[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6106570,"mediaKeyId","2779920-0b0127727fcd4a5b373579ae59fa356b","parentId",2779920,"title","Lake County approves $25,000 to shore up golden mussel prevention; officials warn state grants currently exclude golden mussel work","audioSeconds",539,"startMs",4511000,"endMs",5050000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2779920-0b0127727fcd4a5b373579ae59fa356b&start=4511&end=5050","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2779920-0b0127727fcd4a5b373579ae59fa356b/thumbnail_4511000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6106570/Lake-County/California/Lake-County-approves-25000-to-shore-up-golden-mussel-prevention-officials-warn-state-grants-currently-exclude-golden-mussel-work","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6106570-6b9a39d0b1d9b5aa8a0caca2d086b506/orig.mp4?Expires=1770683246&Signature=cPWEJ2c7Rqy7eRvYyuWqbr8RtWvKXorDcaFudwOmqfY-gbLdIpoW9Hmk~vjJGIU1ZvYYBGDogomrQP3vEUrCp9uAFeFg2wj9hYYz0fdriIdFpBaLv2zMQ7VkZBEMwOZ58c36itnVqEi3ATPaTmeXNzqKa~WpPEv8DU-jXqWWb4tSJ5nwlO7l30CNLhd6LopT68C8P9hHzpp2NqU0nNZiUy0JMfW4sHSun2AJfRQib4SgHA4aQRbV3~~R0554HJJrTdgqlmcglv7x5xTGVv9kOmjcGDYJfQAQ67kzQkSbQkdiWUZrrmK34UpKwomcXwV3r9K5MumnnQmOFwS1DD9tgw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Lake County CA","date","2025-03-26T21:00:11.75Z","article","The Lake County Board of Supervisors voted 4-0 to authorize up to $25,000 in county funds to support Golden Mussel Prevention activities for fiscal year 2024–25, following a departmental update and requests from Water Resources staff.

Water Resources briefing and risk: Angela DePalma Dow, the county’s Invasive Species Program Coordinator, told the board that golden mussels (Limnoperma spp.) have been detected in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta and are spreading in the state’s water system. She said the Delta detections raise the risk that boats will bring golden mussels to Clear Lake and that county monitoring must expand. “We are gonna run out of hours in May,” she said of the county’s part‑time ramp monitors, who now work year‑round because of higher inspection and decontamination demand. DePalma Dow said canine detection teams have been used more this year and cost roughly $800–$1,000 per day.

Why it matters: Golden mussels can alter food webs and water quality. DePalma Dow said they can reduce green algae (the fish food) while allowing cyanobacteria to persist, which could harm fisheries and water quality if the species becomes established.

Program needs and proposed uses of funds: County staff asked for $25,000 in general funds for the remainder of FY24‑25 to cover emergency needs including additional canine detection days, temporary staff augmentation for ramp monitoring and outreach. Staff provided a broader estimate of roughly $270,000 as the total near‑term need for program continuity and to advance planning for a permanent decontamination station; the board approved the immediate $25,000 request.

State funding gap and ordinance update: DePalma Dow told the board that the state interagency grant program would disqualify applications that explicitly mention golden mussel prevention in the 2025 grant cycle. She quoted guidance from grant administrators: “the CUSY grant program cannot fund activities that discuss the golden muscle for the 2025 grant cycle. Applications with discuss the golden muscle may be disqualified during the inter agency review process.” County staff said they are pursuing other funding avenues (Prop 68/4 alternatives and Blue Ribbon Committee interest) while also planning local measures such as an updated county ordinance (Chapter 15.52) to add golden mussels to the county’s invasive‑mussel enforcement authority. Staff said that ordinance revision will go on public notice and could be before the board for approval as early as April 8.

Operational steps and permanent infrastructure: Staff described options including a permanent boat decontamination station (candidate site: John Kloss Park on Highway 20) that would use hot water or a state‑approved chemical dip for full decontamination, and expanded mobile decontamination teams. DePalma Dow said permanent infrastructure would use water efficiently and support both prevention and response if mussels are found.

