LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — On Tuesday the Board of Supervisors made another key department head appointment, this time selecting the new director of Water Resources.
Pawan Upadhyay, PhD, will take over the position on July 1, the county of Lake reported.
“I am excited to get started, and grateful for the support of the Board of Supervisors,” said Upadhyay. “Clear Lake is Lake County’s defining feature, and it must be thoughtfully managed. Further, few communities present similar opportunities to deepen our collective understanding of how water resources contribute and respond to broader ecological trends. This is a special opportunity, and I look forward to contributing as Water Resources director.”
Dr. Upadhyay most recently served as Water Resources director for the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes in Owyhee, Nevada.
There, he managed a $10 million annual budget and supervised 24 staff, while providing executive-level oversight of water resources, including management of irrigation water data, water supply assessment and projection of future water demand.
Prior to that leadership position, Upadhyay held research, data modeling and geographic information systems-focused roles with the University of Kansas, Mississippi State University and Iowa State University.
The county said multi-disciplinary scholarly works to which he has contributed have become influential, garnering hundreds of citations.
“We trust that Dr. Upadhyay has the ability to bring the data-driven leadership necessary to assess and respond to our water needs and challenges in Lake County,” said Bruno Sabatier, chair of the Lake County Board of Supervisors. “With the depth of his expertise in water related issues, including water quality, we are grateful he has chosen Lake County as his next step in his career joining a team with tremendous strengths and passions for everything water.”
Upadhyay succeeds Scott De Leon, who has concurrently served as Public Works and Water Resources director, and is retiring following nearly 23 total years of county service, including 14 years in director-level roles.
Last month, the board hired Glen March for the Public Works director job, as Lake County News has reported.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lake County Sheriff’s Office has released the name of the West Sacramento man killed in a Saturday evening ATV wreck that also injured his son.
Sheriff’s spokesperson Lauren Berlinn identified the man who died as a result of the crash as Yan Gilmeev, 41.
At around 7:20 p.m. Saturday Gilmeev was riding an ATV along Bartlett Springs Road near Forest Route 15 with his 13-year-old son when the ATV rolled off the roadway, the CHP said.
The CHP said both Gilmeev and his son were thrown from the ATV, and Gilmeev died of his injuries.
Gilmeev’s son was injured but managed to walk to the road, where he was picked up shortly after 9 p.m.
The teen was later flown out of the county for treatment of his injuries, the CHP said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
LOWER LAKE, Calif. — The series of “Senior Days” events at Anderson Marsh State Historic Park continue on Saturday, June 15, with a fascinating day of learning planned.
The morning program will feature Chris Watt, a geologist who has worked as an interpretive ranger with the National Park Service at the Grand Canyon and as Field Naturalist with the United States Geological Survey.
Watt will give an entertaining presentation about what he calls the "active geology" of Lake County — its volcanoes, landslides and geysers. There are a few places left for this program, so use the link below to register if you wish to attend.
In the afternoon, Greg Giusti, a local biologist who specializes in trees and forest management, will lead a discussion and “Q&A” session about the trees we see as we drive around Lake County, which trees to plant and how to take care of your trees at home.
Giusti is forests and wildland ecology advisor emeritus for the University of California Division of Natural Resources Cooperative Extension.
Giusti will present a talk with lots of time for questions and answers. There will be the chance to ask any questions you may have about trees you see in the wild, home landscaping, or garden tree care.
So, if you have questions about the trees around you, tree disease or how to deal with an unruly tree in your garden, this is the perfect opportunity to get them answered by an expert.
To register for one or both of the June 15 events, or any other future Senior Days events, visit AMIA's website.
Time will be available between the morning and afternoon sessions to bring and enjoy a picnic lunch under the big Valley Oak in the picnic area.
For more information about Senior Days, the park or AMIA, visit https://andersonmarsh.org/ or contact AMIA at 707-995-2658.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lake County Campus of Woodland Community College is expected to soon have a new dean.
The Yuba Community College Board will consider approving the hire of Korinda Ebenhack when it meets this week.
The open session of the board’s regular meeting will take place beginning at 5 p.m. Thursday, June 13, at Yuba College, 2088 N. Beale Road, Building 300-Flavors, Marysville.
The meeting also will be available via Zoom. The link is here; the meeting ID is 841 8345 5774 and the call-in number is 669-900-6833.
On the agenda under board action is the board’s proposed acceptance of Ebenhack’s employment as Lake County Campus dean.
The job has been filled on an interim basis by Patricia Barba since November, following the departure of Dean Ingrid Larsen, who left to take a position at Mendocino College in September.
Ebenhack is an independent education consultant from Grants Pass, Oregon. She previously served for 25 years as vice president of student affairs at Rogue Community College, also located in Grants Pass, according to her LinkedIn profile.
At Rogue Community College, Ebenhack’s LinkedIn profile said she oversaw all aspects of the student services division at the rural, multi-campus community college, which reportedly provides educational services to 18,000 Southern Oregon students annually.
The board agenda said Ebenhack’s base yearly rate will be $142,330, with additional health and welfare benefits. As of Monday night, the full contract was not yet posted on the district website.
