Clear Lake
Encyclopedia
Clear Lake is the largest natural freshwater lake entirely in California
, and has the largest surface area of any freshwater lake entirely in California, the tenth largest by capacity. It is located in Lake County
and is fed by runoff flowing into many streams as well as springs
in Soda Bay
. Its sole outlet is Cache Creek
. There is a dam
on Cache Creek to increase the lake's capacity and to regulate outflow.
of 43785 acre (17,719.2 ha) and a 1155000 acre.ft capacity. Average depth is 27 ft (8.2 m), maximum is 60 ft (18.3 m), lake elevation is 1329 ft (405.1 m), average water temp is 40 °F (4.4 °C) in winter and 76 °F (24.4 °C) in summer.
Clear Lake is believed to be one of the oldest lakes in North America, due to a geological fluke. The lake sits on a huge block of stone which slowly tilts in the northern direction at the same rate as the lake fills in with sediment
, thus keeping the water at roughly the same depth. Core samples of the lake's sediments, taken by U.S. Geological Survey geologists in 1973 and 1980, indicate that the lake is at least 480,000 years old. Some experts feel that Mono Lake
, to the east of the Sierra Nevada in California, is older than Clear Lake. However, the sedimentary history of Clear Lake is unbroken, while Mono Lake's sediments have been disturbed by past eruptions of the Long Valley Caldera
and associated volcanoes.
The geology
of Clear Lake is chaotic, with numerous small faults
being present in the south end of the lake as well as many old volcano
es, the largest being Mount Konocti
, sitting at the middle of the lake's south shore.
At one time Clear Lake was even bigger than it is now, and included the Blue Lakes (to the northwest of Clear Lake). Volcanic eruptions and subsequent landslides changed the landscape dramatically, forever separating Clear Lake from the Blue Lakes and from its former westward drainage into the Russian River.
Archaeologists believe that the Clear Lake basin has been occupied by Native Americans
for at least 11,000 years. Evidence of this has been found at nearby Borax Lake and on Rattlesnake Island
in the lake's south arm. Abundant fish, game and waterbirds made Clear Lake an oasis in the otherwise harsh conditions of Northern California's mountains. The native Clear Lake hitch, Lavinia exilicauda
, was once so abundant that millions of hitch clogged the lake's feeder streams in dry months. When the Spanish missionaries came to California, they found that thousands of Native Americans lived in the Clear Lake Basin, primarily Pomo
, Yuki, and Wappo with some Lake Miwok
.
European settlers arrived, starting around 1845. Frequently they abused and exploited the native Pomo people
. One of the most notorious incidents was the Bloody Island Massacre
of spring 1850 http://www.chrisanddavid.com/clearlakemassacre/index.shtml. A number of Pomo were enslaved and abused by settlers Andrew Kelsey, whose name is attached to the town of Kelseyville today, and Charles Stone. The Pomo finally revolted and killed Kelsey and Stone. A United States Army
contingent under Gen. Nathaniel Lyon
cornered as many as 200 Pomo on an island in Clear Lake, and slaughtered most of them—including scores of women and children. The historical marker for Bloody Island is on Highway 20 between Upper Lake
and the Robinson Rancheria.
Later, the Pomo were forced to live in small "rancherias" set aside by the federal government. For most of the 20th century, the few Pomo people left had to live on these tiny reservations
in poverty. Ironically, today the fastest-growing businesses around Lake County are the gambling casino
s presently operated by four Pomo rancherias, with more casinos planned.
Clear Lake was used as an outlying seaplane base for Alameda Naval Air Station during World War II
and the early years of the cold war
. Flying boat
s could land on Clear Lake when landing conditions were unsafe on San Francisco Bay
.
Exhibits and programs about the region's culture and history are maintained and presented by rangers and docents at Clear Lake State Park
and at Anderson Marsh State Historic Park
. Lake County has two county museums, the Lake County Museum in Lakeport and the Lower Lake Historical Schoolhouse Museum in Lower Lake. There are also numerous state and local historical landmarks identified throughout the county.
from the nearby Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine
. The nearby abandoned mine was declared a Superfund site in the early 1990s and is still undergoing cleanup. The California Department of Fish and Game presently recommends that women of childbearing age and children limit their consumption of certain fish from Clear Lake, due to the presence of methylmercury
compounds in lake sediments.
