LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — A wrong-way driver on Highway 29 near Lakeport on Sunday night caused a wreck that killed two people.
The crash was reported shortly after 8 p.m. Sunday on northbound Highway 29 south of Hill Road.
Initial radio reports said a wrong-way driver had crashed head-on into another vehicle, blocking the northbound lane.
Lakeport Fire, Northshore Fire, Cal Fire, the California Highway Patrol and Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded, according to radio traffic.
The first units to arrive on scene reported that two vehicles were involved, there was at least one person trapped and another individual may have been ejected.
A Northshore Fire battalion chief assumed incident command, reporting over the radio that there were a total of four victims.
Incident command asked for two air ambulances to respond to Sutter Lakeside Hospital’s landing zone. One of those was later canceled and the remaining helicopter could not fly because of the weather conditions.
Just before 8:20 p.m., it was reported that northbound Highway 29 was completely shut down.
Central Dispatch confirmed over the air there were two fatalities.
Incident command said two other crash victims were being transported to Sutter Lakeside.
Fire units cleared the scene just before 9 p.m.
More information will be published as it becomes available.
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.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Board of Supervisors is set to consider an appeal of a commercial cannabis project in the High Valley area.
The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 19, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.
The meeting ID is 938 1869 7570, pass code 401755. The meeting also can be accessed via one tap mobile at +16699006833,,93818697570#,,,,*401755#.
All interested members of the public that do not have internet access or a Mediacom cable subscription are encouraged to call 669-900-6833, and enter the Zoom meeting ID and pass code information above.
At 11:30 a.m., the board will hold a public hearing to consider an appeal of the Lake County Planning Commission’s action to approve a major use permit and adoption of initial study for a commercial cannabis cultivation license for Sourz HVR Inc./Aviona LLC.
The company owns the 1,640-acre High Valley Ranch, located at 11650 High Valley Road in Clearlake Oaks, formerly the site of PSI World.
Sourz is proposing 80 acres of cultivation along with processing and distribution activities on a 649-acre portion of the ranch.
Neighbors Don and Marge Van Pelt have appealed the project, citing issues including grading and air quality, odor, water availability, biology, security, alleged noncompliance with the Lake County Zoning Ordinance, cultural resources, traffic, notice deficiency and environmental study.
In other business, as part of the consent agenda, due to irregularities with the way it conducted business at the Oct. 5 meeting, the board is due to rescind actions taken regarding establishing position allocations, reestablishing the deputy Health Services director as a county classification, appointing Jennifer Baker to interim Deputy Health Services director and appointing County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson as interim Health Services director, and at the same time will pass updated actions to put those changes into effect.
The full agenda follows.
CONSENT AGENDA
5.1: (a) Rescind action taken on Oct. 5, 2021, under extra agenda item 4.3 (b) to adopt resolution amending Resolution No. 2021-116 Establishing Position Allocations for Fiscal Year 2021-2022, Budget Unit No. 4012, Health Services Administration and reestablishing the deputy Health Services director as a county classification; and (b) rescind action taken on Oct. 5, 2021, under extra agenda item 4.3 (c) to appoint Jennifer Baker to interim Deputy Health Services director effective Oct. 6, 2021; and (c) rescind action taken on Oct. 5, 2021, under extra agenda item 4.4 to appoint County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson to interim Health Services Director; and (d) appoint CAO Carol Huchingson to interim Health Services Director; and (e) adopt resolution Amending Resolution No. 2021-116 Establishing Position Allocations for Fiscal Year 2021-2022, Budget Unit No. 4012, Health Services Administration and reestablishing the deputy Health Services director as a county classification; and (f) appoint Jennifer Baker to interim Deputy Health Services director effective Oct. 6, 2021.
5.2: Approve electronic submittal of Phase 1 United States Economic Development Administration Build Back Better Regional Challenge Grant Application.
5.3: Approve Budget Transfer in Budget Unit 2703, Animal Care and Control to Object Code 62-74 to complete final payment of backup generator installation and create the capital asset.
5.4: Rescind board action to approve the closure of Child Support Services to the public from noon Oct. 21, 2021, through the end of the day of Oct. 22, 2021.
5.5: Approve Board of Supervisors minutes Sept. 9, Sept. 28 and Oct. 2, 2021.
5.6: (a) Adopt “Resolution Accepting Official Canvass of the Statewide Special Election held on September 14, 2021”; and (b) accept the certification of county elections official of the official canvass of the election results with the official statement of votes prepared by the Registrar of Voters Office.
