LAKEPORT >> Following winter flooding that forced the county to reduce lake speed limits, ban boats altogether and then rescind the decision, the Board of Supervisors decided to bring some clarity to the issue, should it happen again. The county passed an ordinance restricting boat speed limits when Clear Lake exceeds 8 feet on the Rumsey Gauge.
The lake is considered full at 7.56 Rumsey.
The ordinance will enforce an idle speed limits a quarter mile from shore if the lake is at 8 feet Rumsey or higher for a 24 hour period. Any violation of the ordinance will result in a misdemeanor and a fine of up to $500 or imprisonment in County Jail for a period less than six months.
Water Resources Director Phil Moy said during the flood they had to incorporate multiple versions of the emergency ordinance before finally coming to a safe conclusion.
“This is making the last version of that ordinance permanent,” Moy said. “This changes nothing that was established as the final urgency notice.”
The problem began with extraordinary flooding in January and February. As waters topped 10 feet on the gauge, wakes from boats traveling at speed began causing damage to docks and foundations of homes along the shore. The county adopted an emergency ordinance restricted motor boat speed limits and even closed down the lake to all motor boat activity. To prevent having to adopt an emergency ordinance in the future, they have passed this regulation.
District 3 Supervisor Jim Steele said when the lake level is above 8 Rumsey it’s only six-tenths over what would be considered as full at the dam height making it not a huge flood but still above level.
“I’m in favor for a higher level than 8, but in order to get this on the table, I’m okay with it. I would really like to see 8.5 or 9. Eight is way too low,” Steele said.
An issue Steele said he saw was when the lake levels did get past 9 feet Rumsey, old docks around the lake started to fall apart causing a debris problem on top of the flood issue.
“These old docks were the ones built with planks and boards and they were everywhere. That seemed to be the issue,” Steele said. “There was so much debris floating around I wanted everyone to slow down from that standpoint. We had a lot of guys speeding out there.”
Moy said they had come to the level of 8 feet Rumsey to protect homes that would be affected when Clear Lake is at that height. During the floods over winter, one suggestion brought up was to establish an emergency ordinance when the lake level hit 8.5.
Most of the damage that was done by the floods and storms was in North Shore area. Tina Scott, the District Supervisor for a large portion of that said she would like to see it at 8 Rumsey to just give a warning that lake levels are increasing and to decrease speed limits.
“We aren’t stopping fisherman from coming in and fishing we’re just asking them to slow down and be cautious about what’s in the water and cautious about their speeds,” Scott said.
This ordinance only affects areas close to shore once the lake level passes flood level. Anything past the quarter mile when the lake level is high is regulated as normal until other emergencies are announced by the county.