, coots, various species of goose
, osprey
s, plovers, mergansers and many others. Wild turkeys and black-tailed deer
are abundant, as are opossums, red-tailed hawks, turkey vultures, raccoons, and other species. The endangered northern spotted owl
is seen occasionally. The county hosts a growing population of the rare tule elk
, recently reintroduced after being locally hunted to extinction 100 years before. A large colony of bald eagles is found in the Cache Creek canyon.
In addition to the native Clear Lake hitch Lavinia exilicauda
(called chi by the native Pomo), the lake hosts catfish
, crappie
, turtles, and other native fish species, as well as farmed largemouth bass
, trout
and carp
placed by the Department of Fish and Game for sporting purposes. Lake waters host quantities of tule
and other riparian plants commonly seen around California lakes, as well as the massive cyanobacteria blooms that peak in late summer.
The rugged coastal mountains surrounding Clear Lake are covered with thick stands of oak-madrone forest, manzanita
, sage shrubs, chaparral
, grasses etc. Most common trees include blue oak
, valley oak
, interior live oak
, pacific madrone
, California scrub oak
, plus very occasional coast redwoods and tanoak
. Large stands of Western White Pine
may be seen in the higher elevations. The heavy forestation and ruggedness of this part of California has helped prevent wholesale real-estate development or farming. On the northeast slope of Mount Konocti is a heavily forested area known locally as the "Black Forest", because it never gets direct sunshine. This area has some Douglas fir in very heavy stands.
At every entry to Lake County, signs warn boaters not to spread hydrilla
in the county's bodies of water. Extensive manangement efforts have controlled the presence of hydrilla in Clear Lake, although it may return at any time.
Clear Lake is well-known among entomologists
for the Clear Lake gnat (Chaoborus astictopus) and historical control efforts. This species
of "phantom midge" (so called because the larvae are transparent and very difficult to see) measures less than 1/4" long and resembles a tiny mosquito
, but is non-biting. Clear Lake gnat hatches start anytime from March through June, depending on weather. Before pesticide use began in the 1940s (Refer to Rachel Carson's book Silent Spring, chapter 4), the gnat
was so abundant around the lake in the summer that large piles of dead gnats appeared beneath streetlights, looking like dirty snow. The gnat swarms were so thick that people driving along the edge of the lake reported stopping every 1/4 mile to clean off the gnats off the windshields and headlights of their cars so they could see, and pedestrians tied kerchiefs over their faces to avoid inhaling the gnats. In 1949, as part of an effort to boost tourism and improve the local economy, dichloro diphenyl dichloroethane (DDD) was applied to the lake in heavy doses to eradicate the gnats that were driving summer tourists away from the lake. The treatment succeeded in controlling the gnats that year and for the following year, however in 1953 the gnat population rebounded, prompting another application in 1954. The final application of DDD to Clear Lake was made in 1957 (Cook 1963). Numbers of Western grebe
were found dead, their tissues containing high concentrations of DDD. The effects were devastating to the local ecology. From 1962 to 1975 carefully planned applications of methyl parathion were made for Clear Lake gnat control ((Refer to Rachel Carson's book Silent Spring, chapter 3). The gnat still occurs in Clear Lake, but at much lower numbers than in the 1940s-1970s. The Clear Lake gnat's population is believed to be kept in check now by two introduced fish species (the Threadfin Shad (Dorosoma petenense) and the Inland Silverside (Menidia beryllina)) that compete with the Clear Lake gnat for its preferred zooplankton for food.
, swimming, sailing
, wind surfing, waterskiing, boating
, and riding personal water craft
are all popular activities, primarily in the summer. There are 11 free boat launch ramps around the lake that are open to the public. Individuals may rent boats and personal water craft from many businesses around the lake.
Clear Lake is sometimes called the "Bass Capital of the West." Largemouth bass
, which are farmed and planted in the lake by California Department of Fish and Game, crappie
, catfish
, bluegill
, and rainbow trout
can be found in the county's lakes. Fishing boats can be rented, and many stores and facilities around the lake specialize in fishing equipment. Numerous fishing tournaments and derbies are held through the year.