5.7: (a) Waive the formal bidding process pursuant to section 2-30 8.2 of the County Purchasing Ordinance due to the unique goods and services; and (b) authorize the IT director to issue a purchase order to Tyler Technologies Inc. for Executime clocks in the amount of $44,295.
5.8: Approve a budget transfer in Budget Unit 1671, Buildings & Grounds, to increase capital asset account 62-74 for the purchase of an enclosed cargo trailer.
5.9: a) Adopt resolution authorizing an application for funding through the California Department of Parks and Recreation Rural Recreation & Tourism Program for Courthouse Museum Park and authorize the Public Services director to sign the application, grant agreement and other necessary documents; b) adopt resolution authorizing an application for funding through the California Department of Parks and Recreation Regional Park Program for Mount Konocti Park and authorize the Public Services director to sign the application, grant agreement and other necessary documents.
5.10: Approve agreements between the county of Lake and Enterprise Fleet Management for leased vehicles and authorize the director of Public Works to sign the agreements.
5.11: Sitting as the Board of Directors for the Lake County Watershed Protection District, approve the purchase agreement with Michael S. Mountanos for acquisition of property within the Middle Creek Flood Damage Reduction and Ecosystem Restoration Project in the amount of $1,495,600 and authorize the chair of the board of directors to sign the purchase agreement.
5.12: Sitting as the Board of Directors for the Lake County Watershed Protection District, (a) adopt resolution approving reimbursement agreements between the Lake County Watershed Protection District and the city of Lakeport and the city of Clearlake to provide reimbursement for state-mandated pyrethroid sampling and stormwater monitoring services; and (b) and authorize the Water Resources director to sign the agreements.
TIMED ITEMS
6.2, 9:06 a.m.: Introduction of John Harper, new county director for Mendocino and Lake County’s UC Extension program.
6.3, 9:30 a.m.: Consideration of report from Bruce Wilson, executive director of the Workforce Alliance of the Northbay.
6.4, 10:30 a.m.: Hearing on account and proposed assessment for the property located at 6814 Hammond Ave., Nice, CA; APN #031-071-46; Property Owner: Steve M. DeFilippis.
6.5, 11:30 a.m.: Public hearing, discussion and consideration of appeal (AB 21-04) of the Planning Commission approval of major use permit (UP 21-10) and adoption of initial study (IS/MND 21-10) for a commercial cannabis cultivation license (Sourz HVR, Clearlake Oaks); APN’s 006-004-07 (Project Location) and Contiguous Parcels 006-002-04, 006-004-06, 006-002-09, 006-04-24, 00-004-25 and 006-009-36.
UNTIMED ITEMS
7.2: Consideration of appointment of county supervisor as alternate to the Lake County Audit Committee.
CLOSED SESSION
8.1: Conference with legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code sec. 54956.9(d)(1) — City of Clearlake v. County of Lake, et al.
8.2: Conference with legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code sec. 54956.9(d)(1) — Flesch v. County of Lake.
8.3: Conference with legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code section 54956.9(d)(1): Center for Biological Diversity et al. v. County of Lake, et al.
8.4: Public employee evaluation: County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson.
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.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lakeport City Council is set to consider raising water and sewer rates for city residents, as well as approval of a lease for a portion of the Carnegie Library.
The council will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 19, in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.
The council chambers will be open to the public for the meeting. In accordance with updated guidelines from the state of California and revised Cal OSHA Emergency Temporary Standards, persons who are not fully vaccinated for COVID-19 are required to wear a face covering at this meeting.
If you cannot attend in person, and would like to speak on an agenda item, you can access the Zoom meeting remotely at this link or join by phone by calling toll-free 669-900-9128 or 346-248-7799.
The webinar ID is 973 6820 1787, access code is 477973; the audio pin will be shown after joining the webinar. Those phoning in without using the web link will be in “listen mode” only and will not be able to participate or comment.
Comments can be submitted by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. To give the City Clerk adequate time to print out comments for consideration at the meeting, please submit written comments before 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 19.
Indicate in the email subject line "for public comment" and list the item number of the agenda item that is the topic of the comment. Comments that are read to the council will be subject to the three minute time limitation (approximately 350 words). Written comments that are only to be provided to the council and not read at the meeting will be distributed to the council before the meeting.