Community and interagency coordination: Staff said the county has reduced the number of permitted fishing tournaments per day to ease inspection demand and is coordinating with California Department of Fish and Wildlife and Bodega Bay Marine Laboratory for monitoring and laboratory analysis. Staff emphasized outreach and sticker enforcement for boats entering Clear Lake.

Board action: A motion to approve the funding request to support FY24‑25 Golden Mussel Prevention Activities “in the amount not to exceed $25,000” passed by a 4‑0 vote. The board discussion included direction to pursue additional funding sources and to move forward with ordinance updates and planning for decontamination infrastructure.

Next steps: County staff will use the approved funds to extend canine detection and staffing as needed through the season, advance ordinance updates, continue monitoring, and pursue state and local funding options for longer‑term needs.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","County of Lake Board of Supervisors Meeting · Tuesday 03/25/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The board approved up to $25,000 in general funds to support ramp monitoring, canine detection and outreach for golden mussel prevention through FY24‑25; staff warned the state grant program currently disqualifies projects that mention golden mussels, creating a near‑term local funding need.","taxTitle","Lake County, California","taxId",17505,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6106575,"Lake County approves LG Sonic contract for Clear Lake algae buoys; approval contingent on environmental review",222,2960000,3182000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2779920-0b0127727fcd4a5b373579ae59fa356b&start=2960&end=3182","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2779920-0b0127727fcd4a5b373579ae59fa356b/thumbnail_2960000.jpg","/articles/6106575/Lake-County/California/Lake-County-approves-LG-Sonic-contract-for-Clear-Lake-algae-buoys-approval-contingent-on-environmental-review","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6106575-c82c22073bea6dabd74d763030be6d06/orig.mp4?Expires=1770683246&Signature=GbvcsNKC04TKYnjxQ2366dw8E6FtMjJstXPFpFfeEO-JwaTHMI1gJvL7hpzjV4mPDjyIGgaLQYDhbwloel4cRNPpWw7ZbLw~aF4ab9cQnfAlE9VyQw5FbEwYhtmcHvHFquVMpkjBPsFHckGjfTpWGzwNFXJORV6l075zXv9agDl21Yxow7MqYjwnbioxRLdfogJWnnN0Kk8Wy~XqgYqpWZmykl9BIfflRt-IAluGTuZyhGk7cATXQ4fJXZDUNDk3Tz6FFg5OPeKZLPppDqsXU3Wp0p3t73W9NePmy7qcIiYkv2M7Iv6k27plyDhw3ffJQB8kEkxH0DuJfhqfuP-4jg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lake County Board of Supervisors, sitting as the Lake County Watershed Protection District Board of Directors, voted 4-0 to award a sole‑source contract to LG Sonic for a Clear Lake harmful algal‑bloom mitigation project and to authorize the chair to sign the agreement and the Water Resources Director to execute it.

The project calls for purchase, installation and operation of 14 LG Sonic mitigation buoys and associated monitoring and training; Lake County officials said the contract award is $921,407.12, with an additional $60,000 identified in grant funds to cover staff time, bringing the project total cited by staff to about $981,407.12. The motion conditions approval on completing any applicable environmental reviews and approvals required under the contract’s Exhibit A, including CEQA and NEPA where applicable.

Why it matters: Clear Lake provides drinking water for roughly 60% of Lake County residents and sees recurring harmful algal blooms (cyanobacteria) that county staff say are driven by phosphorus, nitrogen and warming temperatures. County staff framed the deployment as a pilot to reduce toxic blooms and to lower treatment costs for water purveyors.

County staff summary and procurement: Dr. Upadhyay, identified in the meeting as the Water Resources Director, gave an executive summary saying the 24‑month project would install 10 MPC BuE Light units and 4 MPC BuE Pro units and would include interactive algae control software, data collection and staff training. Staff said the project qualified for sole‑source procurement because of the “unique nature of the technology” and cited grant funding awarded in 2024 as the source. Staff said the Watershed Protection District budget unit 8109 will fund the work and be reimbursed by account 1120.