Area wineries
with tasting rooms include Guenoc and Langtry Estate Vineyards and Winery, Ployez Winery, Steele Wines, and Wildhurst Vineyards.
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, and has the largest surface area of any freshwater lake entirely in California, the tenth largest by capacity. It is located in Lake County
Lake County, California
Lake County is a county located in the north central portion of the U.S. state of California, north of the San Francisco Bay Area. It takes its name from Clear Lake, the dominant geographic feature in the county and the largest natural lake wholly within California...
and is fed by runoff flowing into many streams as well as springs
Spring (hydrosphere)
A spring—also known as a rising or resurgence—is a component of the hydrosphere. Specifically, it is any natural situation where water flows to the surface of the earth from underground...
in Soda Bay
Soda Bay, California
Soda Bay is a census-designated place in Lake County, California. It is located on Clear Lake east-southeast of Lakeport, at an elevation of 1398 feet...
. Its sole outlet is Cache Creek
Cache Creek (Yolo County, California)
Cache Creek is an stream in Lake County, California, Colusa County, California and Yolo County, California. The South Fork begins at Clear Lake in Lake County, roughly parallels State Route 20, and turns south at the junction with State Route 16 in Colusa County...
. There is a dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
on Cache Creek to increase the lake's capacity and to regulate outflow.
Background
Clear Lake is 19 mi (30.6 km) by 8 mi (12.9 km) at its widest point, with surface areaArea
Area is a quantity that expresses the extent of a two-dimensional surface or shape in the plane. Area can be understood as the amount of material with a given thickness that would be necessary to fashion a model of the shape, or the amount of paint necessary to cover the surface with a single coat...
of 43785 acre (17,719.2 ha) and a 1155000 acre.ft capacity. Average depth is 27 ft (8.2 m), maximum is 60 ft (18.3 m), lake elevation is 1329 ft (405.1 m), average water temp is 40 °F (4.4 °C) in winter and 76 °F (24.4 °C) in summer.
Clear Lake is believed to be one of the oldest lakes in North America, due to a geological fluke. The lake sits on a huge block of stone which slowly tilts in the northern direction at the same rate as the lake fills in with sediment
Sediment
Sediment is naturally occurring material that is broken down by processes of weathering and erosion, and is subsequently transported by the action of fluids such as wind, water, or ice, and/or by the force of gravity acting on the particle itself....
, thus keeping the water at roughly the same depth. Core samples of the lake's sediments, taken by U.S. Geological Survey geologists in 1973 and 1980, indicate that the lake is at least 480,000 years old. Some experts feel that Mono Lake
Mono Lake
Mono Lake is a large, shallow saline lake in Mono County, California, formed at least 760,000 years ago as a terminal lake in a basin that has no outlet to the ocean...
, to the east of the Sierra Nevada in California, is older than Clear Lake. However, the sedimentary history of Clear Lake is unbroken, while Mono Lake's sediments have been disturbed by past eruptions of the Long Valley Caldera
Long Valley Caldera
Long Valley Caldera is a depression in eastern California that is adjacent to Mammoth Mountain. The valley is one of the largest calderas on earth, measuring about long and wide . The elevation of the floor of the caldera is in the east and in the west...
and associated volcanoes.
The geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
of Clear Lake is chaotic, with numerous small faults
Geologic fault
In geology, a fault is a planar fracture or discontinuity in a volume of rock, across which there has been significant displacement along the fractures as a result of earth movement. Large faults within the Earth's crust result from the action of tectonic forces...
being present in the south end of the lake as well as many old volcano
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
es, the largest being Mount Konocti
Mount Konocti
Mount Konocti is a volcano in Lake County, California on the south shore of Clear Lake. At , it is the second highest peak in the Clear Lake Volcanic Field, which consists of numerous volcanic domes and cones ranging from 10,000 to 2.1 million years old....
, sitting at the middle of the lake's south shore.