The council will meet new Lakeport Police Officer Katie Hutchins and present a proclamation designating October 2021 Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
On the agenda is a public hearing during which the council will receive written protests of the proposed rates, to be followed by adoption of resolutions to establish new water and wastewater rates to go into effect on Nov. 1.
Based on the proposed increases, over five years, an average single-family residential water customer with a monthly flow of 800 cubic feet has an existing bill of $53.09 would see their costs increase to $71.49 by the fifth year for water, and would go from $74.25 to $86.05 over that time period for water.
In other business, City Manager Kevin Ingram will take to the council a proposed one-year lease with the Clear Lake Environmental Research Center, or CLERC, for the reuse of the Carnegie Library building for the development of an environmental research center and associated labs and offices.
The proposed lease calls for the nonprofit to pay $850 a month for the use of the building. The city will cover the costs of electricity, water, sewer and trash.
“As the building has not been utilized in several years it is not clear what the true costs for utilities at this site are at this time. Both the City and CLERC have agreed to revisit the allocation of costs prior to the expiration of the lease term once the parties have data on the actual costs associated with CLERC’s use of the building,” Ingram said in his report.
Also on Tuesday, Police Chief Brad Rasmussen will ask the council to approve a Crisis Intervention Responder Program and authorize him and the city manager to finalize details and sign a memorandum of understanding with Lake Family Resource Center.
On the consent agenda — items usually accepted as a slate on one vote — are ordinances; minutes of the regular council meeting on Oct. 5; and approval of the side letter agreement with the Unrepresented Employees Compensation and Benefits Program adopted Sept. 7, 2021.
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.
Ten new K-9 teams that graduated from the California Highway Patrol’s Academy on Friday, October 15, 2021. Photo Credit: CHP Senior Photographer Michael Wong. The California Highway Patrol announced the graduation and deployment of its 10 newest K-9 teams on Friday.
The ceremony at the CHP Academy in West Sacramento is the culmination of 400 to 600 hours of intense training for each officer and their canine partner.
“After weeks of rigorous training, these new teams are ready to assist in the CHP’s mission of protecting and serving the State of California,” said CHP Commissioner Amanda Ray. “Our canines are a tremendous asset to the department, and the addition of these 10 teams to our existing resources will supplement the already highly effective canine program.”
The CHP uses its canines to perform a variety of functions, including detecting human scent, contraband, and explosives.
A canine team can improve the safety and effectiveness of officers as well as saving time and money.
The CHP canines are also used to assist allied agencies in apprehending criminals, detecting explosives or drugs, and in locating “at-risk” missing persons.
This is the only graduation in 2021 for CHP canine teams trained in handler protection and narcotics detection or handler protection and explosive detection.
The canine teams completed between 11 and 15 weeks of intensive training at the CHP Academy, depending on their specialty.
All handlers are CHP officers with departmental experience ranging from four to 15 years.
The graduating canine teams represent the following CHP Divisions: Valley, Golden Gate, Central, Southern, Border and Inland.
Following this graduation, the CHP now has 48 canine teams deployed throughout the state.
K-9 Tyson, a Dutch shepherd assigned to Southern Division, wearing a protective vest. Photo Credit: CHP Senior Photographer Michael Wong.
As the fight against COVID-19 continues, the California Department of Public Health is urging Californians to get vaccinated against the flu now to protect themselves and their loved ones.
“In the midst of a COVID-19 pandemic, a severe flu season could be devastating for California,” said Dr. Tomás J. Aragón, director of the California Department of Public Health and State Public Health Officer. “Getting a flu shot is a safe and simple thing we can all do to keep people out of the hospital and reduce the strain on our health care system.”
In California, flu season is October through May and flu activity usually begins to increase in late November or December. It takes a couple of weeks after vaccination for the body to build immunity.
Getting vaccinated now before the flu season ramps up is the best time to protect yourself, your family and your community, officials said.
CDPH recommends the annual flu vaccination for everyone six months of age and older. Getting vaccinated against the flu is particularly important for people at high-risk of severe disease and hospitalization, including:
— People 65 years and older. — People who smoke or have underlying medical conditions like diabetes, heart disease, asthma, lung disease, neurologic disorders and weakened immune systems. — Pregnant women and children under five years of age. — Caregivers and residents in long-term care facilities. — Essential workers who encounter others outside their homes or at higher risk because of their occupation.
CDPH encourages Californians to contact their health care provider, physician's office, or clinic about getting the flu vaccine. Adults may also get immunized at the pharmacy where they generally pick up their prescriptions. Pharmacies accept most insurance, including Medi-Cal.