The dean’s job is considered key to the future of the Lake County Campus in Clearlake, which has served the community for 52 years.
There have been rising concerns over the last several years from community leaders, and college staff and students about how the Yuba Community College District and Woodland Community College have treated the Lake County Campus, which has languished due to reduced resources and support.
However, Chancellor Dr. Shouan Pan and new Woodland Community College President Dr. Lizette Navarette have made repeated visits to the campus to speak with community members and pledge to help the campus’ situation improve, with a focus on getting a new dean in place.
Also on Thursday, the college board will consider confirming other key hires, including Dr. King Xiong as dean of student development at Yuba College and Carrie Melhert as director of health and medical career programs and nursing at Yuba College, and will discuss a proposed revision to the 2023-24 budget and the tentative 2024-25 budget.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
A young rider takes part in a contest at Middletown Days in Middletown, California, on Saturday, June 19, 2021. Photo by Gemini Garcia/Third Iris Photography. MIDDLETOWN, Calif. — Cowboys and cowgirls are gearing up for a busy Father’s Day weekend of fun and competition as the annual Middletown Days celebration returns.
The event will begin on Friday evening, continuing through a full day of activities on Saturday and through the day Sunday, ending with a ride and race at dusk.
Stage entertainment and vendors will be available on both Saturday and Sunday.
• 6 p.m.: Team Roping. Prizes include saddles and spurs.
Saturday, June 15:
• 10 a.m.: Parade downtown.
Central Park events:
• All day: Silent auction at the Lions building. • Noon: Famous barbecue at Greenwade barbecue area. Menu: Tri-tip, chicken, corn, garlic bread and more. • Noon: Kids playday at the arena. Activities include the three-legged race, watermelon eating contest, water fight brigade and more. • 1 p.m.: Cornhole tournament begins in front of the Lions Building. • 1 p.m.: Free line dancing lessons in front of the Obie Sanders Stage Area. • 2 p.m.: Junior/senior rodeo and mutton busting at the arena. Activities include barrels, poles, breakaway and goat tying. • 2 p.m.: Third annual cutest cowgirl and cowboy contest at the Obie Sanders Stage Area. Age categories: 5 and under, 6 to 10. • 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.: Dance Under the Stars with "Breaker One 9" at the Obie Sanders Stage Area.
Sunday, June 16:
• 8 to 11 a.m.: Father's Day breakfast at the Lions building. • 9 a.m.: Cowboy church at Obie Sanders Stage. • Noon: Bloody Mary Horseshoe Contest and Gymkhana. Sign up at the horseshoe pits • Dusk: Hide Ride & Rescue Race.
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. — The Middletown Area Town Hall, or MATH, will meet this week to get an update on their south county district.
MATH will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 13, in the Middletown Community Meeting Room/Library at 21256 Washington St., Middletown. The meeting is open to the public.
To join the meeting via Zoom click on this link; the meeting ID is 869-1824-5695, pass code is 808449. Call in at 669-900-6833.
The main item on the Thursday agenda is the mid-year “State of the County” update from District 1 Supervisor Moke Simon.
MATH — established by resolution of the Lake County Board of Supervisors on Dec. 12, 2006 — is a municipal advisory council serving the residents of Anderson Springs, Cobb, Coyote Valley (including Hidden Valley Lake), Long Valley and Middletown.
For more information email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
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Monica Swahn, Kennesaw State University and Ritu Aneja, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Did you know that casual drinks with friends or having a “wine mom” moment to unwind could actually be nudging up your risk for breast cancer? It sounds like a buzzkill. But it’s a truth that many might not know: Alcohol actually causes breast cancer.
For our recently published research, we asked more than 5,000 women ages 18 and older across the U.S. in 2021 about whether they were aware of the link between alcohol consumption and breast cancer. We also asked them about their drinking habits and other health and background factors.
We were surprised to find that only 1 in 4 of these women knew that alcohol is a risk factor for breast cancer. Even more concerning, 35% didn’t think there’s any link at all. Another 40% were sitting on the fence about it.
Fully understanding alcohol’s health risks can help people make more informed choices about how they consume it.aire images/Moment via Getty Images
We also saw a knowledge gap based on age, education and race.
Younger, more educated women and those facing alcohol-related issues were more in the know about the link between alcohol and breast cancer risk than older, less educated women and those who have not drank in the past year. Black women were also less aware of the risk between alcohol and breast cancer compared to white women.
Drinking less lowers breast cancer risk
Despite the attempts of alcohol researchers, health officials and advocates to inform women about alcohol’s risks and its connection to breast cancer, our findings show that this message isn’t getting across to most people.
A comprehensive communication approach to increase awareness of alcohol’s harms and its link to cancer can help support and encourage women to make healthier choices regarding alcohol use.
Educational campaigns can help inform people from diverse backgrounds about alcohol and breast cancer risk.
Warning labels can help increase awareness of alcohol’s health risks.
Policy changes with respect to alcohol marketing, access and availability can also make a difference in people’s drinking patterns.