History
Archaeologists believe that the Clear Lake basin has been occupied by Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
for at least 11,000 years. Evidence of this has been found at nearby Borax Lake and on Rattlesnake Island
Rattlesnake Island (Clear Lake)
Rattlesnake Island is an island located on Clear Lake in Lake County, northern California. Its land area is nominally , but may vary significantly as lake levels rise and fall...
in the lake's south arm. Abundant fish, game and waterbirds made Clear Lake an oasis in the otherwise harsh conditions of Northern California's mountains. The native Clear Lake hitch, Lavinia exilicauda
Lavinia exilicauda
The hitch Lavinia exilicauda is a cyprinid fish endemic to central California, and once very common. The name is derived from the Pomoan word for this species....
, was once so abundant that millions of hitch clogged the lake's feeder streams in dry months. When the Spanish missionaries came to California, they found that thousands of Native Americans lived in the Clear Lake Basin, primarily Pomo
Pomo people
The Pomo people are an indigenous peoples of California. The historic Pomo territory in northern California was large, bordered by the Pacific Coast to the west, extending inland to Clear Lake, and mainly between Cleone and Duncans Point...
, Yuki, and Wappo with some Lake Miwok
Lake Miwok
The Lake Miwok were a branch of the Miwok, a Native American people of Northern California. The Lake Miwok lived in the Clear Lake basin of what is now called Lake County.-Culture:...
.
European settlers arrived, starting around 1845. Frequently they abused and exploited the native Pomo people
Pomo people
The Pomo people are an indigenous peoples of California. The historic Pomo territory in northern California was large, bordered by the Pacific Coast to the west, extending inland to Clear Lake, and mainly between Cleone and Duncans Point...
. One of the most notorious incidents was the Bloody Island Massacre
Bloody Island Massacre
The Bloody Island Massacre occurred on an island called in the Pomo language, Bo-no-po-ti or Badon-napo-ti , at the north end of Clear Lake, Lake County, California on May 15, 1850. It was a place where the Pomo had traditionally gathered for ceremonies...
of spring 1850 http://www.chrisanddavid.com/clearlakemassacre/index.shtml. A number of Pomo were enslaved and abused by settlers Andrew Kelsey, whose name is attached to the town of Kelseyville today, and Charles Stone. The Pomo finally revolted and killed Kelsey and Stone. A United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
contingent under Gen. Nathaniel Lyon
Nathaniel Lyon
Nathaniel Lyon was the first Union general to be killed in the American Civil War and is noted for his actions in the state of Missouri at the beginning of the conflict....
cornered as many as 200 Pomo on an island in Clear Lake, and slaughtered most of them—including scores of women and children. The historical marker for Bloody Island is on Highway 20 between Upper Lake
Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake
The Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake is a federally recognized tribe of Pomo Indians in Lake County, California. The tribe's reservation, the Upper Lake Rancheria, is large and located near the town of Upper Lake in northwestern California.-History:...
and the Robinson Rancheria.
Later, the Pomo were forced to live in small "rancherias" set aside by the federal government. For most of the 20th century, the few Pomo people left had to live on these tiny reservations
Indian reservation
An American Indian reservation is an area of land managed by a Native American tribe under the United States Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs...
in poverty. Ironically, today the fastest-growing businesses around Lake County are the gambling casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
s presently operated by four Pomo rancherias, with more casinos planned.
Clear Lake was used as an outlying seaplane base for Alameda Naval Air Station during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the early years of the cold war
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
. Flying boat
Flying boat
A flying boat is a fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a float plane as it uses a purpose-designed fuselage which can float, granting the aircraft buoyancy. Flying boats may be stabilized by under-wing floats or by wing-like projections from the fuselage...
s could land on Clear Lake when landing conditions were unsafe on San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay is a shallow, productive estuary through which water draining from approximately forty percent of California, flowing in the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers from the Sierra Nevada mountains, enters the Pacific Ocean...
.
Exhibits and programs about the region's culture and history are maintained and presented by rangers and docents at Clear Lake State Park
Clear Lake State Park (California)
Clear Lake State Park is a state park of California, USA, on Clear Lake. The park is popular for water recreation. Amenities include 149 developed campsites spread across four campground areas, two group campsites, a swimming beach with showers, a boat launch, and a marina...
and at Anderson Marsh State Historic Park
Anderson Marsh State Historic Park
Anderson Marsh State Historic Park is a California State Historic Park and nature reserve preserving a tule marsh, archaeological sites of the Pomo people, and historic ranch structures. It is located in Lake County, California, USA...
