Severe weather is generally any destructive weather event, but usually occurs throughout the Lake County Planning Area as localized storms that bring heavy rains, snow and storms; wind; and extreme heat. (Also see CHAPTER THIRTEEN:
Severe Weather | Heavy Rains, Snow & Storms). This profile is focused on extreme heat.
To align with the 2023 California Hazard Mitigation Plan, extreme heat for purposes of this plan is defined as temperatures that are 10° F or higher than the average high temperatures for a region for several days or more.
12.1 Hazard Profile
The National Weather Service (NWS) issues heat advisories and extreme heat warnings based on Heat Risk values. The Heat Risk changes through the year based on climatology. For instance, the temperature triggering advisories/warnings is lower in the spring than during the summer when temperatures are typically hotter. This is because people acclimate through the year. A lower temperature causes more impacts in the spring than in the summer.
These events can impact the healthcare system with increased heat-related illness or death, worsen drought, strain the electric grid and negatively impact water supply and other infrastructure.
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The expected severity of the heat determines whether advisories or warnings are issued. The NWS Heat Risk forecast provides a quick view of heat risk potential over the upcoming seven days. The heat risk is portrayed in a numeric (0-4) and color (green/yellow/orange/red/magenta) scale which is similar in approach to the Air Quality Index (AQI) or the UV Index. This can be seen in Table 24.
Table 24: National Weather Service Heat Risk Categories Category Level Meaning
Green 0 No Elevated Risk
Yellow 1 Low Risk for those extremely sensitive to heat, especially those without effective cooling and/or adequate hydration
Orange 2 Moderate Risk for those who are sensitive to heat, especially those without effective cooling and/or adequate hydration
Red 3
High Risk for much of the population, especially those who are heat sensitive and those without effective cooling and/or adequate hydration
Magenta 4 Very High Risk for entire population due to long duration heat, with little to no relief overnight
Source: National Weather Service
The NWS office in Eureka monitors and forecasts for Lake County and issues the following heat-related advisory as conditions warrant:
• Heat Advisories are issued during events where the Heat Risk is on the Orange/Red threshold (Orange will not always trigger an advisory). • Excessive Heat Watches/Warnings are issued during events where the Heat Risk is in the Red/Magenta output.
12.2 Location and Extent
Extreme heat can impact the entire Planning Area at once. For detailed community information refer to Section 3.2 Planning Area Communities; for a visual, refer to Figure 5: Map of Lake County Cities, Towns, Communities, and Highways.
The potential location and extent of the hazard impacts of extreme heat within the City of Clearlake and the City of Lakeport are outlined in their respective annexes. 161 | Page
• Clearlake Annex: Chapter Twelve: Severe Weather: Extreme Heat o 12.1.2 Differences between County and City assessments o 12.2 Location and Extent
• Lakeport Annex: Chapter Twelve: Severe Weather: Extreme Heat o 12.1.2 Differences between County and City assessments o 12.2 Location and Extent
12.3 Previous occurrences
There have been no FEMA or Cal OES disasters related to extreme heat. NWS Eureka issued 37 advisories and warnings since 2020 as seen in Table 25. (Note:
This is not an indication of number of days of excessive heat.) Table 25: NWS: Eureka Advisory & Warnings History
Year Heat Advisory Excessive Heat
Warning
2024 6 2
2023 1 2
2022 5 2
2021 7 3
2020 6 3
Table 26: National Weather Services: Eureka Office Record High Temperatures in Lake County
Date
Record
Temperature
(Highs)
Location*
June 30, 1977 114 Clearlake 4 SE
July 16, 1972 & tied July 5, 1984 113 Clear Lake 4 SE & Lakeport September 7, 2022 113 Clear Lake 4 SE
July 6, 2024 112 Mt. Konocti
August 9, 1981 & tied in 1981 and
1971 (7, 8, 10, 11)
112 Clear Lake 4 SE & Lakeport
July 7, 2024 110 Mt. Konocti
July 5, 2024 109 Mt. Konocti
July 13, 2024 108 Mt. Konocti
October 16, 1914 104 Upper Lake
May 30, 1910 102 Upper Lake
February 14, 1917 97 Upper Lake
April 30, 1994 94 Clear Lake 4 SE
November 16, 1895 94 Upper Lake
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Date
Record
Temperature
(Highs)
Location*
March 18, 1914 90 Upper Lake
January 17, 2003 85 Upper Lake
December 26, 1967 80 Upper Lake
*Clear Lake 4SE Coop, 1950 – 2022; Upper Lake 2 N Coop, 1896 - 2006 with large gaps in the data; Lakeport Coop, 1920-2001
12.4 Probability of Future Events
Highly Likely - (For scale detail refer to probability in Section 2.2.1 Priority.)
12.4.1 Extreme Heat: Future Development
As the County shifts in demographics, more residents will become senior citizens.
The residents of nursing homes and elder care facilities are especially vulnerable to extreme temperature events. Low-income residents and homeless populations are also vulnerable.
12.5 Impacts of Climate Change
Climate change is projected to increase the frequency, intensity, and duration of extreme heat events across the state, particularly with the increasing warming of overnight low temperatures, making recovery from extreme heat during the daytime hours more challenging.
Cal-Adapt provides an extreme heat tool to assist with climate modeling. Figure 40 shows baseline data, future projections as demonstrated by current years, and future projects for ten years ahead.
12.6 Severe Weather | Extreme Heat: Secondary Hazards
• Increased risk of energy shortages due to increased air conditioning use – most impactful while other areas of the State are experiencing extreme heat. • PG&E’s Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events due to heightened fire danger due to specific weather conditions.
• Increased fire danger.
• Heightened drought conditions.
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Figure 40: Cal Adapt's Extreme Heat Tool
12.7 Severe Weather | Extreme Heat: Exposure & Vulnerability Vulnerability—High (Refer to Section 4.1.2 Vulnerability for scale detail.) Since the 2018 Plan Update, our understanding of extreme heat vulnerability has improved through better research, while the actual risks have increased due to climate change.
FEMA’s National Risk Index developed a Heat Wave Risk Index score and rating to represent a community’s relative risk for heat waves when compared to the rest of the United States. As evidenced in Figure 41, Lake County’s rating is relatively low.
Extreme heat events are a recurring hazard in Lake County, particularly during summer months, though their intensity and frequency may vary from year to year.
However, only limited county-specific data on the impacts of temperature extremes was available during the development of this profile.
Extreme heat typically does not significantly affect structures, as periodic relief from cooler temperatures reduces prolonged stress on buildings. Nationwide assessments generally identify areas prone to high temperatures but lack detailed, localized data on specific structures.
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Figure 41: FEMA's National Risk Index rating for Lake County.
Prolonged periods of extreme heat can strain electricity demands, locally and statewide or beyond, particularly for air conditioning in homes and businesses, and pose health risks for individuals exposed to high temperatures. Additionally, extreme heat can exacerbate or mimic drought conditions by increasing evapotranspiration and reducing vegetation moisture, thereby heightening wildfire vulnerability.
12.7.1 Population
The Public Health Alliance's Health Disadvantage Index identifies areas in California at greater risk of hazards like extreme heat by combining multiple health and socioeconomic factors. Vulnerable populations16 in Lake County include:
16 Homeless data is derived from the Point in Time Count, available here (link).
Population data is derived from the 2020 Census data.
Homeless
460
Infants &
Children
Under 5
~3,680
Elderly
~15,830
Individuals
with
disabilities
~7,056
Individuals
dependent on
medical
equipment*
943
165 | Page
*The US Department of Health and Human Services Empower Map (Link) provides information about Medicare beneficiaries by zip code, including those at risk of extreme heat due to dependence on electricity-dependent durable medical and assisted equipment and devices. Of those identified Countywide, approximately 28% reside in the Clearlake zip code (95422); no zip code in Lake County has none.
In addition to vulnerable populations, pets, livestock and wildlife are at risk of extreme heat.
12.7.2 Property & Critical Infrastructure
All property, critical infrastructure and other County owned/leased properties are at risk. For details refer to 4.3.2 Critical Facilities. Older construction and mobile homes may lake sufficient cooling equipment.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN: Severe Weather | Heavy Rains, Snow & Storms Figure 42: An unexpected snow day:
February 24, 2023 in Nice, Ca, with Clear Lake in the distant background.
Severe weather is generally any destructive weather event, but usually occurs throughout the Lake County Planning Area as localized storms that bring heavy rains, snow and storms; wind; and extreme heat. See CHAPTER TWELVE: Severe Weather | Extreme Heat.
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The National Weather Service (NWS) reports that storms and thunderstorms result from the rapid upward movement of warm, moist air. They can occur inside warm, moist air masses and at fronts. As the warm, moist air moves upward, it cools, condenses, and forms cumulonimbus clouds that can reach heights of greater than 35,000 ft. As the rising air reaches its dew point, water droplets and ice form and begin falling long distances through the clouds towards earth's surface. As the droplets fall, they collide with other droplets and become larger. The falling droplets create a downdraft of air that spreads out at Earth's surface and causes strong winds associated with thunderstorms.
13.1 Hazard Profile
Storms in Lake County occur regularly and are characterized by heavy rain, strong winds, and sometimes lightning, hail, or snowfall. These storms are influenced by four primary climatic factors: geographical altitude, the Pacific Coastal Mountain range, prevailing storm tracks, and air masses.
1. Geographical Altitude
Lake County's elevation varies significantly, ranging from 1,200 feet to over 7,000 feet, which contributes to localized weather variations.
2. Mountain Range as a Barrier
Situated in the Pacific Coastal Mountain range, Lake County lies about 30 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean. The mountains act as a barrier, forcing westward-moving air masses to rise, which increases the likelihood of precipitation.
3. Storm Track Influence
Winter storms are guided by the Westerlies, a global atmospheric wind pattern. Storm systems often originate from a low-pressure system in the Gulf of Alaska and are funneled southward along the California coast, bringing significant precipitation to the region.
4. Air Mass Characteristics
Marine polar air masses dominate the region, bringing cold, moist air from the Pacific Ocean, particularly during the winter months.
Short-term heavy storms can cause widespread flooding and localized drainage issues, exacerbated by insufficient drainage infrastructure due to population growth. Additionally, strong winds during storms, combined with saturated soil, can uproot mature trees, causing potential damage to property and infrastructure. 167 | Page
13.2 Location and Extent
For detailed community information refer to 3.2 Planning Area Communities; for a visual refer to Figure 5.
Severe weather, including heavy rain, snow, and wind, can impact the entire Planning Area simultaneously. Heavy rain can cause a range of issues, from saturated ground and localized flooding to lake-level floods. Other storm impacts may include power outages (often caused by trees hitting power lines), downed trees, road closures, washouts, and property damage, ranging from minor issues like damaged fencing to the complete destruction of homes. Rainfall is usually manageable; however, severe storms delivering heavy rain in short periods can cause localized flooding that affects road conditions.
Snowfall can occur throughout the Planning Area but is typically concentrated in higher elevations. When snow accumulates at lower elevations, road conditions may be affected. Larger snowstorms, with several inches or more, can lead to secondary impacts such as power outages from falling trees or closed roads, disrupting residents’ daily lives.
