Will the correct algae information please stand up?
In 2011, Clear Lake had massive, uncontrolled, smelly, unsightly and potentially harmful cyanobacteria scums that repelled both tourist and residents from three to four prime tourist months, again soiling Clear Lake”s reputation as a place of beauty, recreation and investment, resulting in a loss of many millions of dollars.
But there is nothing new in this observation and the lake simply returns to its natural state for the rest of the year, according to Terry Knight (outdoors columnist) speaking to the Lake Task Force at the Lakeport Yacht Club on Oct. 8, 2011. At the same meeting of concerned citizens, Greg Giusti (a scientist with U. C. Davis Extension) said that the current algae infestation was not due to farming runoff but rather to sunlight, among other factors.
“Natural” ? there”s no problem? “Sunlight” ? there”s nothing we can do?
One of the central goals suggested by Lorene McQuire, organizer of the newly formed, unofficial task force of concerned citizens, “?is to get correct scientifically-backed information about Clear Lake out to the public and schools?.” But this appears to be a formidable task in terms of the algae problem as many conflicted interests and complexities appear to be involved.
At the task force meeting Giusti said, for example, the water is clearer and sunlight penetrates deeper to produce more algae and agricultural runoff from the wineries is not producing the current problem. Where is the current research about sunlight vs. phosphorus (et al) that implicates sunlight as the cause of the massive blooms this year?
In years past, research on the lake suggested that increased clarity of lake water corresponded to significant fewer blue-green algal blooms. But contrary to past research, Giusti”s statements at the Lake Task Force meeting suggest that improved lake clarity corresponds to more massive algae blooms, not less, sunlight being the driving force. Also contrary to observation, this year”s massive algae scums do not suggest the lake is getting cleaner or clearer, as suggested by Terry Knight”s article title “Clear Lake getting cleaner every year,” which appeared in the Record-bee about three days after he spoke at the Lake Task Force meeting. Actually, Terry Knight is consistent in that he states in print there is little than man can do or should do to change the lake.
If sunlight is the driving force and the lake is just doing its natural thing apparently there is no real problem and algae are just a multimillion dollar costly nuisance as always, and beyond control, yet good for the many inconclusive research projects, and specialized avoidance by public relations. I think the newly formed Lake Task Force is a public relations front.
Why don”t we know after so many years of research, the extent to which fertilizers and pesticides contribute to pollution and excessive phosphorous in Clear Lake? Excess phosphorus runoff has long been implicated in excess algae production, but why don”t we know, for example, the amounts of phosphorous and nitrogen actually contributed by runoff due to irrigated land used for vineyards which have increased substantially since 2004 and may indeed be a large factor in recent algal blooming?
At the same yacht club a few days before the Lake Task Force meeting, Alex Horne, Ph.D, Professor Emeritus of Ecological Engineering at U. C. Berkeley and noted Clear Lake research contributor, spoke for the California Lake Management Society, saying that anaerobic decomposition because of low oxygen levels at the bottom of the lake was responsible for producing more algae growth, but could be controlled utilizing oxygen generating Speece cones.
Given the importance of lake water quality, why after all the years of money spent for research focused upon lake dynamics and the algae problem, do we still have such conflicting data, specious orientations, denial, and massive algae scums? Perhaps a real task force is needed to find out?
Maurice Taylor
Clearlake Oaks
?Editor”s note: The Lake County Record-Bee Editor was present at the aforementioned task force meeting and acknowledges that quotes in this letter are incomplete and largely taken out of context. Additionally all presentations provided research sources.