These policies may also address the “feminization” of alcohol marketing, which intentionally entices women to drink and purchase alcohol by normalizing or glamorizing heavy alcohol use and ignoring the health risks and harm caused. The World Health Organization recommends stricter rules on alcohol advertising and marketing along with higher taxes on alcohol to reduce alcohol-related harm.
But cutting down on alcohol is something that can make a difference in breast cancer risk. Stepping back and thinking about alcohol’s effects on your health can help you make informed choices about whether to drink or not.
LUCERNE, Calif. — A Saturday evening ATV crash in the Lucerne area killed a West Sacramento man and left his teenage son injured.
The California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office reported that the crash occurred at around 7:20 p.m. Saturday.
The agency did not release the name of the 41-year-old man pending the notification of next of kin.
The CHP said the crash happened on Bartlett Springs Road near Forest Route 15.
CHP Sgt. Joel Skeen said the man and his 13-year-old son were riding an ATV on Bartlett Springs Road when the ATV rolled off the roadway, ejecting both of them.
The father died of his injuries shortly after the crash, Skeen said.
Skeen said the teenager suffered minor injuries and was able to walk along Bartlett Springs Road until a passerby stopped to assist.
The CHP’s online incident logs and radio reports indicated that the boy was picked up shortly after 9 p.m.
There were initial radio reports that included requests for both rescue and medical helicopters, with the rescue copter not being available.
Skeen said officers were able to find the crash from the road. The incident logs stated the ATV’s lights were on and it was down an embankment.
Radio traffic stated the teenager was transported to an out of county hospital via air ambulance, which Skeen confirmed.
Skeen said the father and son had most likely been camping in the area where the crash took place.
“Alcohol was believed to be a factor,” Skeen said of the crash’s cause.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — For the coming week forecasters are predicting heightened heat risk across a swath of Northern California.
Parts of the northern Sacramento Valley are under an excessive heat warning issued by the National Weather Service while a heat advisory has been issued for the San Joaquin Valleys and portions of the Bay Area through Wednesday.
Lake County is forecast to have moderate heat risk, with daytime temperatures peaking in the mid-90s in much of the county on Tuesday and Wednesday, and topping 100 degrees both days in south Lake County.
Nighttime temperatures will peak in the mid-60s on Monday and Tuesday.
Temperatures will drop into the 80s from midweek into the weekend, with nighttime temperatures reaching the high 50s during that same time period.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Board of Supervisors this week will present more proclamations and consider approving the plans for a Northshore dredging project.
The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, June 11, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.
The meeting ID is 865 3354 4962, pass code 726865. The meeting also can be accessed via one tap mobile at +16694449171,,86533544962#,,,,*726865#. The meeting can also be accessed via phone at 669 900 6833.
At 9:05 a.m., the board will present a proclamation designating June 2024 as Elder and Adult Dependent Abuse Awareness Month.
That will be followed at 9:10 a.m. by the presentation of proclamation designating June 15, 2024, to honor Indian Child Welfare Act Day.
Under the consent agenda, the long-running Lucerne Harbor dredging project’s plans and specifications will be up for approval and Public Services will begin to advertise for bids.
The full agenda follows.
CONSENT AGENDA
5.1: Approve Amendment #2 to the Agreement for professional services between the county of Lake and Lake County PEG-TV.
5.2: Adopt proclamation designating June 15, 2024, to honor Indian Child Welfare Act Day.
5.3: Approve continuation of local emergency by the Lake County Sheriff/OES director for the 2024 late January, early February winter storms.
5.4: Approve continuation of proclamation declaring a Clear Lake hitch emergency.
5.5: Approve continuation of proclamation of the existence of a local emergency due to pervasive tree mortality.
5.6: Approve continuation of emergency proclamation declaring a shelter crisis in the county of Lake.
5.7: Approve amendment to the existing agreement between the county of Lake and Community Development Services for the CDBG Microenterprise Technical Assistance Program to utilize program income not to exceed $372,232 and extend the term of service to May 1, 2027, and authorize the chair to sign.
5.8: Adopt resolution approving agreement with California Department of Food Agriculture for Certified Farmers Market Program Investigation and Enforcement Agreement # 24-0021-000-SA for $944.00 for the period of July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025.
5.9: Approve resolution of the City Council of the city of Lakeport calling for and providing for and giving notice of the general municipal election to be held in the city of Lakeport, county of Lake, state of California, on Nov. 5, 2024, for the purpose of electing four City Council members, three to hold office for a term of four years, and one to hold office for a term of two years, or until their successors are elected and qualified, requesting consolidation of that election with the state general election and requesting approval of the Lake County Board of Supervisors for Election Services to be Provided by the Lake County Registrar of Voters.
5.10: Approve request to accept MEHKO AB 178 grant in the amount of $36,122.64 and authorize the department head to sign the acceptance agreement.
5.11: Adopt resolution authorizing the submission to the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, Cal Recycle for Local Enforcement Agency Grant for the period of July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2029.
5.12: Approve Amendment No. 2 to the agreement between county of Lake and Health Management Associates Inc. for support services for consulting services in the amount of $49,551.00 for fiscal year 2023-2024 and authorize the board chair to sign.