When combined with strong winds, these storms can uproot trees and cause additional power outages. The County relies on the National Weather Service to monitor weather conditions and issue severity alerts, watches, and warnings to help mitigate storm impacts.
• For a Wind Advisory, the thresholds are the same regardless of elevation:
o Frequent gusts of 45 mph or sustained winds of 35 mph. • For a High Wind Warning, the thresholds vary by elevation:
o For lower elevations (for Lake County this is below around 1800 feet or around the Lake) the threshold is frequent gusts of 58 mph or sustained wind of 40 mph.
o For higher elevations (generally above 1800 feet) the threshold is frequent gusts of 70 mph or sustained wind of 45 mph.
The potential location and extent of the hazard impacts to heavy rain, snow and winds within the City of Clearlake and the City of Lakeport are outlined in their respective annexes.
• Clearlake Annex: Chapter Thirteen: Severe Weather: Heavy Rains, Snow, & Storms
o 13.1.2 Differences between County and City assessments o 13.2 Location and Extent
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• Lakeport Annex: Chapter Thirteen: Severe
Weather: Heavy Rains, Snow, & Storms
o 13.1.2 Differences between County and City
assessments
13.2 Location and Extent
13.3 Previous occurrences
For a complete list of previous disaster declarations refer to Section 2.1 Disaster Declarations.
The most recent disaster declarations include:
• 2024 Late January, Early February Winter
Storms
Heavy rain and strong winds in a short duration led to downed trees and power lines, disrupting transportation routes, first responder access, and residential areas, with the most significant impacts reported in Cobb, Kelseyville, and Lucerne. Clear Lake exceeded 8’ Rumsey. Over 70 damage reports were submitted by residents, detailing issues ranging from missing roof shingles on sheds and damaged fences to the complete destruction of homes.
• 2023 – Late February Snow and Extreme Cold
Snowpack built up, causing damage to infrastructure and impacts to transportation combined with extreme cold. Many residents were stranded at home without power. A warming center operated through the coldest hours, and Search and Rescue Volunteers were activated to provide transportation to those stranded at home and in need of help. Over 40 residents and business owners reported a range of impacts including collapsed roofs on sheds, arenas and homes.
13.3.1 Rain
Data from NWS show average annual precipitation in Lake County at various locations:
• Middletown 42.6”
• Clearlake SE4 29.86”
• Upper Lake 39.59”
• Lakeport 34.5”
The highest recorded annual precipitation is:
• Middletown 2016-2017 84.53”
• Clearlake SE4 1997-1998 58.32”
24 Severe Storm Related
Disaster Declarations in
Lake County since 1950
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• Upper Lake 1914-1915 63.16”
• Lakeport 1997-1998 57.78”
13.3.2 Snow
Data from NOAA shows Lake County snow records:
• One-day Snowfall recorded 28” of snowfall on March 15, 1942 on Cobb Mountain.
• Three-day Snowfall recorded 38” on March 1, 2023 near Lake Pillsbury. • Average snowfall county wide is approximately 1.0 inches.
13.3.3 Wind
NWS Eureka issued 40 advisories and warnings since 2020 as seen in Table 25.
Figure: 43 NWS: Eureka Advisory & Warnings History (Wind) Year Wind Advisory High Wind
Warning
2024 10 2
2023 13 0
2022 7 0
2021 7 0
2020 1 0
13.4 Probability of Future Events
Highly Likely - (For scale detail refer to probability in Section 2.2.1 Priority.) According to historical hazard data, severe weather is an annual occurrence in Lake County. Damage and disaster declarations related to severe weather have occurred and will continue to occur in the future.
Heavy rain and thunderstorms are the most frequent type of severe weather occurrences in the County. Wind and lightning often accompany these storms and have caused damage in the past. Hail is rare in the County.
Despite these facts, actual damage associated with the primary effects of severe weather have been limited. It is the secondary hazards caused by weather, such as floods, fire, and agricultural losses that have had the greatest impact on the County.
13.4.1 Future Development
Future development must prioritize resilience to severe weather, including heavy winds, rain, and snow. Key considerations include avoiding building in high-risk 170 | Page
areas such as floodplains and regions with poor drainage. Building designs should adhere to updated codes for wind resistance, snow load capacity, and elevated structures in flood-prone areas. Robust stormwater management systems, including permeable pavement, upgraded culverts, and retention basins, are essential to mitigate flooding. Transportation networks must be designed or updated for year-round access, with roads, bridges, and evacuation routes engineered to withstand severe weather impacts.
Additionally, preserving natural floodplains, stabilizing slopes, and implementing fire-resistant landscaping can reduce environmental risks. Long-term adaptation strategies, including the integration of climate projections into planning, are critical to ensure sustainable and safe development in the face of changing weather patterns.
13.5 Impacts of Climate Change
MIT scientists found that extreme precipitation events in California should become more frequent as the Earth’s climate warms over this century17. In California, they calculated that, if the world’s average temperatures rise by 4 degrees Celsius by the year 2100, the state will experience three more extreme precipitation events than the current average, per year.
13.6 Next Hazard: Secondary Hazards
13.6.1 Agricultural Impacts:
According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), every year natural disasters, such as droughts, earthquakes, extreme heat and cold, floods, fires, earthquakes, hail, landslides, and tornadoes, challenge agricultural production. Because agriculture relies on the weather, climate, and water availability to thrive, it is easily impacted by natural events and disasters. Agricultural impacts from natural events and disasters most commonly include:
• contamination of water bodies
• loss of harvest or livestock
• increased susceptibility to disease
• destruction of irrigation systems and other agricultural infrastructure.
These impacts can have long lasting effects on agricultural production including crops, forest growth, and arable lands, which require time to mature. 17 Study finds more extreme storms ahead for California – Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet (nasa.gov)
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13.6.2 Landslide & Debris Flow
Landslides within the Planning Area tend to occur during periods of excessive rainfall. Since Lake County’s mountainous terrain defies gravity as it rapidly rises to upper elevations, much of the remote high-relief topography in the county can be identified as having the potential for landslides. Landslide and debris flows threaten roads, including the primary transportation routes and in the remote mountain areas maintained by County Roads Department.
Areas throughout the Planning Area that experienced landslides historically include Clearlake Oaks, Lucerne, Clearlake Riviera, Cobb Mountain, and Bartlett Springs.
Notable slides include:
• Spring Valley Landslide (also referred to as the Cache Creek Slide)- The Slide is located approximately 1.5 miles downstream of the Indian Valley Dam and approximately 2.5 miles upstream of the residential community of Spring Valley in northeast Lake County, California.
Significant movement of the slide is noted between 1993 and 1999. A 2002 geotechnical analysis of the landslide slope stability indicates a very high risk of failure associated with a 100-year, 10-day storm. The analysis examined two potential landslide scenarios:
• Mid-Level: Only the upper portion of the landslide would fail into the creek resulting in a dam approximately 105 feet high. [Most probable.]
• Complete: The entire landslide would fail to the toe of slope resulting in a landslide dam 191 feet high.
• Anderson Springs where an approximately 4-acre landslide developed on private property leased by Calpine. The slide is at the westerly end of the community of Anderson Springs, and slide debris closed Anderson Springs Road during the winter storms of 2017.
• The community of Ettawa Springs. This approximately 2-acre slide was also discovered during the winter storms of 2017.
13.7 Severe Weather | Heavy Rains, Snow & Storms: Exposure & Vulnerability
Vulnerability—High (Refer to Section 4.1.2 Vulnerability for scale detail.) No change since 2023 Plan Update.
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13.7.1 Population
The entire population of Lake County, including residents, employees, and visitors, are at risk from the impacts of severe weather including disruption of daily life, with impacts on transportation, utilities and access to essential services and employment. Extreme weather events hinder emergency response efforts due to impassable roads, fallen trees and downed power lines.
Residents with access and functional needs, especially those dependent on medical equipment, are at heightened risk due to mobility challenges especially when power outages occur. Homeless populations face direct exposure to severe weather conditions.
13.7.2 Property and Critical Facilities & Infrastructure All property, critical infrastructure and other County owned/leased properties are at risk. Risk to residential and commercial properties include localized flooding, damaging building foundations and low-lying homes. Strong winds can cause roof damage, broken windows and uprooting of trees that could fall on structures.
Agricultural lands may experience soil erosion, crop flooding and damage to irrigation; high winds damage fences, barns and other structures and while rare, snowfall can damage crops and impact livestock.
Transportation systems and utilities can be impacted by these events.
Communication infrastructure is susceptible to damage from high winds and falling debris.
Homeless
460
Infants &
Children
Under 5
~3,680
Elderly
~15,830
Individuals
with
disabilities
~7,056
Individuals
dependent on
medical
equipment
943
173 | Page
CHAPTER FOURTEEN: Tree Mortality
Repeated wildfire events, drought and persistent historically high temperatures have had compounding effects in Lake County. One profound consequence has been dramatic growth in conifer tree death, categorically known as “Tree Mortality.” With two-thirds of our landmass having burned since 2015, bark beetles have found an ideal environment to flourish in Lake County, and resulting conifer infestation has been devastating. On May 3, 2022, the Lake County Board of Supervisors declared a Local Emergency due to “Pervasive Tree Mortality.” Vegetation loss over the period of 2020-2022 was truly startling, as reflected in Figure 44 .
Figure 44: Vegetation Loss due to Tree Mortality
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14.1 Hazard Profile
Tree Mortality is currently widespread and worsening in many parts of California, as demonstrated by the United States Forest Service’s (USFS’) Annual Aerial Surveys. https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r5/forest-grasslandhealth/?cid=fsbdev3_046696 In 2019, USFS estimated 1,000 Lake County acres were afflicted by Tree Mortality.
The estimated number of dead trees was 3,000.
Those estimates have exponentially grown in the time since:
• 2019 – 1,000 Acres, 3,000 dead trees
• 2021 - 21,000 Acres, 331,000 dead trees
• 2022 - 31,000 Acres, 590,000 dead trees
• 2023 - 13,000 Acres, 790,000 dead trees
• 2024 - The Northern California area had many large fires 3 years ago which were resurveyed for the first time in 2024. Approximately 8.8 million acres were surveyed in 2024 compared to ~7.1 million acres surveyed in 2023. 2024 Data has not been release at the time of this update.
Note: no directly analogous survey was conducted in 2020.
Dead and dying trees located near County roadways and evacuation routes pose the most immediate concern, and 22,000 such trees had been documented as of early April 2023. The magnitude of this issue means remediation carries a highly significant level of cost, with some estimates to address roadside trees, ranging into the tens of millions of dollars. Project planning is underway to perform mitigation activities in areas of high priority, but this is expected to be a long-term concern, with work continuing for perhaps a decade or more.
14.2 Location and Extent
A map demonstrating geographic locations of Tree Mortality as of 2022 and nearby populations is included as Figure 44. Dr. Michael Jones, the University of California Cooperative Extension’s Forest Advisor for Lake County and a trained entomologist, indicates that removal of dead and dying trees is critical to mitigating multi-species bark beetle infestation; in the absence of such remedies, conditions will continue to worsen.
