The lake sparkles at sunrise as it has for thousands of years, when indigenous Pomo people thrived along its shores. Our lake is as old as the hills. This is a storied lake of geologic and human history. Many are finding solutions to some of the problems that Clear Lake has experienced over time.
Scientists have clocked its age in at around a half-million years, making it the oldest lake in North America! If you’re like me, you thrive on learning all about our ‘back yard’, so it was thrilling to view the documentary I missed seeing during last summer’s lake symposium called Xabatin: Big Lake Big Science 2024. It’s available to view on YouTube.
The documentary features many indefatigable movers and shakers of Lake County and beyond, like the inimitable Dr. Harry Lyons, Dr. John Parker, Angela DePalma-Dow, United States Geological Survey’s Dr. Charlie Alpers, Magdalena Valderrama, Chair of Cobb Area Council’s Forest Stewardship Committee, Terre Logsdon who is Chief Climate Resiliency Officer Tribal Liaison for the County of Lake, Carter Jessop, Superfund Project Manager, Merry Jo Velasquez Vice President Lake County Land Trust, Greg Giusti Forest Advisor, UC Cooperative Extension, Luis Santana Interim Water Resource Manager/Fisheries Biologist, Irenia Quitiquit Center for Biological Diversity, Dr. Fred Feyrer, Biologist, USGS, Beniakam Cromwell Tribal Chairman Robinson Rancheria of Pomo Indians and more.
Angela DePalma-Dow is the Executive Director of the Lake County Land Trust and is working to grow conservation and restoration efforts in Lake County, California. De-Palma Dow is a limnologist who works tirelessly so that lake lovers, including bird watchers, anglers, boaters, and holiday-makers, can enjoy its unique beauty. A limnologist studies fresh inland waters such as ponds, wetlands, streams, and lakes. She has worked with funds from the Department of Pesticide Regulation and the Blue Ribbon Committee for the Rehabilitation of Clear Lake to clear out, by hand no less, albeit with a team, the invasive creeping water primrose from both public and private properties that surround the lake, and follow up with native plantings such as tule.
Her team worked with Tribal Eco Restoration Alliance (TERA), Dr. Jeanine Pfeiffer, an ethnoecologist, and Bullfrog Underwater Services, a private diving business. Creeping water primrose is a hindrance to the lake. It is highly problematic since it can impede navigation for waterfowl, fish, swimmers, and boaters. It can reduce water flow in channels and also contribute to flooding. Other problems it causes are its ability to clog drinking water intakes, and creeping water primrose also creates a public safety issue when it creates a habitat for West Nile mosquitoes.
United States Geological Survey’s (USGS) Dr. Charlie Alpers discussed Clear Lake’s hypereutrophic character in the documentary, which translates to a lake that is holding excess algal growth. Portions of the lake sometimes suffer from this situation because the lake is shallow, and algae die, sink, and decay, thereby depriving the water of dissolved oxygen needed by fish to breathe. The problem arises when nutrient loads are transported to the lake due to soil erosion. The lake’s many tributaries, such as Scotts Creek, Middle Creek, Manning Creek, Kelsey Creek, etc., convey sediments and dissolved nutrients into the lake, along with road runoff. Folks at the USGS, such as Alpers, are monitoring the Clear Lake watershed to study the process of nutrient loading, which will point the way to healthier waters for people, plants, and animals, including fish.
Beniakam Cromwell, Tribal Chairman of Robinson Rancheria of Pomo Indians, whose name translates to ‘shiny road’ in the Eastern Pomo language, gave a heartfelt talk in the documentary. He expressed his strong vision of wellness for the community and its future. He emphasized integrity and love for his ancestors, the community, and the generations to come.
The documentary Xabatin: Big Lake, Big Science contains many stories and is for everyone who enjoys Clear Lake and its secrets, along with its deep history and the spiritual weight it has carried over time. It’s heartening indeed to comprehend just how many tribes, organizations, and devoted individuals are committed to protecting and bettering our lake for future generations.
