community in terms of businesses relocating, closing and new businesses coming in the door,” said Richard Knoll, redevelopment director for the city of Lakeport.

One of the businesses taking part in the local transition is Jack’s Gaslight Grill on Main Street in Lakeport, which recently closed. The owner couldn't be reached for comment.

Knoll suspected the eatery closed not due to a financial situation but because of a desire for change. The restaurant will most likely reopen with a different concept and angle on food service, he said.

He reported that there are numerous improvement projects happening all over the lake, such as a building façade enhancement program. Thanks to the program, the Campos Casuals storefront on Main Street has a fresh look.

Knoll also noted that several businesses have remodeled or expanded, such as Grocery Outlet in Lakeport, North Lake Pharmacy, Jimmy’s Deli, Lee’s Sporting Goods and the Tower Mart on Lakeport Boulevard.

Grocery Outlet Inc. also is opening a completely new store in Clearlake, according to the company’s spokesperson Sheena Stevens.

Although some recent closures come as a surprise to many, money is not always the issue.

On the other side of the lake in Clearlake, Wild About Books is closing, but founders Ellen Lundquist and daughter Lori Peters find that caring for Lundquist’s elderly mother is their main priority.

“I’m not going to have her around much longer,” said Lundquist.

The store has been closed since May 24 but will reopen June 16 for the blowout sale, which will last until June 30. After June, Wild About Books will be closed, but perhaps not permanently.

“Thank you ladies for bettering our community through reading,” said one reader in a comment on a previous Lake County News article announcing the store’s closure. “You and your services and products will be sorely missed.”

“I just thank all of the people, from the bottom of my heart, for all their support,” Lundquist said.

She said she is trying to sell the store to keep it open, but family comes first.

Another family-owned business that has had to close one of its stores is Curry’s Furniture.

They have three branches – one in Lakeport, Ukiah and Clearlake. The Clearlake location, which opened in 1986, is the one closing its doors.

In 1984, owner George Kilker began running the family business, which was started by his grandfather, James Curry, in Lakeport in 1912, said his daughter and employee, Kristi Domagalski.

Kilker and his wife, Nanette, live in Ukiah and were finding the distance to Clearlake more and more difficult to contend with over the years, she said. The Clearlake store will close its doors Saturday, June 19.

“We very much appreciate our customers’ loyal support these past years,” said Domagalski. “Please come and see us in the Lakeport and Ukiah stores.”

Despite the recent closures, Knoll is optimistic about what's ahead.

“Businesses have been pretty resilient,” said Knoll. “With nice water conditions and water levels we expect a good tourist season to benefit the local economy. We look forward to summer time and better things to come.”

E-mail Tera deVroede 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 and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf .

Veggie Girl Esther Oertel looks at onions this week and their value in cooking. Courtesy photo.

I spent a good chunk of Friday afternoon in Sky Hoyt’s Kelseyville onion field. The weather changed minute by minute as we discussed the wonders of the pungent bulb.

This member of the genus Allium evokes strong feelings in me.

I love it for its flavor, its many culinary uses and the delicious scent it emits when cooked; however, I hate my violent reaction to the sulfenic acids released when onions are cut.

I have tried various kitchen tricks to alleviate my eye irritation to no avail. One day, in desperation, I wore my son’s dive mask while I made French onion soup. I may have looked ridiculous, but it was the happiest onion slicing experience I’ve ever had.

The onion has been long thought to have powerful medicinal qualities. They contain chemical compounds believed to have properties that fight various conditions such as inflammation, high cholesterol and cancer; however, such claims have not been conclusively demonstrated.

While this is rare, some people claim to have wild dreams after consuming large quantities of onions. It is theorized that those who experience this are hypersensitive to the compounds in some onions that are similar to those in opium, but in a much milder form.

Red onions grown by local farmer Sky Hoyt, offered at Tuesday's Hidden Valley Lake farmers' market. Photo by Star Laurence.

Onions have been used around the world for ailments as diverse as blisters, bee stings, scars, and sea urchin wounds. The Egyptians worshipped them and certain sects in India avoid eating them because they believe them to be aphrodisiacs.

Man’s relationship with the onion is longstanding. There is evidence they were consumed as early as 7,000 years ago during the Bronze Age. They were probably first cultivated about 2,000 years later.

I just love their flavor. Caramelized onions are like candy to me. On Friday night we grilled onions outdoors and on Saturday morning I caramelized the leftovers and used them in scrambled eggs.

Patience wins all when caramelizing onions. They can’t be rushed, so start them well in advance of when they’re needed. Depending on the recipe, you may wish your onions to be completely brown (and greatly reduced), or you may wish for the lightest touch of color.

I find that onions with the greatest pungency provide the best caramelized flavor.

To caramelize them, slice the onions in rings or dice them. Throw them in a sauté or sauce pan with a generous amount of butter or olive oil, turn on the heat and let them cook. (And cook. And cook some more.)

Start with medium-high heat, and once they get going, reduce the heat a bit. They’ll need an occasional stir and your watchful eye so they don’t burn.

When they’ve softened and have started to develop a brown color, the caramelization process has begun. It’s up to you to decide how far you’d like them to go in the process.

The white