The potential location and extent of the hazard impacts to tree mortality within the City of Clearlake and the City of Lakeport are outlined in their respective annexes. • Clearlake Annex: Chapter Fourteen: Tree Mortality
o 14.1.2 Differences between County and City assessments 175 | Page
o 14.2 Location and Extent
• Lakeport Annex: Chapter Fourteen: Tree Mortality
o 14.1.2 Differences between County and City assessments
14.2 Location and Extent
14.3 Previous occurrences
Prior to 2022, there had been no disaster declarations related to Tree Mortality in Lake County. Previous waves of tree mortality have occurred in the State of California, and then-Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr., declared a State of Emergency in October of 2015.
14.4 Probability of Future Events
Highly Likely - (For scale detail refer to probability in Section 2.2.1 Priority.) Tree Mortality is pervasive and worsening at this time, and efforts to respond are likely to persist through the full period encompassed by the 2023 Hazard Mitigation Plan.
14.5 Impacts of Climate Change
Drought and wildfire have been significant instigators of this recent and devastating wave of Tree Mortality. In general, the frequency of such events in California is expected to increase due to climate change. Winter storms of 2023 demonstrated significant windstorms, rain and low elevation snowfall that can cause vulnerable trees to fall in roadways and on structures; these concerns may grow with greater stochasticity (randomness) and severity in weather patterns.
14.6 Secondary Hazards
Dead and dying trees increase the availability of fuels, and carry the potential to promote the spread of wildfire. Vegetation losses from 2020-2022 have occurred in areas outside of the footprints of recent wildfire events.
14.7 Exposure & Vulnerability
Vulnerability—Extremely High (Refer to Section 4.1.2 Vulnerability for scale detail.)
Severe Tree Mortality in population-dense areas can cause significant loss of life and property, if trees were to fall along roadways during a wildfire event, for example. Please see Figure 45 for a visualization of Tree Mortality severity, as compared to population density, in the geographic boundaries of Lake County. 176 | Page
Figure 45: Tree Mortality and Population
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CHAPTER FIFTEEN: Volcano and Geothermal Gas Release
Figure 46: Volcanic Vent from Mt. Konocti in Clear Lake State Park A volcano is a geological
feature where molten
rock, gas, and debris
erupt through the Earth's
crust. Geothermal gases
are naturally occurring
gases, such as hydrogen
sulfide and carbon
dioxide, released from
underground volcanic
activity through vents,
fissures, or hot springs.
California hosts diverse
volcano types, with risks
dependent on eruption style,
lava volume, vent location, duration, and local water conditions. Hazard severity generally decreases with distance from the vent. According to the USGS, California has 15 volcanic centers classified as Low to Very High Threat, monitored by the California Volcano Observatory (CalVO). Seven volcanoes, including the Clear Lake Volcanic Field, have partially molten rock (magma) beneath them, indicating future eruption potential. Refer to The Clear Lake Volcanic Field features lava domes, cinder cones, and maars (explosive eruption craters). Its largest feature, Mount Konocti, rises over 3,200 feet above Clear Lake. An active geothermal zone lies beneath, powered by silicic magma approximately 7 kilometers deep. This magma fuels both the Clear Lake Volcanic Field and The Geysers, the world’s largest geothermal energy facility. The most recent eruptions in the Clear Lake area occurred around 10,000 years ago, and the area remains geologically active.
Geothermal gases escape through natural and man-made structures, potentially entering indoor spaces via foundation cracks or utility openings. High concentrations can cause health risks, including toxicity, suffocation, and explosions.
Figure 47 for a map of California volcanoes including the Clear Lake Volcanic Field as depicted in the 2023 California Hazard Mitigation Plan. 178 | Page
15.1 Hazard Profile
The Clear Lake Volcanic Field features lava domes, cinder cones, and maars (explosive eruption craters). Its largest feature, Mount Konocti, rises over 3,200 feet above Clear Lake. An active geothermal zone lies beneath, powered by silicic magma approximately 7 kilometers deep. This magma fuels both the Clear Lake Volcanic Field and The Geysers, the world’s largest geothermal energy facility. The most recent eruptions in the Clear Lake area occurred around 10,000 years ago, and the area remains geologically active.
Geothermal gases escape through natural and man-made structures, potentially entering indoor spaces via foundation cracks or utility openings. High concentrations can cause health risks, including toxicity, suffocation, and explosions18.
Figure 47: Active Volcanoes in California and in the Lake County Area Source: 2023 California State Hazard Mitigation Plan
18 This is mainly a concern with gas generated from hydrocarbons (natural gas or methane), which are not necessarily part of the volcanic system. 179 | Page
15.2 Location and Extent
The Clear Lake Volcanic Field includes Clear Lake (43,000 acres) and its surrounding areas, such as the town of Clearlake. While most past eruptions were nonexplosive, the most recent activity involved explosive events near Mount Konocti and the southeastern part of the lake.
Geophysical studies reveal a complex magmatic system.
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• A magma chamber approximately 8.7 miles in diameter lies about 4.3 miles below the surface.
• This chamber primarily contains silica-rich magma, responsible for past silicic eruptions.
• Silica-poor magma from deeper within the Earth's mantle likely fueled more recent explosive activity. This type of magma could rise through faults within weeks to months.
The magmatic storage region's actual shape is intricate, with simplified models often representing it as spherical or cylindrical. Figure 48 provides the most accurate depiction, showing:
• Melt beneath the Geysers and Mount Hannah.
• Solidified magma (plutons) beneath Mount Hannah and Mount Konocti. • Fault zones connecting these areas within a system extending 7.5 to 12 miles deep.
This dynamic volcanic field underscores the importance of monitoring its potential hazards.
Geothermal gas venting is most common in the southern and eastern regions of Clear Lake, influenced by earthquakes and seasonal changes. Gases include hydrogen sulfide, methane, carbon dioxide, and occasionally radon. 181 | Page
Figure 48: Magmatic storage region's depiction. Captured from Mitchell, et al, “Imagining the magmatic plumbing of the Clear Lake Volcanic Field using 3-D gravity inversion” printed in the Journal of Volcanic and Geothermal Research (2023).
182 | Page
Figure 49: A view of the Clear Lake volcanic field.
(Source: USGS Scientific Investigations Report, "California's Exposure to Volcanic Hazards" page 25)
The potential location and extent of the hazard impacts to volcanoes and geothermic gasses within the City of Clearlake and the City of Lakeport are outlined in their respective annexes.
• Clearlake Annex: Chapter Fifteen: Volcano and Geothermal Gas Release o 15.1.2 Differences between County and City assessments o 15.2 Location and Extent
• Lakeport Annex: Chapter Fifteen: Volcano and Geothermal Gas Release o 15.1.2 Differences between County and City assessments o 15.2 Location and Extent
15.3 Previous occurrences
15.3.1 Disaster Declarations
There have been no disaster declarations related to volcanoes or geothermal gases in Lake County. Historical volcanic activity spans four eruptive episodes over 2 million years, with the last eruptions occurring 10,000 years ago. Tribal oral histories recorded by Lake County historians contain mentions of likely volcanic 183 | Page
activity in the form of mythology. Based on archaeological occupation data, this places human-observed eruptions sometime within the last 12-14,000 years.
Current monitoring by USGS and Calpine Corporation ensures ongoing assessment of activity.
15.4 Probability of Future Events
(For scale detail refer to probability in Section 2.2.1 Priority.) Volcanoes: While future eruptions are likely, for purposes of this Plan (focused on the next 5 years and beyond, rather than thousands of years) this hazard is unlikely. Potential hazards include lava flows, ashfall, pyroclastic flows, and localized explosions.
Geothermal Gases: Likely. Gas emissions are ongoing, with risks heightened during high lake levels or low-pressure weather systems.
15.5 Impacts of Climate Change
Volcanoes: Climate change is unlikely to have any impact on volcanic activity.
Geothermal Gases: Changes in precipitation and lake levels may alter gas venting patterns. Prolonged drought could expose submerged vents, while increased rainfall may enhance chemical leaching, affecting water quality.
15.6 Secondary Hazards
15.6.1 Air Quality
Volcanic ash and gases like sulfur dioxide (SO₂) can degrade air quality, causing respiratory issues and creating acid rain. Vog (volcanic smog) may blanket nearby areas during eruptions.
15.6.2 Water Quality
Acidic runoff from geothermal activity and volcanic eruptions can contaminate water sources, dissolve toxic metals, and harm aquatic life.
15.6.3 Agricultural Impacts
Volcanic ash and acidic conditions can reduce crop yields and soil fertility.
Geothermal gases can further acidify soil and water, disrupting agriculture.
15.7 Exposure & Vulnerability
Vulnerability—Extremely High (Refer to Section 4.1.2 Vulnerability for scale detail.)
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15.7.1 Population
The Clearlake Volcanic Field19 has approximately 17,000 residents within the immediate area of impact. The Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians’ rancheria is located within this field. Clear Lake State Park, situated at the base of Mount Konocti, hosts over 70,000 visitors annually, and over 25 million vehicles pass through the volcanic field each year.
Populations near the volcanic field face heightened vulnerability to eruptions, lava flows, and ashfall, which can disrupt daily life and compromise health. Volcanic ash, in particular, poses long-range threats to communities and aviation, even miles from the eruption site.
15.7.2 Property & Critical Infrastructure
The area includes 24 critical facilities, including schools and emergency centers.
Lava flows, ashfall, and pyroclastic activity threaten infrastructure, while gas intrusions pose risks to homes, public facilities, and transportation systems.
Geothermal Gasses
Geothermal gases pose risks to outdoor workers, wildlife, and aquatic systems. In enclosed spaces, they can cause explosions or suffocation. Specific dangers include:
• Carbon Dioxide (CO2): Can accumulate in basements, depressions, or over still water (e.g., Soda Bay springs), leading to suffocation. • Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S): Toxic even at low levels; it causes "nose blindness," making high concentrations harder to detect.
• Methane: Explosive and odorless, making detection challenging. 19 Data Source: USGS “California’s Exposure to Volcanic Hazards Scientific Investigations Report 2018-5159” December 2019
185 | Page
CHAPTER SIXTEEN: Mitigation Strategy
The results of the planning process, risk assessment, goal setting, identification of mitigation actions, and the hard work of the Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee (HMPC) led to the mitigation strategy and mitigation action plan for this HMP Update. As part of the HMP Update process, a comprehensive review and update of the mitigation strategy portion of the plan was conducted. The goals from the 2023 plan were refined, and Lake County, Clearlake, and Lakeport aligned goals across all three jurisdictions and identified specific jurisdiction-specific objectives.
16.1 Capabilities
The County of Lake has a long history of successfully administering projects and programs and comprehensive existing building codes, land use, and development ordinances and regulations.
The Fiscal Year 2024-25 budget is $407,607,531, and Position Allocations provide for over 1,000 Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) across 26 County Departments and an even greater diversity of agencies. Administrative and departmental staff likewise routinely manage tens of millions of dollars in contracts with partner organizations, to meet critical county and community needs. Policies and procedures are in place to effectively provide for the operational capacity of each Department.
For additional details on capabilities and methods to improve, refer to the following tables:
Regulations Related to Hazards Table 27
Administrative and Technical Table 28
Financial Table 29
Education and Outreach Table 30
Clearlake Capabilities Annex Tables 19-22
Lakeport Capabilities Annex Tables 22-25
The cities of Clearlake and Lakeport have outlined the differences specific to their jurisdiction’s capabilities in Chapter Sixteen: Mitigation Strategy in each respective annex.