Some local health departments may offer low- or no-cost flu immunizations. If you still haven’t had the COVID-19 vaccine or are due for a booster, the flu vaccine and COVID-19 vaccine can be given on the same day.
Besides getting immunized, you can also take everyday preventive actions to stop the spread of germs:
— Continue to wear a mask. — Stay away from people who are sick and stay home when you or other family members are sick for at least 24 hours after symptoms go away before you are around others. — Cough or sneeze into your elbow, arm, or disposable tissue. If you use disposable tissue, use hand sanitizer, or wash your hands afterwards. — Wash hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and warm water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. — Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
For more information about the flu, visit CDPH's website.
How do I get information about the water level of the lake? Is the lake at the lowest that it has ever been? How low will the lake get this year and what is predicted for rain this winter?
Thanks!
From “Learning about Lake Levels!” Lorne
Lakeport’s Fifth Street Ramp is still operational and open even + lower water levels at or near -2.0 Rumsey. Photo by Angela De Palma-Dow. Dear Lorne,
This is a great set of questions Lorne! Also, you are not the only one who has asked about lake levels. Clear Lake’s water level is very low right now, exposing large areas of shoreline and sediment, some that have not been this dry and exposed for decades!
During the drought this year, the low lake level is a concern for many who live on the lake and see the declining edge of the water. Regardless if you are a fisherperson, a shoreline property owner or renter, or enjoy recreation like wake surfing or kayaking, less water in the lake is of extreme interest to many. Being aware of the lake level is fairly easy to do.
Measuring lake levels
Daily lake level data is measured from an in-lake gauge (#11450000) operated and maintained by the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
The gauge has historically been located on a pier at Lake County Vector Control District in Lakeport, but due to the recent drought conditions and lack of water depth at the gauge’s normal location, the gauge was temporarily moved to the Fifth Street ramp at Library Park in Lakeport.
The move caused a few swings of up and down lake level readings during the week around Oct. 7, but as of Oct. 15, the measurements have stabilized. However, the USGS maintains that all online data is provisional until verified and confirmed and usually that can take several months.
Note: The vernacular use of “gage” and “gauge” can be used interchangeably and both can be used as a verb or a noun. The USGS has a historical affinity for the use of “gauge” and according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, considering global use, “gauge” is the preferred variant of this word and is used more commonly then “gage.” If you ask the Lady of the Lake, life is too short to gage your success by the amount and type of gauges being counted, but don’t mind me and pick the gauge/gage that is right for you!
Gauge relocation and replacement is not a new thing, in fact it has happened many times over the history of USGS monitoring Clear Lake water levels.
For example, prior to 1984, the gauge was located on the public pier on third street in Lakeport, then moved to a private pier a few blocks south. The gauge at that time was non-recording, meaning it didn’t log data, someone had to go out and write down the measurement in a log book. Now the gage measures, stores, and transmits data to USGS satellite and the data quickly makes its way to the gage website.
Then in 1984, the gage was moved to its current permanent home at Lake County Vector Control District on Esplanade in Lakeport. Throughout the years the gage has been adjusted, replaced, repaired and upgraded, and some years during extreme droughts or floods it’s temporarily relocated for better access or to ensure more accurate measurements.
It makes sense that Vector Control would be good partners for a lake gage as low and high water levels influence habitat availability for mosquitos. Also, believe it or not, before the internet, folks would call into the Vector Control District and ask for the current lake levels; now they are simply a few clicks away on your computer or smartphone!
Figure. Lake Level data for the period of Jan. 1 to Oct. 14, 2021 (blue) compared to historic median (middle value) for the last previous 101 years. Source: USGS. If you wanted to know stage height data from other gauges around the state, I suggest you explore the Sierra Nevada River Forecast Network Interactive Map. On this site, you can find different lakes or rivers with real-time gages measuring lake levels, stream height and stream flow.
Also, the Lake County Water Resources Department monitors the daily lake level and can provide that to you by phone 707-263-2344, if you do not have access to the website.
How lake level is determined
Clear Lake is different then every other lake, reservoir or water body out there when it comes to the lake level measurement method.
Clear Lake uses the “Rumsey Gage” unit of measurement. This measurement was established by Captain Rumsey in 1873. The measurement was derived from the natural levels of the lake as determined by the Grisby Riffle, with a range between zero and 7.56 feet Rumsey, which is the natural low and high levels of the lake.