5.13: Approve agreement between the county of Lake and Crackerjack Cleaning for janitorial services from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025, not to exceed $35,000 and authorize the board chair to sign.
5.14: Approve the plans and specifications for the Lucerne Harbor Dredging Project, and authorize the Public Services director to advertise for bids.
5.15: Authorize the closure of all Public Works and Water Resources facilities for employee development, appreciation and team building on Thursday, June 13, 2024, from the hours of noon to 5 p.m.
5.16: Adopt resolution establishing county-maintained mileage for 2023, and authorize the chair to sign.
5.17: Adopt proclamation designating June 2024 as Elder and Adult Dependent Abuse Awareness Month in Lake County.
5.18: Adopt proclamation commending John Harper for 32 years of service and dedication to the agricultural community.
TIMED ITEMS
6.2, 9:03 a.m.: Pet of the Week.
6.3, 9:05 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating June 2024 as Elder and Adult Dependent Abuse Awareness Month in Lake County.
6.4, 9:07 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation commending John Harper for 32 years of service and dedication to the agricultural community.
6.5, 9:10 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating June 15, 2024, to honor Indian Child Welfare Act Day.
6.6, 9:45 a.m.: Consideration of grant funding $50,000 to 1Team 1Dream for their 2024 Annual Lake County business competition.
6.7, 11 a.m.: TEFRA public hearing - consideration of conduit financing for the Caritas Affordable Housing Project.
UNTIMED ITEMS
7.2: Consideration of agreement for professional services between the county of Lake and Lake County PEG-TV for 2024-25, 2025-26, and 2026-27 for a maximum not to exceed $10,000 per fiscal year.
7.3: Consideration and discussion of an agreement with Black Dog DESIGNS for a trails website, for an amount not to exceed $31,559.97 and authorize the chair to sign.
7.4: Consideration of an update to the 2024 Board of Supervisors meeting calendar, adjourning the currently scheduled July 2, 2024 meeting.
7.5: Consideration of Amendment No. 2 to the agreement between the county of Lake and Vista Pacifica Enterprises Inc. for adult residential support services and specialty mental health services in the amount of $400,000 for fiscal year 2023-2024.
7.6: Consideration of Amendment No. 1 to the agreement between county of Lake and Santa Rosa Behavioral Healthcare Hospital for acute inpatient psychiatric hospital services and professional services associated with acute inpatient psychiatric hospitalization in the amount of $200,000 for fiscal year 2023-2024.
CLOSED SESSION
8.1: Public employee appointment pursuant to Gov. Code Section 54957(b) (1): Interviews for Water Resources director; appointment of Water Resources director.
8.2: Public employee appointment pursuant to Gov. Code Section 54957(b) (1): Appointment of interim Animal Control director.
8.3: Public employee evaluation: County Administrative Officer Susan Parker.
8.4: Conference with legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code sec. 54956.9 (d)(1) – FERC Project No. 77, Potter Valley Hydroelectric Project.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
At the start of the pandemic, many people living with diabetes were wondering what COVID-19 meant for them. Diabetes was already known to put people at higher risks from other infectious diseases, including flu. Would it be the same with COVID-19? At the time, all scientists could do was make educated guesses.
COVID-19 hasn’t disappeared, however, and for the more than 400 million people living with diabetes worldwide, very real risks and impacts from the pandemic remain.
I specialize in drawing on and combining existing evidence to inform health policy across a range of areas. I’ve been studying COVID-19 and diabetessince the start of the pandemic and have experienced firsthand some of the many ways in which COVID-19 has affected people with diabetes. I’ve lived with Type 1 diabetes for the past 30 years. And at the start of the pandemic, I had a lot of questions about what COVID-19 meant for me.
Among the recommendations: Eat whole grains, vegetables and whole fruits instead of juices.
Diabetes types defined
Diabetes is characterized by having higher than normal blood sugars. Different types of diabetes create this condition in varying ways.
Type 1 diabetes occurs when your body attacks the cells that produce insulin.
Insulin is the hormone that converts sugar into energy – without it, sugar remains in the blood, and the body is deprived of the energy it needs. Type 1 diabetes can be treated only by injecting insulin and is irreversible. If left untreated, Type 1 diabetes is fatal. There is no cure. No one knows for sure why some people get Type 1 diabetes and others don’t.
By contrast, in Type 2 diabetes – by far the most common type – your body is still producing insulin but is less able to use it. People are more likely to get Type 2 diabetes if they are living with obesity. But people who aren’t obese can also get Type 2 diabetes, and many people living with obesity never get diabetes.
There are other types of diabetes, too. Gestational diabetes develops in pregnancy and goes away after giving birth. As with Type 2 diabetes, the body is still making insulin but is less able to use it.
In general, diabetes is on the rise, with most of this being driven by Type 2. By 2050, it’s estimated that 1.3 billion people will be living with diabetes worldwide.
Diabetes can damage many parts of your body, including your eyes, heart, blood vessels, nervous system, feet and kidneys. Blood sugar management and regular checkups can help reduce these risks.
Diabetes and COVID-19
In a 2023 study, my colleagues and I reviewed a wide body of literature to examine the extent to which people with diabetes were at increased risk from COVID-19, and whether some people with diabetes were at greater risk than others.