186 | Page
Table 27: County of Lake Regulations that Address Hazards Lake County Municipal Code
Regulation Summary
Chapter 5 Building
Regulations, Article I.
In General, Sec. 5-4, 4.1
2016 California Building Standards Code, and 2019
California Building Code, Residential Building Code,
Electrical Code, Plumbing Code, Mechanical Code,
Energy Code, Green Building Code, Fire Code,
Administrative Code, Historical Building Code,
Existing Building Code, and 2018 International
Property Maintenance Code, Wildland-Urban
Interface Code
Chapter 5 Building
Regulations, Article I.
In General, Sec. 5-4F, 4F.1
through 4F.2(b)4
Fireworks displays require a permit. Violations of
the regulations will result in fines. Parents and
guardians of minors who violate laws who be held
responsible.
Chapter 5 Building
Regulations, Article I.
In General, Sec. 5-6, 6.6
No building permit shall be issued without a flood
plain review by the Lake County Flood Watershed
Protection District. Any construction or placement
of structures in the one hundred (100) year flood
plain shall conform to the requirements of Chapter
24. Chapter 5 Building
Regulations, Article I.
In General, Sec. 5-6, 6.10
No building permit shall be issued without review
by the local district having jurisdiction over fire
protection.
Chapter 5 Building
Regulations, Article I.
In General, Sec. 5-6, 6.17
All liquefied petroleum gas installations shall
comply with the National Fire Protection Agency
(NFPA) Standard 58 for the storage and handling of
LP Gas.
Chapter 5 Building
Regulations, Article I.
In General, Sec. 5-6, 6.18
All fuel oil tanks and fuel oil appliance installations shall comply with the National Fire Protection
Agency (NFPA) Standard 31 for the installation of
oil burning equipment.
Chapter 5 Building
Regulations, Article I.
In General, Sec. 5-6, 6.23
(a) (C)
All driveways exceeding sixteen (16) percent (one
(1) foot vertical to six (6) foot horizontal 1:6) in
grade and all ramps shall be approved by CALFIRE
if located within State Responsibility Areas.
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Lake County Municipal Code
Regulation Summary
Chapter 5 Building
Regulations, Article I, Sec.
5-6, 6.23 (a) (D)
All driveways exceeding sixteen (16) percent (one
(1) foot vertical to six (6) foot horizontal 1:6) in
grade and all ramps shall be approved by the local
district providing fire protection.
Chapter 5 Building
Regulations, Article I, Sec.
5-6, 6.24, 4.
Notwithstanding the forgoing, any agricultural
building proposed to be located in a FEMA flood
hazard area as defined in Chapter 25, shall be
constructed in compliance with the requirements
of Chapter 25.
Chapter 9 Health and
Sanitation, Article IVB,
Sec. 9-28B, 28B.81
Any person or entity in possession of a hazardous
substance, either as owner, agent, bailee, carrier or
otherwise, shall take all action necessary to
remedy the effects of the release of a hazardous
substance, including notifying the Department of
Public Health.
Chapter 13 Nuisances,
Article VII, Sec. 13-66
Addresses hazardous vegetation and/or
combustible material through enforcement of the
abatement procedures in the Hazardous
Vegetation/Combustible Material Abatement
Program.
Chapter 15 Recreation,
Article VII, Sec. 15-45
Restriction on public use of highland Springs
Reservoir Dam Primary Spillway.
Chapter 17 Subdivision
Regulation, Article XI, Sec.
17-62, 62.1
Any land development to which these FIRE
PROTECTION STANDARDS are applied must
provide a minimum of two different ingress and
egress routes to each homesite.
Chapter 17 Subdivision
Regulation, Article XI, Sec.
17-68, 68.1
Subdivisions or other residential developments of
land for residential units must comply with Section
4291 of the California Public Resources Code if
within or adjacent to areas of the County which fall
within the protection of said Section 4291.
Chapter 19
Transportation, Article X,
Sec. 19-117, 68.2
Fire safety regulations for airports.
Chapter 22 Burning
Regulations, Article II, 22-3
to 22-7
Burning limitations, control of fires, hours of
burning, suspension of burning, and use of
incinerators.
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Lake County Municipal Code
Regulation Summary
Chapter 25 Floodplain
Management, Sec. 25-5
Standards for construction in areas of special flood
hazards include: anchoring, construction materials
methods, and elevation floodproofing, standards
for utilities, subdivision and divisions of land,
standards for manufactured homes and
recreational vehicles, floodways.
Chapter 28-Groundwater,
Article 1, Sec. 28.03, 28.3
Extraction and exportation of groundwater outside
the County boundaries requires a permit.
Chapter 29 Storm Water
Management Ordinance,
Article III, Sec. 29-20 to 29-
26 Reduce pollutants in storm water discharges to the
maximum extent practicable and by prohibiting
non-storm water discharges.
Chapter 30 Grading, Sec.
30-12, 12.3.1)
Use of serpentine material as fill shall require an
Asbestos Dust Mitigation Plan. Import of
serpentine fill shall require a Lake County Air
Quality Management District-issued plan.
Chapter 30 Grading, Sec.
30-13, 13.1 b)
Construction of dams and reservoirs should avoid
locations identified on any published geology or
soils map as prone to slip or landslide without the
preparation of a Geotechnical Report.
LAKE COUNTY MUNICIPAL CODE ZONING ORDINANCE
Article 25, Sec. 21-25, 25.4.
Sec. 21-25-10, 25.11 to
25.15 Development of substandard older subdivision
(SOS) lots is subject to performance standards
including water, fire, and landslide risk.
Article 27, 27.11.1-Exhibit
A-Map a Geothermal
Setback Area, and (x) 2.
Required geothermal setback area. 2. An electrical
generation facility with a generating capacity in
excess of three (3) megawatts shall not be located
within that area indicated by Geothermal Setback
Area-Map A (Sec. 21-27.11.1).
Article 27, 27.11.1-(n) 1.,
(o) 1. and (x) 1.
A geothermal exploratory well(s) shall not be
drilled within one-half (1/2) mile of any populated
area (defined as ten (10) or more dwelling units
established within a quarter-mile diameter area) or
a recorded major subdivision (defined as five (5) or
more lots less than twenty (20) acres in size),
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Lake County Municipal Code
Regulation Summary
without the written consent of at least seventy-five
(75) percent of the property owners.
Article 27, 27.11.1 (x) 3. An electrical generation facility with a generating capacity in excess of three (3) megawatts shall be
limited to a parcel or contiguous parcels of not less
than five (5) acres.
Article 35, Sec. 21-35. 35.4,
35.5 Requires minor and major use permits for
properties situated in floodways, and along creeks
and streams to ensure for an adequate open
corridor to safeguard against the effects of bank
erosion, channel shifts, increased runoff or other
threats to life and property; and to prevent
property damage and safeguard the health, safety
and general welfare of the people by allowing the
passage of the one hundred (100) year flood.
Article 36, Sec. 21-36. 36.4,
36.5 Requires minor and major use permits for
properties and their improvements situated in the
floodplain to ensure protection from hazards and
damage which may result from flood waters.
Article 37, Sec. 21-37 , 37.4 Uses permitted with exceptions.
Article 39, Sec. 21-39, 39.6
to 39.9
Regulates the height of structures and objects of
natural growth in the vicinity of the County’s
airports.
Article 41, 41.4 to 41.9,
41.10, 41.11, 41.13, and
41.15 All uses permitted in Chapter 21 of the Lake
County Code shall comply with all applicable
performance standards of the base zoning district,
combining district, and as set forth herein, except
as provided in Section 41.3.
Article 55, Sec. 21-55 , 55.2
(g)
Applications may require: soils reports; drainage
plans; geologic, hydrologic, or
seismic investigations; archaeological reports;
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Lake County Municipal Code
Regulation Summary
biological studies; flood
hazard reports; market analysis; fiscal impact
studies; noise studies; traffic
and circulation studies or other pertinent studies
of a technical nature
Article 66, Sec. 21-66 (a) Public utility distribution and transmission line towers and poles, streetlights, public
communication systems and structures, and
underground facilities for distribution of gas,
water, local telecommunications, and electricity
shall be subject to the approval of a minor use
permit except to the extent that this ordinance is
preempted by state or federal regulations.
Article 71, Sec. 21-71. 71.6,
to 71.8
Requires minor and major use permits for the
collocation of wireless telecommunications
facilities on existing towers or poles with no
increase in height, and new or replacement
wireless telecommunication facilities.
LAKE COUNTY MUNICIPAL CODE OTHER ORDINANCES
Ordinance 3112 Prohibiting water hauling to commercial
agriculture operations including cannabis
cultivation sites.
Ordinance 3110 Prohibiting water hauling to unpermitted cannabis cultivation sites.
Ordinance 3106 Requires land use applicants to provide enhanced water analysis during a declared drought
emergency.
California Code of Regulations Title 14, Division 6, Chapter 3 California Environmental
Quality Act (CEQA) Statute
& Guidelines.
For all discretionary projects defined under the
CEQA as a "project".
191 | Page
IMPROVEMENT: Capacity building to increase ability to enforce current codes (including increasing staff, identify additional equipment needed, etc. (Responsible Department: Community Development)
Table 28: County Administrative and Technical Capabilities & Improvement Needs
Administrative and Technical
CAPABILITY YES/NO RESPONSIBLE IMPROVEMENT(S)
Engineers Yes Department of
Public Works
(DPW)
General improvement for
the entire Admin and
Technical:
• Current staff have
expertise and
experience,
however most
departments are
short-staffed or
understaffed.
Enhancing
relationships with
community
organizations and
other partners
could relieve some
of the risk reduction
/ mitigation action
burden from
departments.
Improvement:
identify,
develop/enhance
and implement
agreements
between
agencies/NGOs to
support mitigation
activities and risk
reduction.
Planners Yes Community
Development
Emergency
Manager
Yes Lake County OES
GIS Analyst Yes Information
Technology; limited
DPW
Building Inspector Yes Community
Development
Grant Writer No No department
has dedicated
grant writers. Each
department does
have staff that also
write grants.
Floodplain Manager Yes DPW/Water
Resources
Climate
Coordinator
Yes Admin – Climate
Resiliency Officer
Various committees
that directly or
indirectly impact
emergency
management
including risk
reduction
Yes • Healthcare
Coalition
• Disaster Council
• Risk Reduction
Authority
• Resource
Conservation
District (Firesafe
Council)
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Administrative and Technical
CAPABILITY YES/NO RESPONSIBLE IMPROVEMENT(S)
• Fire Chiefs
Association
• Regional law,
medical and
emergency
management
groups
• Also, increase
communication and
collaboration to
encourage NGO
long-term planning
to include or align
with County and
community risk
reduction needs.
(This may include
reviewing current
committees/groups
to identify who is
not present and
should be or
condensing groups
who share a
common purpose.)
Table 29: County Financial Capabilities and Improvement Needs Financial
CAPABILITY DETAIL IMPROVEMENT(S)
Administrative
and financial
procedures.