. Lake County has two county museums, the Lake County Museum in Lakeport and the Lower Lake Historical Schoolhouse Museum in Lower Lake. There are also numerous state and local historical landmarks identified throughout the county.
Heavy metal contamination
The lake is heavily contaminated with mercuryMercury (element)
Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is also known as quicksilver or hydrargyrum...
from the nearby Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine
Sulphur Bank Mine
The Sulphur Bank Mine is located near Clearlake Oaks and Clear Lake in Lake County, California. The mine became one of the most noted mercury producers in the world....
. The nearby abandoned mine was declared a Superfund site in the early 1990s and is still undergoing cleanup. The California Department of Fish and Game presently recommends that women of childbearing age and children limit their consumption of certain fish from Clear Lake, due to the presence of methylmercury
Methylmercury
Methylmercury is an organometallic cation with the formula . It is a bioaccumulative environmental toxicant.-Structure:...
compounds in lake sediments.
Wildlife
The Clear Lake basin attracts large quantities of waterfowl, including mallards, Western grebeWestern Grebe
The Western Grebe, , is a species in the grebe family of water birds. Folk names include "dabchick", "swan grebe" and "swan-necked grebe"....
, coots, various species of goose
Goose
The word goose is the English name for a group of waterfowl, belonging to the family Anatidae. This family also includes swans, most of which are larger than true geese, and ducks, which are smaller....
, osprey
Osprey
The Osprey , sometimes known as the sea hawk or fish eagle, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey. It is a large raptor, reaching more than in length and across the wings...
s, plovers, mergansers and many others. Wild turkeys and black-tailed deer
Black-tailed Deer
Two forms of black-tailed deer or blacktail deer occupying coastal temperate rainforest on North America's Pacific coast are subspecies of the mule deer. They have sometimes been treated as a species, but virtually all recent authorities maintain they are subspecies...
are abundant, as are opossums, red-tailed hawks, turkey vultures, raccoons, and other species. The endangered northern spotted owl
Northern Spotted Owl
The Northern Spotted Owl, Strix occidentalis caurina, is one of three Spotted Owl subspecies. A Western North American bird in the family Strigidae, genus Strix, it is a medium-sized dark brown owl sixteen to nineteen inches in length and one to one and one sixth pounds. Females are larger than males...
is seen occasionally. The county hosts a growing population of the rare tule elk
Elk
The Elk is the large deer, also called Cervus canadensis or wapiti, of North America and eastern Asia.Elk may also refer to:Other antlered mammals:...
, recently reintroduced after being locally hunted to extinction 100 years before. A large colony of bald eagles is found in the Cache Creek canyon.
In addition to the native Clear Lake hitch Lavinia exilicauda
Lavinia exilicauda
The hitch Lavinia exilicauda is a cyprinid fish endemic to central California, and once very common. The name is derived from the Pomoan word for this species....
(called chi by the native Pomo), the lake hosts catfish
Catfish
Catfishes are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the heaviest and longest, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia and the second longest, the wels catfish of Eurasia, to detritivores...
, crappie
Crappie
Crappie is a genus of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. The type species is P. annularis, the white crappie...
, turtles, and other native fish species, as well as farmed largemouth bass
Largemouth bass
The largemouth bass is a species of black bass in the sunfish family native to North America . It is also known as widemouth bass, bigmouth, black bass, bucketmouth, Potter's fish, Florida bass, Florida largemouth, green bass, green trout, linesides, Oswego bass, southern largemouth...
, trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
and carp
Carp
Carp are various species of oily freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia. The cypriniformes are traditionally grouped with the Characiformes, Siluriformes and Gymnotiformes to create the superorder Ostariophysi, since these groups have certain...
placed by the Department of Fish and Game for sporting purposes. Lake waters host quantities of tule
Tule
Schoenoplectus acutus , called tule , common tule, hardstem tule, tule rush, hardstem bulrush, or viscid bulrush, is a giant species of sedge in the plant family Cyperaceae, native to freshwater marshes all over North America...
and other riparian plants commonly seen around California lakes, as well as the massive cyanobacteria blooms that peak in late summer.