Overall, we found that people with diabetes were about twice as likely to get seriously sick with COVID-19 than people without diabetes. Evidence also consistently showed that people with diabetes were more likely to die from COVID-19 than people without diabetes.
There are several potential explanations. We know that having higher blood sugar levels makes it harder for people’s bodies to fight infections. On average, blood sugar levels are higher in people with Type 1 than Type 2 diabetes. Infection can make blood sugar levels harder to manage.
People with Type 1 diabetes also tend to have lived with diabetes longer than people with Type 2 diabetes, and that might mean their bodies are less able to fight COVID-19 because of diabetes complications – for example, damage to their heart and kidneys.
Twenty percent of Americans with diabetes don’t know they have the disease.
Pandemic disruptions
The pandemic triggered wide-scale disruptions for people living with diabetes. Many found it harder to make appointments with their health care providers. Some found it harder to access their medications. For many people, diet and physical activity were disrupted, too.
We did a wide-ranging, systematic review of 139 studies in more than a million people to examine the impact of pandemic disruptions on people with diabetes. Evidence showed that people were more likely to die from diabetes during the pandemic than before it and were more likely to lose sight because of diabetes during the pandemic than before. People with diabetes need regular eye checkups to help protect their sight; these checkups often didn’t happen during the pandemic, and people’s vision suffered as a result.
We also found that young people with diabetes fared particularly badly. Children and adolescents with Type 1 diabetes were more likely to be admitted to the hospital with a life-threatening condition called diabetic ketoacidosis, which is when your blood turns toxic because you don’t have enough insulin in your body.
Admissions to pediatric intensive care units for diabetes were higher during the pandemic than prior. It might be that people delayed seeking care, or were unable to access care, because of pandemic disruptions. That could mean that by the time young people with diabetes made it to a hospital, they were already really, really sick.
There are also developments in diabetes care. Improved diabetes management, whether it be through technologies such as insulin pumps or continuous glucose monitors, behavior changes or medications, can help reduce risk from COVID-19 and other infections.
Time will tell what the long-lasting impacts of the pandemic will be. Diabetes complications can often develop many years down the line, so researchers like me may see more people suffering complications from diabetes five to 10 years from now as a result of challenges with diabetes management during the pandemic.
Regular monitoring, particularly of the groups most affected by the pandemic, is likely to help. Caught early, many diabetes complications can be successfully treated.
My team found that among people living with diabetes, women, young people and people from racial and ethnic minority groups were most likely to suffer ill effects from the pandemic. These are groups who may be more likely to struggle to access care, with insulin prices and access remaining a particularly critical issue.
Efforts to make insulin and health care more accessible can help improve diabetes outcomes before, during and after pandemics.
We have a business on Clear Lake and a recent news article showing a very green image of the lake taken from a NASA satellite. Can you please educate us on the image and lake water quality so we can inform our clients with accurate information? We also want to keep our family safe while recreating on the lake.
Thanks for your columns, the information you provide is always interesting and helpful.
— Betsie in Buckingham
Dear Betsie,
Thank you for asking this topical and relevant question Betsie! I appreciate you reaching out and wanting to learn more and to share that information with others.
As the Lake County News provided on June 1, the image that was released from NASA on May 15 captured large bright green swirls throughout the lake. The majority of the green being depicted in this image was the chlorophyll-a pigments from green algae or phytoplankton.
While the article associated with the image described cyanobacteria (or blue-green algae, which is not really an algae, see below) as present in the lake waters, the majority of the green being seen from space did not belong to cyanobacteria, at this time the image was captured.
To be clear (pun intended!), lake water can appear green, from space or from a beach, but without specialized tools or specific laboratory analysis, there is no way to determine if that water contains green algae, cyanobacteria, or the toxins produced by cyanobacteria that can pose a public health hazards.
Throughout the late spring to summer, cyanobacteria will exponentially grow in abundance and become a dominant organism in Clear Lake, that fact is not being disputed. However, many spin-off news articles distributed using the NASA image falsely indicated that what was being shown in the image was demonstrating “pollution, pollutants, toxic algae, or a harmful algal bloom of cyanobacteria” in Clear Lake. Which was, scientifically, inaccurate, when referencing that specific image.
For this specific image, captured and visualized at a specific day and time, the green being observed was the pigments belonging to green algae, phytoplankton, which is a natural and expected occurrence for a large, natural, nutrient-rich lake during this time in spring.
First things first, to best understand what aerial, satellite and ground images are showing when capturing images of lakes and natural water bodies, we have to understand the difference between the types of organisms that can be found in the water column. Then we will talk about the types of satellite tools used to capture those images, what type of filters are being used, or how those images can be modified to showcase different things.
Additionally, it's important to understand the relationship between water, color, and sunlight, I won’t dive into that in today’s column. Those important concepts are described in wonderful, colorful scientific details in my column from February 27, 2022, “Brown water got you down?”.
Green algae, phytoplankton, cyanobacteria, cyanotoxins, blue-green algae and HABs
Algae, green algae or phytoplankton are as different to cyanobacteria as a mushroom is to a horse — they are not similar at all! They just happen to inhabit the same space — water.