The Auditor-Controller’s office has
extensive policies for reviewing
any claims, journals, or deposits
submitted to our office. The
County is guided by the
purchasing policy, the finance
chapter of the Countywide
Policies and Procedures, and the
Fiscal Staff User Packet available
on the intranet. Those documents
together frame the requirements
for what is and is not required on
each claim.
Implementation of a
formal review, evaluation
and revision process.
(Responsible: AuditorController)
193 | Page
Financial
CAPABILITY DETAIL IMPROVEMENT(S)
Personnel The Auditor-Controller employs a
full-time Disaster Finance
manager responsible for all
aspects of emergency
management finances (including
mitigation).
Increase capacity through
the addition of one
additional position who
could focus on “blue-sky”
disaster finance (i.e.
mitigation activities), while
the current position
focuses on “emergency”
finance (i.e. state and
federal reimbursements
from disaster and local
response activities).
Possible
Funding
Sources
Property, Sales, income or special
purpose taxes
• NO
General Funds
• YES – used previously to
meet match requirements;
could be used in the future.
Utility Service, Impact or Other
Fees
• YES – used previously to
meet match requirements;
could be used in the future.
General Obligation or Special
Purpose Bonds
• Special Purpose have been
used.
• Either could be used in the
future. Requires extensive
time and planning.
Federal, State, Private
Grants/Funding
No ordinance in place for
this purpose.
Improvement:
draft/implement
ordinance(s). (Responsible:
Admin)
194 | Page
Financial
CAPABILITY DETAIL IMPROVEMENT(S)
• YES – used previously; will
be used in the future.
Table 30: Education and Outreach Capabilities and Improvement Areas Education and Outreach
CAPABILITY RESPONSIBLE IMPROVEMENT(S)
Public Information
Officer
• County Admin
• Lake County OES
• Health Services
Unify education and
outreach related to risk
reduction, hazards and
disaster preparedness/
prevention and response
across all County
Departments with an allPIO taskforce/meeting at
least quarterly, maybe
monthly.
Social Media • County of Lake:
• Health Services
• OES
• Social Services
• Probation
• Behavioral Health
• Library
• Public Works
• Local Fire Districts
• National Weather
Service (Eureka)
Community
Outreach
Events/Venues
Risk reduction is promoted
or could be promoted at
any outreach event. The
Lake County OES typically
attend annually:
• Lake County Fair
• Lakeport Night Out
• Other Main Street
Lakeport functions
Lake County OES lacks
materials to hand out.
Would benefit from
implementing an outreach
budget.
Hosted by NCO.
195 | Page
Education and Outreach
CAPABILITY RESPONSIBLE IMPROVEMENT(S)
Town Halls (regionally)
Neighborfests
North Shore Ready Fest
Homeowners Association
Events and meetings
Disaster Council, Risk
Reduction Authority
Meetings
Improvement: Additional
lead time in planning
and/or communication with
partners.
Fire Safe Councils &
Firewise
Communities
Various around the lake. Increased presence of the
core Lake County Fire Safe
Council to help smaller
areas develop, implement
and maintain community
councils.
Community
Organizations
Active in Disaster
(COAD)
In its formative state,
COAD’s goal is to enhance
resilience across the
County and is a hub of
NGOs, private and
government partners.
Non-Governmental
Organizations
Each provides a variety of
education and outreach to
vulnerable and general
population/communities in
Lake County. NGOs include,
but are not limited to:
• Red Cross
• North Coast
Opportunities (NCO)
• Salvation Army
196 | Page
Although identified actions within the Hazard Mitigation Plan may have unique limitations, the mitigation strategy is administratively achievable. Additional State and Federal funding would strengthen our countywide capacity to meet hazard mitigation-related challenges, and the County of Lake’s capacity, as well. The coordinated efforts this document represents have further developed relationships and capacities needed to achieve mitigation, and cultivated even greater public awareness of this as a matter of urgent priority. The County may seek additional funding via grants or take other measures to increase the identified capabilities to achieve mitigation.
To support the new HMP goals and objectives, the mitigation actions from 2023 were reviewed and assessed for their value in reducing risk and vulnerability to the Planning Area from identified hazards and evaluated for their inclusion in this HMP Update (See 1.2 What’s New or Updated).
Hazard Mitigation actions are essential to weaving long-term resiliency into all community recovery efforts so that at-risk infrastructure, development, and other community assets are stronger and more resilient for the next event. Mitigation measures to reduce the risk and vulnerability of a community to future disaster losses can be implemented in advance of a disaster event, as well as part of postdisaster recovery efforts.
Applying mitigation measures to recovery efforts improves community resilience and sustainability. It is often most efficient to fund all eligible infrastructure mitigation through FEMA’s Public Assistance mitigation program if the asset was damaged in a storm event. Mitigation work can be added to project worksheets if they can be proven to be cost-beneficial.
Applying mitigation measures to recovery efforts improves community resilience and sustainability.
All communities should consider integrating mitigation into post-disaster recovery efforts as part of their post-disaster redevelopment and mitigation policies and procedures.
The County Emergency Operations Plans seek to mitigate the effects of hazards, prepare to take measures that will preserve life and minimize damage, enhance response during emergencies and provide necessary assistance, and establish a recovery system to return the community to its normal state of affairs. The Plans emphasize mitigation as a major component of emergency management efforts. 197 | Page
16.2 Goals and Objectives
The working group and both jurisdictions developed the goals and objectives with input from the community, County Departments, and Operational Area partners and approval by the Planning Committee. The goals are consistent across the entire Planning Area, with each jurisdiction having its own objectives. The MJHMP to this point was reviewed to identify gaps, barriers, needs and capabilities that goals, objectives, and actions could achieve, meet, or rectify.
Goals were defined for the purpose of this mitigation plan as broad-based public policy statements that:
• Represent basic desires of the community
• Encompass all aspects of community, public and private • Are nonspecific, in that they refer to the quality (not the quantity) of the outcome
• Are future-oriented, in that they are achievable in the future • Are time-independent, in that they are not scheduled events.
Objectives are identified strategies that could meet each goal.
The 2025 Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Update goals and objectives are:
1. GOAL ONE: Minimize loss of life, injury and damage to property, the economy, and the environment from natural hazards.
a. Objective 1.1: Promote resilient building and land-use practices by hardening infrastructure to strengthen community resilience, critical infrastructure, and future development.
b. Objective 1.2: Strengthen wildfire prevention and community resilience by addressing tree mortality, enhancing hazard response planning and expanding fuel reduction actions.
c. Objective 1.3: Enhance hazard monitoring and response to improve readiness and reduce vulnerability to natural hazards.
2. GOAL TWO: Increase community awareness of natural hazards and shared responsibility in preparedness, response, mitigation, and recovery activities. a. Objective 2.1: Educate residents and businesses about natural hazards and mitigation practices through targeted outreach tailored to diverse populations.
b. Objective 2.2: Enhance public alert and emergency information systems.
198 | Page
3. GOAL THREE: Improve local mitigation capabilities that protect the community from natural hazards.
a. Objective 3.1: Reduce emergency incidents, enhance disaster preparedness and response capacity, and invest in infrastructure, equipment, and facilities to protect public safety and community assets.
16.3 Identification and Analysis of Mitigation Actions
To identify and select mitigation actions to support the mitigation goals, each hazard identified in Section 2.2 Hazard Identification was evaluated. Only those hazards that were determined to be a priority hazard were considered further in the development of hazard-specific mitigation actions.
These priority hazards (in alphabetical order) are:
• Aquatic Biological Hazards: Invasive Species
• Drought and Water Shortage
• Dam failure
• Earthquake
• Flood
• Levee Failure
• Severe Weather: Extreme Heat
• Severe Weather: Heavy Rains, Snow, Storms, and High Winds • Tree Mortality
• Wildfire
Once it was determined which hazards warranted the development of specific mitigation actions, the HMPC analyzed viable mitigation options that supported the identified goals and objectives. The HMPC was provided with the following list of categories of mitigation actions, which originate from the Community Rating System:
• Prevention (required to be evaluated)
• Property protection
• Structural projects
• Natural resource protection
• Emergency services
• Public information
In addition to prior mitigation actions, input from the community, County Departments, and Operational Area partners were incorporated into a 199 | Page
comprehensive list of potential actions. OES met with Departments individually to examine the comprehensive list and identify other potential actions. Discussion to identify potential actions specifically included brainstorming and consideration for how to best benefit the entire community including our vulnerable populations and underserved. (Review 4.2 Underserved Populations/Communities for explanation/definition.) Some mitigation actions considered, but ultimately deemed not worthy of inclusion in the plan are:
• Reduce fire risk to congested communities by purchasing a bulk of the homes.
Finally, a list of preferred mitigation actions by hazard was generated. The final list was narrowed to those that are likely to be started within five years.
16.3.1 Prioritization Process
To prioritize mitigation actions, the working group evaluated each action using the following STAPLEE20 criteria rubric:
STAPLEE CRITERIA
SOCIAL
Critical to the entire community?
Negative Impacts: -1
Minimal: 0
One Community: 1
1-2 “Shores”: 2
Entire Planning Area: 3
Community Acceptance?
Uniform Support: 1
No Opinion: 0
Opposition: -1
TECHNICAL
Technically feasible considering, for example, acquisition of right-of-way, easements or property that may be necessary?
Feasible with no extraordinary actions: 1
Feasible with extraordinary actions: -1
Not feasible at all: -2
Does the proposed project solve the problem or only a symptom? 20 The STAPLEE evaluation method uses seven criteria for evaluating a mitigation action: Social, Technical, Administrative, Political, Legal, Economic, and Environmental.
200 | Page
STAPLEE CRITERIA
Solves the problem: 2
Solves a symptom: 1
How long will it take to complete the project and is the time frame reasonable? Less than two years and reasonable time frame: 2
Less than 4 years and reasonable time frame: 1
More than four years but reasonable time frame: 0
Unreasonable time frame: -1
ADMINISTRATIVE
Capability? (Staff, time, funding)
Yes: 1
No: -1
Maintenance and Operations (staff/resources & funding?) Yes: 1
No: -1
POLITICAL
Comply with General Plan? Local Champion / BOS Support? Yes: 1
No: -1
LEGAL
Are there potential legal consequences or is the proposed project likely to be challenged by stakeholders who may be negatively affected? No: 1
Maybe: 0
Yes: -1
ECONOMIC
Is funding currently available to implement the proposed project? Yes, full funding is committed within the first year: 3 Yes, funding is spread over multiple years: 2
Partial funds have been identified: 1
No funds have been identified: 0
Does the cost of the proposed project seem reasonable for the size of the problem and likely benefits?
Yes, and a cost estimate has been done: 1
Yes, but a cost estimate has not been done: 0
No, the project cost seems to be unreasonable for
the size of the problem and the likely benefits: -1
ENVIRONMENTAL
201 | Page
STAPLEE CRITERIA
Is the proposed project in a floodplain or wetland or will it directly impact the natural and beneficial functions of a floodplain and wetland? Will benefit a floodplain or wetland: 1
Not applicable, unknown or no effect: 0
Negative effect on a floodplain or wetland: -1
A final STAPLEE score was assigned to each proposed action. Priority is ranked as follows:
• High given to those scoring 13-18 points
• Medium given to those scoring 9-12 points
• Low given to those scoring 5-8 points
• Scores of less than 4 are not included.
