LAKEPORT — George Speake, project manager for the Middle Creek Marsh Flood Damage Reduction and Ecosystem Restoration Project, Tuesday updated the Lake County Board of Supervisors (BOS) on the project.
Speake said if the project is executed as designed, it would allow for controlled opening of levees that would provide natural input water filtration to Middle Creek and Scotts Creek, which provide about half the water into Clear Lake. He said the nutrient load would also be filtered, which would reduce chlorophyll amounts by 30 percent.
Speake said he is working with the Army Corps of Engineers, Robinson Rancheria and other involved agencies to move the project forward. He said the next steps are to continue negotiating land acquisitions, developing a plan for a ring levee system and alternative solutions, as well as finding funds for design and construction phases.
Speake said Alameda County staff are assisting the county in acquiring land from property owners in the most flood-prone areas first. Letters were sent out to property owners in the proposed flood areas. Speake said some residents are not willing to sell their land.
He said it is important all real estate be owned by the county for the project to be fully implemented. He said it might make sense to offer easements to certain property owners who are unwilling to sell property that is mostly out of the flood zone.
Speake said he met with Robinson Rancheria”s Tribal Council to discuss the design of the levee system. According to Speake, the existing baseline design that includes the ring levee system should be moved forward while discussing alternative solutions to the design with the tribe. A working session is being scheduled for discussion of alternative solutions.
Speake said he is keeping congressmen Mike Thompson and John Garamendi informed about the project in order to secure funding in the future. He estimated the project has a shortfall of about $5 million.
District 2 Supervisor Jeff Smith suggested Speake get in touch with the California Waterfowl Association and other agencies that expressed an interest in the project. Speake said he was working with the Clear Lake Advisory Committee to get a list of all interested parties.
Kevin N. Hume can be reached at kevin.n.hume@gmail.com or call directly 263-5636 ext. 14. Follow on Twitter: @KevinNHume.