Green algae are microscopic plants (sometimes called phytoplankton or diatoms) that are the primary fish food in the lake. Clear Lake is very green — the majority is from the green algae that is growing in the lake. We have a very healthy, vibrant food web in Clear Lake, and that is because the base of this food web — made of green algae- is so abundant.
The prevalence of green algae is also why we have a world class fishery and people come from all over to catch record-sized fish living in the lake. It’s also why we have so many species of birds and water fowls, and wildlife unique to this lake.
Now it’s important to recognize that algae, or phytoplankton, is not cyanobacteria, and cyanobacteria are not algae. When we are standing on a dock, in a boat or from the beach, they may both look like green water, but they actually originate in different biological kingdoms.
The most recent biological classification system, proposed and published in 2015, situates cyanobacteria in their own phyla within the Bacteria Kingdom while phytoplankton, or green algae, have been included in the Plantae Kingdom, and most recently in the newly designated Viridiplantae Kingdom. It’s important to note that while some physiological features have been attributed to the procaryotes, green algae were not grouped into the same biological kingdom with cyanobacteria as they are remarkably different at the cellular level.
It’s important to note that green algae does not produce toxins in Clear Lake and in general it's very rare for green algae, or phytoplankton, to produce toxins in freshwaters. Green algae does conduct photosynthesis, meaning it takes sunlight and CO2 from the air and creates oxygen as a by-product.
Green algae cells, like terrestrial plants, contain chloroplasts, which have a pigment called chlorophyll-a, which is used during photosynthesis to protect the cell from damage while it absorbs sun energy and converts it to sugars and oxygen.
This process can be observed in terrestrial plants when they are actively growing in the spring as they sprout, bright green, new leaves are rich with green pigments like chlorophyll-a. For green algae cells in freshwaters, as soon as the air temperature warms, the day light periods become longer, and spring winds move water and disturb nutrient-rich sediments, the cells reproduce rapidly turning waters bright green.
Cyanobacteria, like green algae, also conducts photosynthesis and therefore responds to warm water, sunlight, and nutrients, by growing rapidly in the spring and summer.
Individual algae and cyanobacteria cells are not visible to the naked eye, however during warm parts of the year when they grow exponentially, large areas of water bodies can become green, or even thick with the abundant numbers of cells.
These large growth patterns are called blooms. For cyanobacteria blooms, when composed of toxin-producing genera(s), they can be a public health hazard and then they are referred to as Harmful Algal Blooms or HABs, even though, as we are learning, they are not algae at all!
Not all cyanobacteria genera will produce toxins, and some that are capable of producing toxins don’t always. For more information about cyanobacteria in Clear Lake, visit the county of Lake cyanobacteria webpage or to my first Lake of the Lake column from July 11, 2021, “Concerned about Cyanobacteria in Soda Bay.”
For Clear Lake, there is a comprehensive cyanobacteria monitoring program managed by Big Valley EPA <https://www.bvrancheria.com/clearlakecyanotoxins> . Big Valley has a website with most recent monitoring data posted. They sample about 20 sites every two weeks in the summer and every month in the winter. Results are also posted on the Facebook page called “Clear Lake Water Quality”.
The most recent monitoring data from Big Valley results, from May 21, 2024, resulted in mostly no detections of cyanobacteria toxin with the exception of one site near Jago bay in the lower arm.
Big Valley EPA Cyanobacteria and Cyanotoxin monitoring data, from the week of May 21, 2024, showing the vast majority of sites sampled did not result in detections of cyanotoxins except for one site in Lower Arm. Souce: https://www.bvrancheria.com/clearlakecyanotoxins The information gathered from this important monitoring program is used when the County of Lake Health Services makes informational sign posting decisions or issues notices or press releases about safe use and recreation in Clear Lake.
Unfortunately, harmful cyanobacteria blooms are becoming more prevalent in California and across the Country. Monitoring efforts are also increasing, which leads to more reporting of conditions. For example, here in California HABs data can be reported and shared on the My Water Quality HABS portal as part of the California Water Quality Monitoring Council.
On the California HABs portal is a link to a HAB Incident Reports Map, which provides data on voluntarily reported blooms in California. The data may include reports under investigation and/or confirmed incidents of HABs, but it’s a good visual to see what conditions are in water bodies in different parts of the state.
Now that we know the difference between green algae and cyanobacteria and how they interact in the waters of Clear Lake, we will explore how imagery can showcase these organisms and help managers understand what is going on in the lake.
Space, satellites and aerial imagery of Clear Lake
The technology and tools that are available to us as natural resource managers is amazing. Imagine if we had a satellite image of Clear Lake every day and we could see the changes and progressions over time. It would make our jobs easier and of course, more interesting!
Unfortunately satellites orbit the earth and we don’t have one dedicated to Clear Lake at all times, and sometimes a single image that captures a snapshot in time doesn’t always reveal the complexity that exists in large, multi-dimensional natural ecosystems.
In this section I will break down how a NASA satellite composites an image from different light wavelengths and how other satellite tools can be used to further identify conditions in the water column of a specific water body.