The rugged coastal mountains surrounding Clear Lake are covered with thick stands of oak-madrone forest, manzanita
Manzanita
Manzanita is a common name for many species of the genus Arctostaphylos. They are evergreen shrubs or small trees present in the chaparral biome of western North America, where they occur from southern British Columbia, Washington to California, Arizona and New Mexico in the United States, and...
, sage shrubs, chaparral
Chaparral
Chaparral is a shrubland or heathland plant community found primarily in the U.S. state of California and in the northern portion of the Baja California peninsula, Mexico...
, grasses etc. Most common trees include blue oak
Blue Oak
Quercus douglasii, the Blue Oak, is an oak in the white oak section of the genus, Quercus sect. Quercus. It is endemic to California and is found in foothills surrounding the Central Valley of California and certain locations in the California Coast Ranges, USA...
, valley oak
Valley Oak
Quercus lobata, commonly called the Valley oak, grows into the largest of North American oaks. It is endemic to California, growing in the interior valleys and foothills. Mature specimens may attain an age of up to 600 years. This deciduous oak requires year-round access to groundwater.Its thick,...
, interior live oak
Interior Live Oak
Quercus wislizeni, known by the common names Interior Live Oak, and Sierra Live Oak, is an evergeen oak, highly variable and often shrubby, found in areas of California in the United States. It also occurs south into northern Baja California in Mexico...
, pacific madrone
Pacific Madrone
Arbutus menziesii, commonly known as the Pacific Madrone, is a species of Arbutus found on the west coast of North America, from British Columbia to California...
, California scrub oak
California Scrub Oak
Quercus berberidifolia, the California Scrub Oak, is a small evergreen or semi-evergreen shrubby oak in the white oak section Quercus sect. Quercus...
, plus very occasional coast redwoods and tanoak
Tanoak
Tanoak, formerly known taxonomically as Lithocarpus densiflorus, was recently moved into a new genus, Notholithocarpus, based on multiple lines of evidence....
. Large stands of Western White Pine
Western White Pine
Western White Pine, Pinus monticola in the family Pinaceae, is a species of pine that occurs in the mountains of the western United States and Canada, specifically the Sierra Nevada, the Cascade Range, the Coast Range, and the northern Rocky Mountains. The tree extends down to sea level in many...
may be seen in the higher elevations. The heavy forestation and ruggedness of this part of California has helped prevent wholesale real-estate development or farming. On the northeast slope of Mount Konocti is a heavily forested area known locally as the "Black Forest", because it never gets direct sunshine. This area has some Douglas fir in very heavy stands.
At every entry to Lake County, signs warn boaters not to spread hydrilla
Hydrilla
Hydrilla is an aquatic plant genus, usually treated as containing just one species, Hydrilla verticillata, though some botanists divide it into several species. Synonyms include H. asiatica, H. japonica, H. lithuanica, and H. ovalifolica...
in the county's bodies of water. Extensive manangement efforts have controlled the presence of hydrilla in Clear Lake, although it may return at any time.
Clear Lake is well-known among entomologists
Entomology
Entomology is the scientific study of insects, a branch of arthropodology...
for the Clear Lake gnat (Chaoborus astictopus) and historical control efforts. This species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of "phantom midge" (so called because the larvae are transparent and very difficult to see) measures less than 1/4" long and resembles a tiny mosquito
Mosquito
Mosquitoes are members of a family of nematocerid flies: the Culicidae . The word Mosquito is from the Spanish and Portuguese for little fly...
, but is non-biting. Clear Lake gnat hatches start anytime from March through June, depending on weather. Before pesticide use began in the 1940s (Refer to Rachel Carson's book Silent Spring, chapter 4), the gnat
Gnat
A gnat is any of many species of tiny flying insects in the Dipterid suborder Nematocera, especially those in the families Mycetophilidae, Anisopodidae and Sciaridae.In British English the term applies particularly to Nematocerans of the family Culicidae...
