Could Lake County and California be headed for another drought? That is the question many local residents are asking. One of the biggest worries among many Lake County residents is the water level at Clear Lake where the lake level was .5 feet on the Rumsey Gauge as of Monday. Experts are predicting the lake level will drop to zero on the Rumsey Gauge within two weeks.
While Yolo County is no longer drawing any water from the lake and only 2 cubic feet per second is being released to protect the fishery in Cache Creek below the dam, evaporation will still result in a falling lake level.
Since 1873 the lake level has dropped to zero or lower 12 times. In the 20th century, the lake dropped to minus-1.53 feet in 1924; in 1932 to minus-.1; in 1939 to minus-.36; in 1947 to zero; in 1950 to minus-.13; in 1955 to minus-.12; and in 1977 to a minus-3.39 feet.
The worst year was 1977 when the county received only 12.46 inches of rainfall and the lake level rose to a high of minus-.3 feet. The lowest level that year was minus-3.39 feet. Just about all the boat ramps were left high and dry and people were walking beneath the Rodman Slough Bridge. In recent times the worst year was in 1990 when the lake level dropped to .32 feet on the Rumsey Gauge. The highest that year was 3.39 feet. The county received only 18.55 inches of rainfall. That was followed by another drought year in 1991 when the lake level receded to .43 feet and peaked at only 3.98 feet.
Clear Lake is unique in comparison to other lakes in Northern California. Take Lake Shasta for instance. The lake level routinely drops more than 100 feet every year. If the lake level drops 7 feet in a year at Clear Lake it’s major news and cause for concern.
It will take at least six inches of rainfall before the surrounding hills become saturated enough to allow runoff into the lake. To date, the county has received less than an inch of rainfall. The water year runs from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30. The land around the lake is once again becoming dry and none of the streams running into the lake hold any water.
Launching boats could be a problem if the drought continues. The public ramp at Lucerne is already closed. Of the other public ramps, the ones that will be affected first are Redbud Park and the Clear Lake State Park. Presently they have only about a 2-foot depth at these ramps. The good news is that the ramps at Library Park in Lakeport have at least 3 feet of water near the ends of the docks. The same applies to the ramp at Clearlake Oaks and the ramp at Lakeside County Park.
If the drought continues until next spring, it could have a major impact on the fish in the lake because the bass won’t be able to get back into the tules to spawn, which means the eggs and nests would be exposed to waves and predators. With dry streams, the hitch, a native fish that is currently in trouble, won’t be able to spawn. There also would be more weeds. Low water conditions and clear water are the ideal ingredients for massive weed growth.
The current drought has already impacted other lakes in the area. Indian Valley Lake is a good example. The reservoir is down more than 100 feet and the ramps are out of the water. The same applies to Lake Pillsbury where the lake is only at 28 percent of its capacity. Even the water levels at Blue Lakes are down.
Of course, that could all change in a hurry. Normally the months of January and February are the wettest months and it’s too early to be overly concerned. A few years ago the conditions were similar and the “March Miracle” occurred. A low lake was full within a matter of two weeks.
All is not gloom and doom. Clear Lake has survived hundreds of droughts in its long history and another one would be just part of nature. Besides, there is little we can do to control the weather