Public and official input: Several supervisors and outside officials raised questions about navigation safety, vandalism and long‑term maintenance. Vice Chair Rasmussen and Supervisor Pyska asked whether the buoys present hazards to boaters and whether the county or another agency would be responsible for repairs if buoys were vandalized; Supervisor Pyska said she remained “very concerned about vandalism and tampering” and wanted a clearer plan for replacement funding and operational leadership.

Sheriff Bingham, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, said he supports the project but asked for a study and coordination with his marine patrol to mitigate public‑safety risks. “I’m in support of the idea … but moving forward, I do have some concerns with these buoys being on the lake, especially in a narrow, navigable waterway,” he said, and described the devices as large and heavy: “one of these sonic buoys … 8 foot by 7 foot, 2.8 feet, I believe, above the waterline weighing 441 pounds, that could be a catastrophic event if a boat strikes at any type of speed.” The sheriff asked that his marine patrol be included in planning and that the county consider changes such as local speed limits or other mitigations for the narrower channels.

LG Sonic representative and environmental concerns: An LG Sonic representative on the meeting’s remote line said the company has not observed harm to wildlife where its units operate and that birds often congregate on the buoys. The representative said the units shift algae communities toward green algae dominance and that the technology “prevents toxic blooms without harming aquatic life.” Community Development Director Mireya Turner said CEQA review was still in progress and urged that any board approval be contingent on CEQA’s completion; the board added environmental review as a condition.

Logistics and timelines: Staff said deployment would likely be staged from Thompson Harbor and that the county will work with the City of Clear Lake on logistics and launching; staff estimated delivery within about a month after the contract is signed and said the county expects to rent or secure a larger boat for installation if needed. Staff also said the contract term includes multi‑year data collection and follow‑up (staff described the implementation both as a 24‑month project and, later in discussion, referenced a three‑year contract term used for monitoring and periodic check‑ins).

Board action and direction: The board first voted to waive County Code Chapter 2, Section 2‑38.2 (sole‑source procurement) because of the unique nature of the services, then voted to award the contract to LG Sonic in the amount cited by staff. The award motion included two explicit directions: (1) make approval contingent on obtaining any applicable environmental reviews and approvals in accordance with Exhibit A of the contract (CEQA/NEPA as required), and (2) direct staff—primarily Water Resources—to collaborate with the Sheriff’s Department (marine patrol) for navigational and safety input and with the City of Clear Lake on logistics and public outreach prior to installation. The board approved both motions 4‑0.

Next steps: Staff will complete required environmental reviews, coordinate a navigation and public‑education plan with the sheriff and the city, finalize exact buoy locations and prepare for delivery and installation if environmental approvals are granted.

Votes at a glance:
• Waive County Code Chapter 2, Section 2‑38.2 (sole‑source procurement): motion carried 4‑0.
• Award Clear Lake Algae Sonic Buoy Harmful Algal Bloom Mitigation Project to LG Sonic, $921,407.12 (contract execution by chair and Water Resources Director; $60,000 in grant funds identified for staff time; approval contingent on required environmental reviews and coordination with sheriff and City of Clear Lake): motion carried 4‑0.

Sources: Meeting presentation and public record excerpts of the Lake County Board of Supervisors meeting; statements by Dr. Upadhyay (Water Resources Director), an LG Sonic representative, Sheriff Bingham and public commenters including Alan Flores (City of Clear Lake manager) and Russ Kramer (City of Clear Lake mayor).","The Lake County Board approved a sole-source contract with LG Sonic to deploy 14 ultrasonic algae‑control buoys in Clear Lake, awarding $921,407.12 and adding $60,000 in grant funds for staff time; the approval is contingent on required environmental reviews and directed staff to coordinate with the sheriff and the City of Clear Lake.","actionData","errors"]

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Lake County approves $25,000 to shore up golden mussel prevention; officials warn state grants currently exclude golden mussel work

Lake County approves LG Sonic contract for Clear Lake algae buoys; approval contingent on environmental review