Section 16.4 Mitigation Actions
shows priority ratings as High, Medium or Low. If details change that increase or decrease the STAPLEE score, the project(s) may be reprioritized at a later date.
Those eliminated due to the prioritization process are listed in Table 31.
Table 31: Mitigation Actions Scoring less than 10 on STAPLEE and therefore, not prioritized.
42. Increase capacity to dispose of
hazardous materials
43. Dredge channels of Clear Lake
70. Develop funding/incentives for
property owners to remove hazardous
trees.
69. Replant burnt and/or beetle-killed
tree areas with native species trees and
brush, drought tolerant and firewise.
45. Public Facility Improvement in
Support of Emergency Events
67. Design and implement a "Certified
Home" program.
74. Lake County Special Districts, Spring
Valley Lake Reservoir Recovery
Actions eliminated since the 2023 Plan that are deemed no longer feasible or necessary:
• Actions 26, 28, 32 and 64 are not feasible within hazard mitigation projects and are being pursued with other processes.
• Actions 57, 59, 60, 61, 62 and 63 are combined with project 58. 202 | Page
Other actions eliminated since the 2023 Plan are:
• 2023 Actions 17, 16, 15, 29, 31, 39, 44, 47 because the lead agency, Hidden Valley Lake Community Services District, has their own Hazard Mitigation Plan and no longer requires action item inclusion in this plan. 203 | Page
16.4 Mitigation Actions
Mitigation Actions were determined by jurisdiction. The following actions are for Lake County. A Mitigation Action Crosswalk is available in Attachment 1 for renumbering from the 2023 HMP. Clearlake Actions are within the Clearlake Annex,
16.4 Mitigation Actions, and the Lakeport Actions are within the Lakeport Annex,
16.4 Mitigation Actions.
Acronyms:
• FMA = Flood Management Assistance
• HMPG = Hazard Mitigation Grant Program
• TBD = to be determined
Action 1 Continue and enhance local fuels reduction crew. (Formerly 68) This action involves maintaining and expanding the efforts of local fuels reduction crews to manage vegetation in areas prone to wildfires. By clearing excess fuels such as dry brush and overgrown vegetation, these crews play a critical role in reducing the intensity and spread of wildfires. Their work not only enhances the safety of communities but also protects critical infrastructure, reduces property damage, and minimizes the environmental impact of wildfires. This ongoing initiative is vital for creating defensible spaces and fostering long-term wildfire resilience.
Benefit: Reduces wildfire risk and enhances community safety by managing vegetation.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: General fund. Grants, potentially including HMGP or FMAP.
Lead Agency: Northshore Fire
Protection District
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
High Yes Yes No Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Property Protection Ongoing /Annual TBD Wildifre
Action 2 Big Valley Groundwater Sustainability Plan Implementation (Formerly 9) Investigation of groundwater resources and strategies to safeguard BV aquifir.
Benefit: Ensures long-term groundwater availability and supports water resource resilience.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: TBD potentially including HMGP or
FMAP
Lead Agency: Lake County Water
Protection District (LCWPD)
Supporting Agency(ies): Big Valley Band
of Pomo Indians
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
High Yes Yes No Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Property Protection
2042 (Per California’s Sustainable
Groundwater Management Act and Big
Valley Groundwater Sustainability Plan)
6m Drought
204 | Page
Action 3 Flood Protection Projects (Formerly 5)
2018 HMP Action 24.
Benefit: Minimizes flood risks and protects lives, property, and infrastructure.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: Flood Zone Distrcit Assessment Fees, FMAP & TBD
Lead Agency: Lake County Water
Protection District (LCWPD)
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
High Yes Yes Yes Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Property Protection Continuous 150k Flood
Action 4 Groundwater Management Plan Implementation
Investigation of groundwater resources and strategies to safeguard them. (2018 HMP Action 29) Benefit: Improves water quality and ensures sustainable water use.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: Blue Ribbon Committee for the Rehabilitation of Clear Lake & Other TBD
Lead Agency: Lake County Water
Protection District (LCWPD)
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
High Yes Yes No Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Prevention Continuous 4m Drought
Action 5 Inter-tie water system Soda Bay and Kelseyville providing additional water sources/redundancy
Increase water supply; second sources of water; fire protection Benefit: Increases water reliability during emergencies.
Comments & Updates, if applicable: added a hazardous
materials storage area at the Eastlake Landfill.
Financial Option: Grants, potentially including HMGP
Lead Agency: Lake County Special
Districts
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
Low Yes Yes N/A Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Property Protection;
Natual Resouce
Protection
3 years $4,000,000 Drought and Water
Storage; Wildfire
205 | Page
Action 6 Inundation Area Mapping & EAP - Update (Formerly 21) This action updates inundation maps and Emergency Action Plans to improve flood response, evacuation planning, and public safety near dams and water bodies.
Benefit: Enhances emergency preparedness and response during flood events.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: TBD, potentially including HMGP or FMAP Lead Agency: Lake County Water
Protection District (LCWPD)
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
Medium Yes Yes Yes Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Emergency Services TBD 100,000 Flood
Action 7 Additional water storage for North Lakeport water – adding additional tanks new Hill Road tank
Increase water supply; fire protection
Benefit: Enhances firefighting and drinking water availability.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: Grants potentially including HMGP and rates Lead Agency: Lake County Special
Districts
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
Low Yes Yes N/A Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Property Protection;
Natual Resouce
Protection
2 years $2,000,000 Drought and Water
Storage; Wildfire
Action 8 Seismic monitoring - (for Dams) (Formerly 20)
To ensure safety of dams and public. Surveyors, monuments installation.
Benefit: Improves dam safety and identifies potential
vulnerabilities to earthquakes.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: TBD, potentially including HMGP
Lead Agency: Lake County Water
Protection District (LCWPD)
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
Medium Yes No No Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Emergency Services Not yet determined 100,000 Earthquake 206 | Page
Action 9 Middle Creek Flood Damage Reduction and Ecosystem Restoration Project (Formerly 19) & Prevention. Flood damage prevention and ecosystem restoration to wetlands. Barriers- funding; non-willing sellers. (2018 HMP Action 26)
Benefit: Reduces flood risk and restores natural ecosystems.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: Currently purchasing parcels from willing sellers located within the Middle Creek Project area from the California Department of Water Resources Flood Corridor Grant Program. Additional funding TBD (including local and federal funding potentially including HMGP or FMAP).
Lead Agency: Lake County Water
Protection District (LCWPD)
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
Medium Yes Yes Yes Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Property Protection Ongoing 10m Flood
Action 10 Gravel Extraction from streams (Including levee road repair, infrastructure repair) (Formerly 13)
Flood control - stream maintenance. Contractor.
Benefit: Prevents stream blockage, mitigates flood risks, and supports infrastructure resilience.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: State DWR Funds
Lead Agency: Lake County Water
Protection District (LCWPD)
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
High Yes Yes Yes Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Prevention 3 years 1m/annually Flood
Action 11 Dreissenid Mussel Prevention (Formerly 1)
Prevention program. (2018 HMP Action 21)
Benefit: Protects water resources and aquatic ecosystems from invasive species.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: California Department of Boating and
Waterways (Quagga and Zebra Mussel Infestation Prevention Grant Program)
Lead Agency: Lake County Water
Protection District (LCWPD)
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
High Yes No No Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Prevention Continuous 500,000 annually Aquatic Hazards
207 | Page
Action 12 Develop notification plan & early warning infrastructure (dam failure) - including warning sirens (Formerly 23)
Planning & Implementation
Benefit: Enhances public safety through timely warnings during dam-related emergencies.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: TBD potentially including HMGP
Lead Agency: Lake County Water
Protection District (LCWPD)
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
Medium Yes No No Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Emergency Services Not yet determined 500,000 Dam Failure Action 13 Levee & Dam Rodent Control Planning & Implementation (Formerly 24) Consultant/vendor
Benefit: Prevents structural damage to levees and dams, maintaining their integrity.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: Flood Zone Distrcit Assessment Fees & TBD Lead Agency: Lake County Water
Protection District (LCWPD)
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
Medium Yes No No Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Property Protection Continuous 50,000/annually Levee Failure Action 14 Upgrades to SE Wastewater Treatment Plant Headworks to increase capacity/flow volume at the headworks
Increase capacity /flow volume at the headworks preventing spills in the system Benefit: Improves wastewater management and reduces
environmental impact.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: Rates
Lead Agency: Lake County Special
Districts
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
High Yes Yes No Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Prevention; Property
Protection 1 year $1,000,000 Severe Weather: Heavy
Rains
208 | Page
Action 15 Additional water sources to Spring Valley & North Lakeport (2 new wells) adding redundancy and capacity increasing
Increase water supply; second sources of water; fire protection Benefit: Ensures water availability and reliability during emergencies.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: Current Grant Funding
Lead Agency: Lake County Special
Districts
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
High Yes Yes No Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Property Protection;
Natual Resouce
Protection
1 year $2,380,500 Drought and Water
Storage; Wildfire
Action 16 Fire suppression using purple pipe (non-potable water) - Phase 1 Fire suppression
Benefit: Provides alternative water sources for firefighting, reducing demand on potable water.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: HMGP & FMA
Lead Agency: Lake County Special
Districts
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
High Yes No No Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Property Protection 2 years $2,000,000 Wildfire
Action 17 Fire suppression using Geyser Pipeline - Phase 1 Fire suppression
Benefit: Improves firefighting capabilities by utilizing existing infrastructure.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: HMGP & FMA, General Fund
Lead Agency: Lake County Special
Districts
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
Medium Yes No No Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Property Protection 2 years $1,000,000 Wildfire
209 | Page
Action 18 Sewer Infiltration & Inflow Mitigation (Formerly 14) Multi-year project. Estimated at 10 million. Project will reduce the effects of flooding/heavy storms, by Preventing sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) from making their way to natural water bodies and affecting human health.
Benefit: Reduces strain on wastewater systems and prevents environmental contamination.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) State Department of Water Resources (DWR) Environmental Protection Agency, FEMA
Lead Agency: Lake County Special
Districts
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
High Yes Yes No Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Prevention 5 years $10M Extreme Weather
(Storms)
Action 19 Kelsey Creek Fish Ladder Project at Main Street Kelseyville Kelsey Creek Fish Ladder Project. Aquire land or lease to protect Hitch with updated and functional fish ladder. Bridge stabilization that will ensure public safety during evacuations (including updating footers of bridge) and stream bank erosion. stabilization.
Benefit: Supports fish migration and enhances local aquatic ecosystems.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: CDFW; Caltrans
Lead Agency: County of Lake, Water
Resources
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
Medium No Yes No Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Natural Resources
Protection 1-3 years TBD Multi Hazards
210 | Page
Action 20 Lakebed Hazard Mitigation (Formerly 6)
Personnel, removal/abatement, remediation of threats to Clear Lake & Tributaries (i.e. floating trees poststorm, hazmat) Benefit: Reduces risks from lakebed hazards and improves public safety.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: Blue Ribbon Committee for the Rehabilitation of Clear Lake; Lakebed Management Funds; Cannabis Revenue Lead Agency: County of Lake, Water
Resources
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
High Yes No No Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Prevention
Continuous: Prioritization takes place
during wet weather season through
spring.