According to Kathryn Hansen, the managing editor of the NASA Earth Observatory program, the satellite image of Clear Lake was captured by Wanmei Liang, a Science Data Visualizer for NASA, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey.
Further, the image is considered “natural color.” Satellite sensors collect light within specific ranges of wavelengths, and NASA data visualizers turn that data into an image. While the process is described in detail here in the tutorial, “How to Make a True-Color Landsat 8 Image,” Hansen described to me the process in brief:
Basically NASA combines data collected by Landsat 9 within three bands (red, green, and blue). The satellite’s image data capture instrument (OLI-2 Relative Spectral Response | Landsat Science) collects data in other bands, too, but these are the three bands that combine to produce a natural-color image closest to what the human eye would see. Data visualizers make other minor adjustments for things like white balance and atmospheric corrections, while trying to stay as true to the landscape as possible.
There are other satellite tools out there that one can view and download images. The image in the heading of today’s column, captured on June 7, 2024, was sourced from the European Space Agency’s Copernicus Sentinel 2-L1C, which is a “European wide-swath, high-resolution, multi-spectral imaging mission [satellite]. Its high-resolution optical images have many applications, including land monitoring, emergency response and security services assistance. The satellite's multispectral imager provides a versatile set of 13 spectral bands spanning from the visible and near infrared to the shortwave infrared.”
I chose this satellite source and image for several reasons, but mostly because it was free to access and share, according to European Union Law. It was also able to provide a “true-color” cloud-free image of Clear Lake from a few days ago, which is important when we are talking about how images from space can showcase a waterbody and current conditions.
Pigments from space!
No, this isn’t a Marvel movie, or adventure story, but the subheading of this section reads as such, does it not? Here we will discuss some unique and valuable tools that satellites can provide for lake managers and the public.
As opposed to the NASA image which primarily displayed the visual light spectrum, there are specific satellite tools and filters that can display the specific pigments produced by both green algae and cyanobacteria in water bodies.
The Harmful Algal Blooms Satellite Analysis Tool freshwater HABmap <https://fhab.sfei.org/> developed by the San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) displays estimated amounts of relevant pigments in water bodies around California.
The map includes approximately 250 water bodies that are large enough to be detected by the satellite. While the default display of the tool reflects a 10-day aggregate of lake conditions, one can toggle on the single, or one-day pixel max option under the imagery tab.
This allows one to see what conditions existed in the lake for a single day of interest, relative to pigments, to better understand if any potentially hazardous conditions need to be considered to protect public health.
I was able to speak with SFEI staff earlier this week in regards to the NASA photo and the misconception that the HABs analysis tool was integrated into the NASA photo. The satellites are completely different and the HABs analysis image capture instrument itself is also different.
According to SFEI, “Satellite data from 2016 to present come from the OLCI instruments on board the Copernicus Sentinel-3 missions provided by EUMETSAT. Additional processing was provided by the NOAA National Ocean Service.”
Remember the image in the heading of this column was sourced from a Sentinel 2 satellite and the NASA image was captured from an instrument aboard a Landsat-9.
If you are excited about space imagery, I encourage you to explore all the data out there that has been collected from both the Landsat and Sentinels missions. According to NASAs Data in Harmony Project website from April 22, 2024, “While the Landsat program provides the longest continuous record of Earth’s land surfaces, Sentinel-2 offers more frequent revisits and additional spectral bands, taking a complete picture of the planet every 5 days.”
I spoke with Tony Hale, PhD and Director for the Environmental Informatics Program at SFEI and he confirmed that the NASA imagery and SFEI are completely separate. He also stressed that while the [HABs] tool can provide some useful information, “it’s critically important to note that the tool offers screening-level analysis by default as a 10-day composite to correct for daily omissions caused by cloud cover and other satellite limitations.
“And even if the imagery detects a high cyanobacterial index or high levels of chlorophyll-a, this must be corroborated by direct sampling before one might declare a threat to public health. This is because the concern is driven largely by the specific species of bacteria, only some of which might produce toxins dangerous to people and wildlife.”
Basically, Dr. Hale indicated that while the SFEI HABs satellite tool is useful for generally assessing a waterbody, the pigments that are displayed, particularly for cyanobacteria, do not differentiate between a toxin producing cyanobacteria bloom and non-toxin producing bloom. Only ground truthing, with lab-analyzed samples from the field, can be used as a verification and confirmation for toxin concentrations.
I wanted to see how the SFEI HABs Satellite tool compared to the NASA photo on May 15, 2024. While the default display reflects a 10-day amalgamation of imagery, I selected a single, one-day pixel max, and matched the days to display a single day of green algae pigment, or chlorophyll-a compared to the same day of cyanobacteria pigment, or phycocyanin.
During 2011-2013, the County of Lake funded and employed a company to conduct specific satellite images of Clear Lake to identify bloom activity and sources of external sedimentation and nutrient loadings. This project was called the Blue Water Satellite Project and it included satellite data and imagery from Landsat 5 & 7 (operated by the United State Geological Survey), paired with field sampling results to calibrate the individual filters used to display chlorophyll-a, sediments, total phosphorus, and phycocyanin.