was so abundant around the lake in the summer that large piles of dead gnats appeared beneath streetlights, looking like dirty snow. The gnat swarms were so thick that people driving along the edge of the lake reported stopping every 1/4 mile to clean off the gnats off the windshields and headlights of their cars so they could see, and pedestrians tied kerchiefs over their faces to avoid inhaling the gnats. In 1949, as part of an effort to boost tourism and improve the local economy, dichloro diphenyl dichloroethane (DDD) was applied to the lake in heavy doses to eradicate the gnats that were driving summer tourists away from the lake. The treatment succeeded in controlling the gnats that year and for the following year, however in 1953 the gnat population rebounded, prompting another application in 1954. The final application of DDD to Clear Lake was made in 1957 (Cook 1963). Numbers of Western grebe
Western Grebe
The Western Grebe, , is a species in the grebe family of water birds. Folk names include "dabchick", "swan grebe" and "swan-necked grebe"....
were found dead, their tissues containing high concentrations of DDD. The effects were devastating to the local ecology. From 1962 to 1975 carefully planned applications of methyl parathion were made for Clear Lake gnat control ((Refer to Rachel Carson's book Silent Spring, chapter 3). The gnat still occurs in Clear Lake, but at much lower numbers than in the 1940s-1970s. The Clear Lake gnat's population is believed to be kept in check now by two introduced fish species (the Threadfin Shad (Dorosoma petenense) and the Inland Silverside (Menidia beryllina)) that compete with the Clear Lake gnat for its preferred zooplankton for food.
Recreation
With over 100 miles (160.9 km) of shoreline, Clear Lake is a popular spot for watersports enthusiasts. FishingFishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, swimming, sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
, wind surfing, waterskiing, boating
Boating
Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels , focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, such as fishing or water skiing...
, and riding personal water craft
Personal water craft
A personal water craft , also called water scooter, is a recreational watercraft that the rider rides or stands on, rather than inside of, as in a boat....
are all popular activities, primarily in the summer. There are 11 free boat launch ramps around the lake that are open to the public. Individuals may rent boats and personal water craft from many businesses around the lake.
Clear Lake is sometimes called the "Bass Capital of the West." Largemouth bass
Largemouth bass
The largemouth bass is a species of black bass in the sunfish family native to North America . It is also known as widemouth bass, bigmouth, black bass, bucketmouth, Potter's fish, Florida bass, Florida largemouth, green bass, green trout, linesides, Oswego bass, southern largemouth...
, which are farmed and planted in the lake by California Department of Fish and Game, crappie
Crappie
Crappie is a genus of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. The type species is P. annularis, the white crappie...
, catfish
Catfish
Catfishes are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the heaviest and longest, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia and the second longest, the wels catfish of Eurasia, to detritivores...
, bluegill
Bluegill
The Bluegill is a species of freshwater fish sometimes referred to as bream, brim, or copper nose. It is a member of the sunfish family Centrarchidae of the order Perciformes.-Range and distribution:...
, and rainbow trout
Rainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
can be found in the county's lakes. Fishing boats can be rented, and many stores and facilities around the lake specialize in fishing equipment. Numerous fishing tournaments and derbies are held through the year.
Area wineries
Winery
A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the production of wine, such as a wine company. Some wine companies own many wineries. Besides wine making equipment, larger wineries may also feature warehouses, bottling lines, laboratories, and large expanses of...
with tasting rooms include Guenoc and Langtry Estate Vineyards and Winery, Ployez Winery, Steele Wines, and Wildhurst Vineyards.
See also
- Clearlake, CaliforniaClearlake, CaliforniaClearlake is a city located in Lake County, California. Clearlake is located north-northwest of Lower Lake, at an elevation of 1417 feet...
- Clear Lake ReservoirClear Lake ReservoirClear Lake Reservoir is a reservoir in northwestern Modoc County, California in the Modoc National Forest about northwest of Alturas. It is formed by Clear Lake Dam on the Lost River and has a capacity of...
- Lake TahoeLake TahoeLake Tahoe is a large freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada of the United States. At a surface elevation of , it is located along the border between California and Nevada, west of Carson City. Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America. Its depth is , making it the USA's second-deepest...
- List of lakes in California
- List of largest reservoirs of California
- Post PatternPost PatternThe Post Pattern refers to a Paleo-Indian archaeological culture of artifacts found in northwest California dating between 9,000-13,000 years ago. Excavation sites are around Clear Lake and Borax Lake. The Post Pattern is a local manifestation of the Western Pluvial Lakes Tradition.It is believed...