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Del Norte County commissioners agree to begin drafting a Lake Earl management plan
Summary
Commissioners agreed by voice to begin drafting a county management plan for Lake Earl, citing gaps in state-funded water-quality studies and endangered-species analyses; members discussed using historical studies and pursuing CEQA review (potential negative declaration) before submitting the plan to the Board of Supervisors.
The Del Norte County commission agreed to begin drafting a county management plan for Lake Earl after commissioners and residents raised concerns that state agencies lack funding to study lake water quality and that endangered-species plans have not accounted for lake-level changes.
Commission members said a recent call with Fish and Wildlife staff indicated the state does not have money to perform a water-quality study. "They don't have the money to do a study that would study the water quality," said Speaker 6, summarizing the meeting with Sacramento staff and arguing that the county should act to protect historic lake levels and local infrastructure.
Why it matters: Commissioners and members of the public told the body that lake levels historically sat lower and that higher levels have damaged cultural sites and habitat. Speakers cited historical reports and studies (including work by Gary Monroe and Dr. David Lauck) as starting points for a county-authored plan. "I'll make a motion that we, start to write a a county management plan for the lake," said Speaker 4; commissioners indicated general assent and voiced approval.
The commission discussed environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and considered filing a negative declaration for a plan that seeks to restore previously managed lake levels. Speaker 4 said the commission would obtain CEQA guidance and wanted county legal counsel involved to prepare the plan defensibly in case of state-level pushback.
On endangered species: Commissioners noted Fish and Wildlife has ongoing endangered-species work for the lake (including species referenced in the meeting such as a goby, a lily and a listed butterfly) but expressed concern those efforts have not included lake-level or salinity studies. One member recommended documenting these gaps and including scientific and historical evidence in any county plan to ensure the Board of Supervisors and reviewers understand the basis for proposed management actions.
Votes at a glance: The commission approved the previous meeting minutes by voice vote earlier in the session. Later, the commission voted by voice to begin preparing the Lake Earl county management plan; individual roll-call votes were not recorded in the transcript.
What happens next: Commissioners asked staff to assemble historical reports and legal input and to bring draft plan language and CEQA documentation back for review and submission to the Board of Supervisors and community development staff as appropriate.
