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Lake County rolls out LG Sonic ultrasonic buoy pilot to curb Clear Lake algae
Summary
The county’s water resources department briefed the board on a 24‑month LG Sonic ultrasonic buoy pilot — 14 buoys (two with sensors) — funded by HUD and state sources. The project includes navigation safety measures and real‑time monitoring to test whether ultrasonic waveforms reduce cyanobacteria impacts in Clear Lake.
Lake County’s water resources team told the Board of Supervisors on June 9 that it plans to pilot an ultrasonic buoy system from LG Sonic to reduce harmful cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) in Clear Lake.
Director Pawan and technicians described the pilot as 14 autonomous buoys to be placed in lower-arm areas of the lake; two buoys will also carry real‑time water‑quality sensors. The buoys emit ultrasonic waveforms designed to keep algae from rising into the photic zone where photosynthesis supports their growth. County staff said the pilot is planned as a 24‑month test during which water‑quality data will be collected to adjust treatments and measure effectiveness.
Funding and permitting: staff said about $981,000 was awarded through a HUD channel and an additional $400,000 from the county’s blue-ribbon committee for implementation and monitoring. The project completed required state/federal environmental review (CEQA/NEPA notice of exemption), and the county is awaiting release of funds to deploy equipment.
Public safety and operations: staff outlined multiple safety measures to reduce boating conflicts: reflective tape, hazard buoys adjacent to LG Sonic devices, a marked navigation channel with red/green markers and solar lights for night navigation, and outreach via ram‑monitor flyers, radio and social posts. Visual inspection and post‑storm checks were described as regular maintenance tasks.
Board members welcomed the pilot but flagged that the buoys are a pilot, not a silver‑bullet solution; supervisors emphasized the need to coordinate monitoring with parallel projects (UC Davis oxygenation, phosphorus mitigation, harvesters) to evaluate relative effectiveness. Pawan said the county will coordinate deployments and monitoring with the other projects and present results to the board.
What’s next: staff will finalize deployment once grant funds are released, begin two‑week visual inspections once buoys are on the water, and share monitoring results with partners and the board.