100,000 / annually Extreme Weather
(Storms)
Action 21 Water Quality Lake Monitoring (Formerly 2)
Monitor water quality trends important for public health, recreation and wildllife.
Benefit: Ensures water quality and protects public health and ecosystems.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: Blue Ribbon Committee for the Rehabilitation of Clear Lake
Lead Agency: County of Lake,
Water Resources
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
High Yes Yes No Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Natural Resources
Protection Continuous $150,000 annually Aquatic Hazards Action 22 Decon stations for boats (QM Prevention & Response) (Formerly 12) Decon stations for boats to prevent invasive species and cotnain any introductions.
Benefit: Prevents the spread of aquatic invasive species and protects water ecosystems.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: California Department of Boating and
Waterways (Quagga and Zebra Mussel Infestation Prevention Grant Program)
Lead Agency: County of Lake, Water
Resources
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
High Yes No No Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Natural Resources
Protection Continuous $2m Aquatic Hazards
211 | Page
Action 23 Implement drinking water / dry well remedies (Formerly 11) Extension of water intakes; dry well replacement; water hauling; potable water pipe Benefit: Addresses water shortages and ensures access to safe drinking water.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: State Water Resources Control Board and California Department of Water Resources Drought Grant
Programs
Lead Agency: County of Lake, Water
Resources
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
High Yes Yes No Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Emergency Services Continuous 3m Drought
Action 24 Post-Fire Water Quality Monitoring (Formerly 10) Post-fire monitoring of water quality to ID fire impacts to drinking water and wildlife habitat.
Benefit: Identifies and mitigates water quality impacts from wildfire events.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: Blue Ribbon Committee for the Rehabilitation of Clear Lake
Lead Agency: County of Lake, Water
Resources
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
High Yes Yes No Post-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Emergency Services Continuous < $10,000/year Aquatic Hazards Action 25 Elk Mountain Road Improvement
The goals of the project is to widenend the road in specific locations and perfom pavement rehabilitation to make the road more durable. Elk Mountain Road is the primary access road for emergency response through US Forest Service Land to the Pine Mountain Lookout and Lake Pilsbury area. The road has been and will be heavily used for fighting forest fires and was significatly damaged dureing past fire.
Benefit: Improves accessibility and safety for evacuation and emergency response.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: HMGP & FMA, General Fund
Lead Agency: County of Lake, Public
Works
Supporting Agency(ies): USFS
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
Medium Yes Yes No Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Property Protection 1-5 Years, Depending on
environmental findings $3m Wildfire, Tree Mortality, Severe Weather- storms 212 | Page
Action 26 Public Open Space / Regional Parks subject to wildfire Education & Outreach Awareness (Formerly 8)
Signage, other materials. Staff time.
Benefit: Raises public awareness and enhances preparedness for wildfire risks.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: Lake County General Fund
Lead Agency: County of Lake, Public
Services
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
High No Yes No Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Public Education and
Awareness 6 months 10,000 Wildifre
Action 27 Assess parks/rec for use in response to disaster to be completed in PRT Master Plan. (Formerly 7)
Staff time and coordination w/Other Departments, OES & BOS.
Benefit: Enhances planning for the use of recreational areas during emergencies.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: Lake County General Fund
Lead Agency: County of Lake, Public
Services
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
High Yes Yes No Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Emergency Services 6 months TBD Multi (or All) Hazards
Action 28 Solid Waste Management Emergency Planning (Formerly 3) Review and potential update to County Integrated Waste Management Plan. To identify emergency action plans for solid waste management.
Benefit: Improves waste management during disasters, reducing health and environmental risks.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: Lake County Solid Waste Enterprise Fund Lead Agency: County of Lake, Public
Services
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
High Yes Yes No Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Emergency Services 1 year Staff time. Multi (or All) Hazards 213 | Page
Action 29 Implement or enhance public education drills and other activities (including awareness, prevention, response actions) (Formerly 25)
Coordinate with operational area to increase public education drills for awareness.
Benefit: Improves communication and public access to
emergency information.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: CDBG grants, Homeland Security Grant
Program, general fund or HMGP
Lead Agency: County of Lake, OES
Supporting Agency(ies): Office of Ed,
other OA agencies
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
Medium Yes Yes No Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Public Education and
Awareness Annual - ongoing <$10,000 per year Multi (or All) Hazards Action 30 Grading Ordinance Revisions (Formerly 52)
Current grading ordinance is outdated, leaving the County susceptible to hazards related to landslides as well as stormwater management and runoff into the Clear Lake.
Project Description: Engage a consultant to develop a new grading ordinance that reflects current standards. (2018 HMP Action 38)
Benefit: Reduces erosion and mitigates flood and landslide risks.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: HMGP & FMA, General Fund; other TBD
Lead Agency: County of Lake,
Community Development Department
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
High Yes Yes No Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Prevention 1 Year 10,000 Extreme Weather
(Storms)
Action 31 Develop Oak Preservation Policy (Formerly 49) Development of ordinance to amend zoning code to create guidelines and regulations for culling of oak trees.
Public outreach needed. Limited staff resources.
Benefit: Protects local ecosystems and preserves biodiversity.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: HMGP & FMA, General Fund; other TBD
Lead Agency: County of Lake,
Community Development Department
Supporting Agency(ies): TERA, Audobon
Society, Sierra Club, Lake County Land
Trust
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
High No Yes No Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Prevention 2 Year 75,000 Tree Mortality
214 | Page
Action 32 Flood Insurance Outreach (Formerly 22)
PI & O w/billboard, commercials, materials, press, etc.
Benefit: Educates the public on flood insurance options, increasing resilience.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: TBD. FEMA currently provides brochures, flyers and other publications LCWPD has available for members of the public.
Lead Agency: County of Lake,
Community Development Department
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
Medium Yes Yes Yes Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Public Education and
Awareness Continuous 500,000 Flood
Action 33 Enhance Tree Mortality Awareness (Formerly 71) Increase capabilities to inform how to identify dying trees; understanding increasing threat, cause, remedies, etc.
Benefit: Addresses risks associated with dead trees, reducing wildfire hazards.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: CalFire, CCI, USDA
Lead Agency: County of Lake, Climate
Resilience Office
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
Medium No Yes No Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Public Education and
Awareness 3 years and ongoing $250k Tree Mortality
Action 34 CWPP Projects (Formerly 58)
Obstacles: funding, right of way, CEQA. (2018 HMP Action 58) Benefit: Improves wildfire preparedness and reduces community vulnerability.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: Grants, local budgets, potentially including HMGP.
Lead Agency: County of Lake, Climate
Resilience Office
Supporting Agency(ies): Fire Protection
Districts, Lake County Resource
Conservation District, Cal Fire, Fire Safe
Councils, and Fire Wise Communities.
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
High Yes Yes No Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Property Protection 1-5 years $5,000-50,000 each
project Wildifre
215 | Page
Action 35 Geothermic Gas Released Education and Awareness Public signage and education about smells, concerns and history.
Benefit: Raises awareness of geothermal gas risks and enhances public safety.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: Grants, local budgets. potentially including HMGP
Lead Agency: County of Lake, Air Quality
Management
Supporting Agency(ies): USGS
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
High No Yes No Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Public Education and
Awareness Continuous $25,000 Volcano & Geothermic Gasses Action 36 Assess critical/key facilities and identify Govt facilities to maintain operations. (Formerly 33)
Staff time and coordination w/Other Departments, OES & BOS. Consider heat island reduction strategies.
Benefit: Ensures essential services operate during disasters.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: Lake County General Fund
Lead Agency: County of Lake, Public
Services
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
Low Yes No N/A Both
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Property Protection 6 months Staff time. Multi (or All) Hazards 216 | Page
Action 37 New Long Valley Road Hillside Stabilization (Formerly 34) New Long Valley Road provides the only year-round access to the community of Spring Valley. Beginning approximately 1000 feet from the intersection of Highway 20, and extending an approximate distance of 2,100 feet, the westerly side of New Long Valley Road consists of a tall cut bank that routinely erodes and slides during the winter months. The Department of Public Works (DPW) spends a significant amount of time removing slide debris all winter along this section of roadway in order to keep the roadway open to the community. It is common for DPW to get notified during after-hours and weekends to remove slide debris.
Should New Long Valley Road be closed by slide debris, there would be no means of ingress or egress for the community of Spring Valley.
Project Description: Through a combination of slope reduction, placement of rock armoring, and revegetation, stabilize the erosive soils so that rain events won’t cause slide debris from impacting the county road. Project will require acquisition of right of way, removal of existing trees and brush, roadway excavation, installation of rock slope protection and erosion control measures.
Other Alternatives: Other slope armoring techniques exist such as soil-nails with gunite facing, however they are significantly more expensive than the proposed remediation method. (2018 HMP Action 34) Benefit: Prevents landslides and protects road access.
Comments & Updates, if applicable: estimated 2027
Financial Option: HMGP & FMA, General Fund; other TBD
Lead Agency: County of Lake, Water
Resources
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
Low Yes No Possibly Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Emergency Services 1-3 Years, Depending on
Environmental findings $3m Extreme Weather (Storms)
Action 38 Extension of boat ramps (for continued use of lake during drought) (Formerly 36) Extend existing boat ramps or construct modular access to maintain recreational lake use during periods of low water. This supports local tourism and economic activity while reducing congestion at limited access points.
Benefit: Maintains recreation economy during drought.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: Blue Ribbon Committee for the Rehabilitation of Clear Lake & Other TBD
Lead Agency: Lake County Water
Protection District and Lake County
Public Services
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
Low Yes No N/A Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Property Protection TBD $3m Drought
217 | Page
Action 39 Cyanobacterial Monitoring (Formerly 35)
monthy cyanotoxin shoreline moniting. Biweekly cyanotoxin monitoring for remaining months of the year.
Results shared with partners and public. (2018 HMP Action 20) Benefit: Protects public health from harmful algal blooms.
Comments & Updates, if applicable: In progress, anticipated completion date 2026
Financial Option: Potential funding sources: regional board funding, philanthropic sources
Current funding sources: US EPA Clean Water Act 106 program Past funding sources: BIA Water Resource, CalEPA EJ Small Grants Lead Agency: Big Valley Tribe and Elem
Colony
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
Low Yes Yes N/A Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Prevention Annual - ongoing TBD Aquatic Hazards
Action 40 Protective measures to flood proof public infrastructure (Formerly 37) Threat Analysis of public infrastructure and implementation of projects.
Benefit: Minimizes damage to structures from floodwaters.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: Unknown potentially including HMGP or FMAP Lead Agency: County of Lake, Public
Services
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
Low Yes Yes Yes Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Property Protection 2 years Analysis: $25-50k
Projects: TBD
Extreme Weather
(Storms)
Action 41 Full Circle Effluent Pipeline (Special Districts) -(Formerly 38) Reduces flooding and sewer overflows, protecting public health and waterways. Congressional funding will support an updated Preliminary Design Report (PDR) outlining alternatives to extend the Geysers Effluent Pipeline to Lakeport and Kelseyville WWTPs. Future Riviera connection may be feasible.