For example, the low level at “zero rumsey” is the point at which water is too low to pass the Riffle and flow down Cache Creek; it’s the “natural low” level of the lake.
Grigsby Riffle, during normal flow years this formation regulates the amount of water that can leave Clear Lake through Cache Creek. Photo courtesy of Lake County Water Resources. Unlike reservoirs, Clear Lake’s water level is naturally controlled by the Grigsby Riffle. The Grigsby Riffle is a naturally formed rock gravel formation at the confluence of Cache Creek and Seigler Creek; this spot can be easily observed from the Lake Street Bridge in Lower Lake.
The combination of elevation, gravel accumulation and creek bed constriction physically limits the maximum amount of water that can pass through from the lakeside downstream to the rest of Cache Creek.
There is a court-ordered “Bemmerly Decree” (1940) that prohibits the excavation or alteration of the Riffle, meaning that no one is allowed to build up or tear down the riffle which maintains the water level in Clear Lake from leaving “too fast” down Cache Creek.
You may notice this phenomenon during flood years, where even though the Cache Creek dam (located 3 miles downstream Cache Creek) is fully open, the amount of water flowing through is the same. The gravel impoundment, stream shape and stream bottom elevation of the Grisby Riffle is literally controlling the amount of water that can leave and flow out of the lake. This is the bottleneck point.
Many think the Cache Creek dam, managed by Yolo County, is open all the time and allowing “all the water to flow from the lake”; but in fact most of this current drought year Cache Creek above and around the Grisby Riffle has been dry — for months water has not been flowing out of Clear Lake down through Cache Creek.
There is a base flow of water that does flow downstream from Cache Creek to Yolo County, but the amounts of Clear Lake water allowed to be actively “taken” from the lake to Yolo are regulated naturally and legally.
The other court-ordered decrees, the Gopcevic (1920) and the Solano (1978, revised in 1995), limit the amount and timing of water to be released by the Cache Creek Dam. This year, Yolo County was not able to use any of the water in Clear Lake as the lake level was too low to “share” as declared by these decrees. This is important to note because the water level we see today in Clear Lake would be the same regardless if there was a regulated dam downstream or not.
The history of the Decrees and story about how Yolo County gained water rights of Clear Lake is fascinating (albeit a bit frustrating) and I recommend anyone interested to grab a cup of tea, a quiet window seat, and dedicate some time to read the information provided online by the County of Lake Water Resources including “The History of Clear Lake” and “How Yolo Obtained Water Rights.”
What about next year's rain outlook and impacts on lake level?
As for the lake levels next year, we still don’t know how much rain we will get this next wet season or if that rain will be sufficient to saturate the ground within the watershed and accumulate into enough runoff to replenish Clear Lake.
Some climate predictions by NOAA’s National Weather Service and the International Research Institute for Climate and Society have indicated that we are going into La Niña oscillation with high probability (87%).
La Niña winters are known for cooler than normal ocean conditions, which usually mean southern areas of the country tend to stay drier and warmer than normal and northern parts of the country are cooler and wetter than average. Northern California is located somewhere in the middle of these patterns, but it’s a good guess that this year’s La Niña might prolong drought conditions one more year.
Climate expectations during the upcoming La Niña winter. The south is expected to be warmers and drier with the north expected to be wetter and colder. Northern California will be sandwiched between the two. Graphic modified from NOAA Ocean Service. While not directly related to lakes, the Lady of The Lake loves to learn about ocean patterns and impacts on inland waters. NOAA’s National Ocean Service makes connections between La Niña / El Niño climate patterns that have direct impacts on natural occurrences and disasters on the mainland, like floods and wildfires.
While probability is high that La Niña will characterize the type of winter and wet season that will occur across the Pacific states this coming winter, the most accurate predictions will come to fruition in November. And until then, we shall remain hopeful and gauge that daily lake level gage data.
Sincerely,
Lady of the Lake
The Lady of the Lake would like to acknowledge and thank Dr. Jamie Scott at Lake County Vector Control District and D. McGee at USGS for their help in contributing valuable information to this article.
Angela De Palma-Dow is a limnologist (limnology = study of fresh inland waters) who lives and works in Lake County. Born in Northern California, she has a Master of Science from Michigan State University. She is a Certified Lake Manager from the North American Lake Management Society, or NALMS, and she is the current president/chair of the California chapter of the Society for Freshwater Science. She can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
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