The satellite technologies and data accessibility has certainly come a long way since this project was funded more than 10 years ago, but the project report, as a public project, is provided on the county of Lake Water Resources webpage, within the Clear Lake Water Quality Section. <>
San Francisco Estuary Institute developed a satellite tool that can display single day (seen above) and layers for green algae chlorophyll-a pigments (left) and cyanobacteria phycocyanin pigment presence (right). On this day, the lake experienced a large bloom of green algae or phytoplankton and a smaller bloom of cyanobacteria, that may or may not be toxin producing. Images from May 15, 2024. Website is https://fhab.sfei.org. NASA Earth Observatory posted this image on May 15, 2024 which shows all bloom and pigment types, corrected for “true-color” using the wavelength data captured by the OLI-2 aboard the Landsat 9 Satellite. Image used with permission. Original post: https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/152867/clear-lake-clouded-by-algae.
The purpose of this exercise was to better understand what was being displayed in the NASA image, as this is important information to communicate to our community. Because Clear Lake is an essential part of Lake County’s economy and ecology, as lake managers, and science communicators, it’s our job to make sure that the information (boh visual and in text) being distributed is accurate and based in science.
It’s no secret that Clear Lake sometimes has harmful cyanobacterial blooms during hot portions of summer, and sometimes into fall. When these blooms occur, it’s important for people and pets to be safe when recreating and enjoying the water. Public agencies and lake managers have a responsibility, when the monitoring data is available, to provide any health hazard information to the public.
But if lake managers treated every visible green bloom or swirl as a hazard, and it was not one, then the times when blooms were of real and true concern, and contained hazards, then public agencies warnings and notices would have little meaning.
As a lake biologist I have worked in lakes across several states for the past 15 years. I have a strong appreciation and respect for lakes — along the entire spectrum of lake types from oligotrophic (not productive, low nutrients, clear), mesotrophic (moderately productive, mid range nutrients, light in color) to eutrophic (highly productive, very green, rich in nutrients).
By definition, eutrophic lakes produce and sustain abundant life, and mostly in the color green. Rich green algae blooms and lush, thick aquatic plant beds that grow throughout spring and summer are the defining feature of eutrophic lakes, and they serve a purpose to sustain the web of life that has evolved to depend on those features within those types of lakes.
To expect a eutrophic lake to serve the form and function of an oligotrophic lake is not realistic. Clear Lake is naturally eutrophic, even before post-colonial settlements, However, the lake was surrounded by more wetlands and natural shorelines, which helped compete with the excess nutrients that are now available for more frequent cyanobacterial blooms. Even with 100% restored shorelines, Clear Lake will never be blue and clear, it will always have a rich, abundant, green algae population.
Basically when I saw that NASA image, my first thought as a lake biologist was, “look at all that fish food!” and I was right. The majority of the pigments representing the cells present in the water column, being displayed in that image (at that specific day and time) were mostly derived from green algae cells, which are very much needed to sustain the vibrant fish and wildlife community living in Clear Lake.
Public-funded satellite tools should be used by the public
The use of these important satellite technologies and tools in making informed decisions when recreating on or in freshwater is invaluable. Before planning a water excursion, you can see what current bloom conditions are in a lake or reservoir of interest, and you can use that knowledge to keep your family safe while recreating in the water.
Many people are enjoying Clear Lake, from the majestic views to water sports, even into the summer months. Clear Lake is huge, and while one area of the lake may be impacted by a cyanobacterial bloom, other areas of the lake may not be. There are also other Lake County water bodies that can be recreation destinations if recreating in Clear Lake is a concern for you, your family or pets.
Every day the lake is different, and not every area of the lake is the same on any given day, so you really need to make the right choice for you, based on the conditions you are seeing, both from satellite tools and on the ground, and the type of recreation and water-use you want to participate in on that day. Be aware of your surroundings and look for any posted signage when you are swimming or recreating in any water body.
A good rule of thumb, when recreating in any natural water body, you want to be aware of any weird discolorations, noxious odors, or nuisances, that might make you stop, and consider the conditions. Depending on the season, the presence of “green” water is pretty normal, especially since Clear Lake is eutrophic.
Green water can indicate several things - mostly the presence of green algae. Cyanobacteria can also be present in green water. However, without companion sampling, you really won’t know what is in the water simply by looking at a picture, even if it’s captured from the dock or from space.
— Sincerely, Lady of the Lake
The Lady of the Lake column is written by a limnologist (limnology=study of fresh inland waters) who lives and works in Lake County. Born in northern California, she has a Masters of Science from Michigan State University. She is a Certified Lake Manager from the North American Lake Management Society (NALMS), the current president / chair of the California chapter of the Society for Freshwater Science, and a Lake County Certified Tourism Ambassador since June 2023. She can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Special thanks and citation is given to the following: “NASA Earth Observatory image by Wanmei Liang, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey”, Kathryn Hansen – Managing Editor, NASA Earth Observatory, Dr. Tony Hale and Randy Turner, San Francisco Estuary Institute & the Aquatic Science Center, https://www.sfei.org/.
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