Last Wednesday, Clear Lake was at 3.5 feet on the Rumsey Gauge. (That's a fancy name for a stick with measuring lines on it in the lake near the county's mosquito abatement facility in Lakeport). According to the Lake County Water Resources Division (WRD), in 1872 Captain Rumsey established the low point of the Grigsby Riffle, a natural rock formation at the confluence of the Cache and Seigler Creeks near Lower Lake, which is a natural dam for Clear Lake.
When the lake level is at "Zero Rumsey," no water spills over the riffle. All lake measurements are based on the level either above or below "Zero Rumsey."
As of 4 p.m. Monday, the rains have brought the lake level up to 4.5 feet Rumsey. Clear Lake reaches flood stage at 8 feet.
The NWS is forecasting the rain will taper off Tuesday, but skies will remain mostly to partly cloudy for the remainder of the week. Lows are expected in the mid-30s and highs in the mid to upper 50s.