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

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).