LAKEPORT >> After discussing his intention to create a working group to coordinate efforts regarding Clear Lake and its watershed during the Feb. 17 Lake County Board of Supervisors meeting, District 3 Supervisor Jim Steele was informed that the former committee to address such issues was never disbanded, but simply inactive.
“We have a very large watershed that empties into one side and what has been shown in reports … is if we can stop a lot of material coming, that would pretty much fix most of the problems with regard to loading in the lake,” Steele said.
The loading of organic and light-sorted materials into the lake results in phosphorous build up, which contributes to algae blooms.
Steele said illegal marijuana grows, agriculture, off-road vehicles, unpaved roads, sewage/septic inputs, the loss of wetlands and the reduction of filtering mechanisms at levees can all contributors to the lake.
After discussing his plans to develop a working group to work with state and federal agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Bureau of Land Management and the U. S. Forestry Department, District 2 Supervisor Jeff Smith informed Steele of the Lake County Resource Management Committee (RMC), which was never disbanded.
All agencies that had a vested interest in Clear Lake were a part of the group, Smith said. Including the EPA; Fish and Wildlife; University of California, Davis and county departments.
“We certainly need outside expertise,” Steele said. “We need to know where the interest of those agencies are so we can coordinate with that.”
District 4 Supervisor Anthony Farrington, who sat on the committee said he recalls “years of meeting without any consensus or policy implementation.”
Certain agencies wouldn’t show up multiple times, Farrington continued. Making it difficult to establish a quorum.
During public comment, Betsy Cawn of Upper Lake said “the situation has simply evolved away from what you have forgotten you have already done.”
According to Cawn, the now disbanded Clear Lake Advisory committee produced the Clear Lake Basin Management Plan for the BOS in 2000. Ten years later, it became the Watershed Management Plan.
Steele asked Cawn what data had been collected by the RMC.
“That’s always the big black hole,” Cawn answered. Citing a lack of willingness to follow through with data collection.
No action was required of the board. Farrington and Steele will work to get the RMC active again by creating an agenda for a meeting, as well as soliciting agencies to participate.
Contact J. W. Burch, IV at 900-2022.
