Can Clear Lake be saved? New hope for Northern California’s vital resource | Opinion

Clear Lake remains in crisis, but there is new reason for hope. Once a jewel of Northern California, this ancient lake has been choking on past pollution and toxic blooms for decades. Thanks to new state investment, there’s finally momentum toward action.

What’s at stake isn’t just the lake’s beauty, but the health, heritage and water security of an entire region.

For nearly 50 years, harmful algal blooms have plagued Clear Lake due to nutrient pollution and warming temperatures. These blooms are more than just unsightly and exceedingly malodorous. They pose real and growing risks to the people who live around the lake and depend on it every day.

Warming conditions are accelerating the internal cycling of nutrients stored in the lake bed, making the problem worse each season. These nutrients originate from historic land use changes, including development and agriculture, which have left behind a persistent pollution legacy.

According to a 2021 study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and California Water: Assessment of Toxins for Community Health, more than 50% of tested homes drawing drinking water from Clear Lake had detectable levels of cyanotoxin, posing risks ranging from skin irritation to liver damage. These toxins can cause serious illnesses and disproportionately impact families who may not have the resources to seek alternative sources.

The decline of Clear Lake also puts traditional tribal uses and regional biodiversity at risk.

The Clear Lake hitch (also referred to as Chi by native peoples since time immemorial), a native fish species that holds deep spiritual and cultural significance for local tribes, is now at risk of extinction. The hitch once swam in large numbers through the lake and its tributaries during its annual migration, sustaining both the ecosystem and Indigenous living. Today, its population has plummeted due to habitat destruction, water diversions and degraded water quality.

This crisis is decades in the making, but solutions are within reach: In 2017, the California Legislature established the Blue-Ribbon Committee for the Rehabilitation of Clear Lake through Assembly Bill 707, championed by Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, which is composed of a diverse coalition of voices, including tribal representatives, Lake County officials, agricultural leaders, scientists and state agency partners.

Our committee has worked together for years to identify solutions that reflect local priorities, environmental needs and scientific insight.

The solutions

The good news is that we’re not starting from scratch. The Blue-Ribbon Committee has identified and approved 12 shovel-ready projects designed to restore Clear Lake’s health based on years of scientific research, community input and proven methods. Thanks to new state funding, we can finally begin putting these solutions into action.

These include in-lake phosphorus sequestration to reduce the nutrient pollution in sediments driving poor water quality, including blooms of toxic algae; hypolimnetic oxygenation, a technique that adds oxygen to deeper lake waters, helping reduce phosphorus release from sediments and creating a healthier environment for fish and aquatic life; and early warning systems to detect harmful algal blooms before they become public health emergencies.

These aren’t abstract ideas or wishful thinking. These are tested, targeted and ready-for-implementation solutions, the kind that could begin making a difference in the next year.

While these initial efforts can generate near-term improvements, they’re also designed with long-term recovery in mind. Studies of Clear Lake show that most phosphorus fueling harmful algal blooms comes from internal sources — primarily lake sediments — and in-lake strategies like oxygenation and phosphorus binding directly target that legacy load. By addressing what’s already deposited in the system, these solutions lay the foundation for lasting water quality gains that can be reinforced by ongoing efforts to reduce new pollution from the watershed.

New state action to turn the tide

With the recent signing of the state budget by Gov. Gavin Newsom, California has made a historic commitment to Clear Lake in the form of an initial $13.6 million approved to begin on-the-ground restoration projects.

This investment marks the first major state funding dedicated to implementing the Blue-Ribbon Committee’s science-backed restoration plan.

What happens to Clear Lake doesn’t stay in Lake County: The lake is part of a larger network of water systems that support the health, agriculture and drinking water needs of surrounding regions, including Yolo County and the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta. Allowing Clear Lake to further deteriorate risks triggering a domino effect that would be felt across Northern California.

We know what needs to be done — we have the science, the plans and the partnerships. Now, we need sustained action.

Clear Lake can be restored. It can once again be a thriving hub for recreation, biodiversity and culture. But every season we wait, the path forward becomes steeper. Investing in this lake today means safeguarding public health, preserving cultural identity and protecting the future water security of our region.