A very full Clear Lake, pictured at about 7:30 a.m. Monday, March 28, 2011, from Library Park in Lakeport, Calif. Photo by Doug Rhoades.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – After days of rain and rising lake waters, Clear Lake peaked lower than expected before starting to recede slightly on Monday.

Clear Lake, which had hit flood stage – 9 feet Rumsey – last Friday, was anticipated to hit 9.5 feet Rumsey on Monday before its level started to decrease, according to Lake County Water Resources officials.

However, the sun came out on Monday, and a day of sunshine, warm temperatures and a break in the precipitation helped keep the lake from hitting that peak number.

Instead, Clear Lake topped out at 9.37 feet Rumsey, then began to slip back slightly, according to a US Geological Survey gauge on the lake.

The Cache Creek Dam's releases – helping keep the lake's waters from rising higher still – continued running at high levels on Monday, with the US Geological Survey's dam gauge showing it releasing at around 3,900 cubic feet per second for most of the day.

Because of the lake's level, a flood warning issued by the National Weather Service in Sacramento remained in effect on Monday.

However, no rain is forecast until the weekend, when lighter showers are anticipated. The dry week days likely will help the lake's waters recede further still.

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