Benefit: Protects water quality and ensures system reliability.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) State Department of Water Resources (DWR) Environmental Protection Agency, FEMA Lead Agency: County of
Lake, Special Districts
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
Low Yes Yes Possibly Both
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Property Protection 10 years $50-80M Extreme Weather
(Storms)
218 | Page
Action 42 Anderson Springs Slide (Formerly 40)
Protect life, prevent roadway dsisruptions by installing/implementing debris flow mechanisms and control measures. (2018 HMP Action 36)
Benefit: Reduces slope failure risk and property loss.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: HMGP & FMA, General Fund; other TBD
Lead Agency: County of Lake, Public
Works
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
Low Yes No Possibly Both
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Property Protection 1-5 Years, Depending on
environmental findings $750,000 Extreme Weather (Storms) Action 43 Identify and support preventative maintenance and mitigation actions for public and private levees. (Formerly 41)
Increase awareness and develop outreach/programs to support levee maintenance and mitigation.
Benefit: Reduces flood risk to developed areas.
Comments & Updates, if applicable: CDD would like to be a partner agency.
Financial Option: Flood Zone Distrcit Assessment Fees, FMAP & TBD
Lead Agency: Lake County Water
Protection District and Lake County
Resource Conservation District
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
Low Yes Yes Yes Both
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Property Protection Continuous TBD Levee Failure
Action 44 Anderson Springs Secondary Access (Formerly 46) Anderson Springs Road provides the only means of ingress and egress to the community of Anderson Springs.
Should this road be closed by slide debris, fire, or any other activity there would be no means of ingress or egress for the community. (2018 HMP Action 10)
Benefit: Provides alternative evacuation route.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: HMGP & FMA, General Fund; other TBD
Lead Agency: County of Lake, Public
Works
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
Low Yes Yes Possibly Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Emergency Services 1-5 Years, Depending on
environmental findings $2m Wildifre
219 | Page
Action 45 Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan (ALUCP) (Formerly 50) An Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan is required to ensure compatibility of land uses near the airport, and to protect the current and future airports from hazards. Engage a consultant to update the ALUCP. (2018 HMP Action 12)
Benefit: Improves safety around airports and land use
compatibility.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: HMGP & FMA, General Fund; other TBD
Lead Agency: County of Lake,
Community Development Department
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
Low Yes Yes N/A Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Prevention 1 Year 75,000 Multi (or All) Hazards
Action 46 Climate Action Plan (Formerly 51)
California communities need to respond to climate change both through policies that promote adaptation and resilience and by significantly reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Project Description: Engage a consultant to develop a climate action plan either as part of the General Plan or a stand-alone plan to protect/enhance resources in response to short and long-term events. (2018 HMP Action 22) Benefit: Guides long-term resilience to climate-related hazards.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: Various grants
Lead Agency: County of Lake,
Community Development Department
Supporting Agency(ies): Research
team?
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
Medium Yes Yes N/A Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Prevention 1 Year 75,000 Multi (or All) Hazards
Action 47 County-Wide Evacuation Plan (Formerly 53)
Engage a consultant to create county-wide evacuation plan. (2018 HMP Action 13) Benefit: Identifies measures to implement to increase safety during disasters.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: HMGP & FMA, General Fund; other TBD
Lead Agency: County of Lake,
Community Development Department
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
Low Yes Yes N/A Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Prevention 2 Year 75,000 Wildifre
220 | Page
Action 48 Resiliency Plan (Formerly 54)
Engage a consultant to develop a community resiliency plan either as part of the General Plan or a standalone plan to protect/enhance resources in response to short and long-term events. (2018 HMP Action 11) Benefit: Coordinates efforts to reduce disaster risk.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: HMGP & FMA, General Fund; other TBD
Lead Agency: County of Lake,
Community Development Department
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
Low Yes Yes N/A Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Prevention 1 Year 75,000 Multi (or All) Hazards
Action 49 Dam Inundation Zone Study (Formerly 55)
Engage a consultant to study the impacts of climate change on dam inundation zones. (2018 HMP Action 28) Benefit: Identifies at-risk areas for improved evacuation planning.
Comments & Updates, if applicable: In progress- Lake County 2050 General Plan and Local Area Plans Update
Financial Option: HMGP & FMA, General Fund; other TBD
Lead Agency: County of Lake,
Community Development Department
Supporting Agency(ies): Research
team?
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
Low Yes Yes Yes Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Prevention 1 Year 75,000 Dam Failure
Action 50 Seismic Retrofit - Feasibility Study (Formerly 56) Engage a consultant to study feasibility for seismic retrofits.
Benefit: Reduces risk of structural collapse in earthquakes.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: HMGP & FMA, General Fund; other TBD
Lead Agency: County of Lake,
Community Development Department
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
Medium Yes No N/A Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Property Protection 1 Year 75,000 Earthquake
221 | Page
Action 51 Increase number of Firewise Communities (Formerly 65) Expand community participation in the national Firewise USA® program by supporting local defensible space projects, public education, and coordination with fire agencies. This initiative fosters neighborhood-level wildfire mitigation efforts and improves access to grant opportunities and insurance benefits.
Benefit: Builds community wildfire resilience.
Comments & Updates, if applicable: Potentially part of Lake County 2050 Safety Element & CAP
Financial Option: None needed. Outreach could be better with a budget. Possible grants include hazard mitigation funding, Cal OES or other foundations.
Lead Agency: Fire
Chiefs & Districts
Supporting
Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
Low Yes No N/A Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Public Education and
Awareness Annual - ongoing 0-10,000/year Wildifre
Action 52 Develop and/or enhance capabilities to reduce fuels and harden homes for eldery, lowincome and other AFN (Formerly 66) Implement targeted wildfire risk reduction for older adults, low-income, and AFN populations through home hardening, defensible space, and support services.
Benefit: Protects vulnerable populations from wildfire impacts.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: Possible HMGP, General Fund; other TBD , Cal OES or other foundations. Donations or sliding scale. Partnerships with other NGOs.
Lead Agency: Fire
Chiefs & Districts
Supporting
Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
Medium Yes No N/A Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Property Protection Annual - ongoing 50,000 / year Wildifre Action 53 Support development of waste woodybiomass utilization (Formerly 72) Identify, cultivate and implement programs, incentives to increase capacity (economic development, workforce, etc.) including potential for waste woody biomass utilization, tree pulp manufacturing, milling, bioenergy production, etc.
Benefit: Reduces wildfire fuels and supports local economy.
Comments & Updates, if applicable:
Financial Option: DOE, CalFire, USDA, DOI, USFS
Lead Agency: County of Lake,
Climate Resilience Office
Supporting Agency(ies):
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
Low Yes Yes N/A Pre-Disaster
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Natural Resources Protection Ongoing $5mil Tree Mortality 222 | Page
Action 54 Increase existing capability to remove trees (Formerly 73) Utilize and enhance existing resources/training for Fuels Reduction Crew(s), others.
Benefit: Decreases fire risk and storm-related damage.
Comments & Updates, if applicable: This was included for funding in an Adaptation Planning Grant Program. However, none of the listed partners recall exactly what this project is. So far, consensus is it has to do with fire suppression/hydrants/accessible water storage.
Financial Option: USDA, DOI, PG&E, CALFIRE, OPR, SGC
Lead Agency: County of Lake, Climate
Resilience Office
Supporting Agency(ies): Lake County
Resource Conservation District , Clear
Lake Environmental Research Center,
Tribal EcoRestoration Alliance
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
Low Yes Yes N/A Both
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Emergency Services Ongoing $750K+ Tree Mortality
Action 55 Old Long Valley Road - Low Water Crossing (Formerly 27) Long Valley Creek. Requires a structure installation to make passable as a secondary access for Spring Valley.
Benefit: Enhanced safety for wildfire evacuation. Creates a second ingress/egress for residents.
Comments & Updates, if applicable: ETA: 9/2029. Added the project to the County's Draft Capital Improvement Plan. Need funding.
Financial Option: Possible HMGP, General Fund; other TBD Lead Agency: Department of Public
Works
Supporting Agency(ies): Lake County
Special Districts, Spring Valley
Homeowners Association
Priority: Addresses Current
Development?
Addresses Future
Development?
Compliant with
NFIP?
Pre or Post
Disaster?
Low Yes Yes N/A Both
Action Type: Timeframe: Cost Estimate: Hazard:
Emergency Services 1-3 Years, Depending on
Environmental findings $750K+ Wildfire
223 | Page
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: Continued Compliance with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)
17.1 NFIP Compliance
Given the flood hazard in the Planning Area, an emphasis will be placed on continued compliance with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) by all communities and participation by Lake County in the Community Rating System (CRS).
This Hazard Mitigation Plan was prepared following a standard planning process with CRS and NFIP considerations. To enhance clarity, additional information is offered in this section.
Step 1. View the Resolution establishing a committee.
Step 2. Five members of the public are appointed to the Planning Committee. Five public information sessions were held during the project period to solicit public input. Additionally, the library system, website, social media accounts and public notice boards were utilized to share information to solicit information from the public.
All public information sessions were held separately from the committee and working group meetings. Sessions were held inperson within various communities around the County, in both cities and virtually. The first session was held at the onset of the project start, the fifth at the conclusion when the plan was open for public review.
The website (https://www.lakesheriff.com/about/oes/hmp) explains the planning process, offers time and location information for committee meetings and public information sessions, in addition to the agenda, presentation and some recordings, the draft plan, public survey and the previous plan.
A survey inquiring about specific hazards, problems and solutions is made available to the entire County.
Detailed below is a description of Lake County’s flood management program to ensure continued compliance with the NFIP. Additional considerable factors are the numerous flood mitigation actions contained in this LHMP that support the ongoing efforts by the County to minimize the risk and vulnerability of the community to the flood hazard and to enhance their overall floodplain management program. 224 | Page
17.1.1 Lake County’s Flood Management Program
NFIP Participation
Lake County has participated in the Regular Phase of the NFIP since October 17, 1978. Since then, the County has administered floodplain management regulations that meet the minimum requirements of the NFIP. Under that arrangement, residents and businesses paid the same flood insurance premium rates as most other communities in the country.
Adoption of Floodplain Ordinance and FIRMs
The County of Lake adopted the current floodplain ordinance, Chapter 25 – “Floodplain Management” (Floodplain Ordinance) into the County Code on May 5, 1987. This ordinance incorporated the Flood Insurance Study performed for Lake County dated September 30, 1992, accompanying Flood Insurance Rate MapsFlood Boundary and Floodway Maps, and all subsequent amendments and/or revisions. Furthermore, the Floodplain Ordinance required a one foot (1’) buffer between the finish floor of any structure or equipment servicing the structure and the Base Flood Elevation (BFE).
New Structures and Substantial Improvements must comply with FEMA and Building Code Regulations, including all mechanical, electric and solar equipment.
Implementation and Enforcement of Floodplain Regulations Lake County enforces its local floodplain management regulations through a coordinated process involving plan review, permit issuance, Elevation Certificate verification, and construction inspections by the Building Division and Water Resources Department, ensuring all SFHA development complies with the adopted Floodplain Ordinance and NFIP requirements.
The Floodplain Ordinance is implemented and enforced through combined effort from the Water Resources Department and the Community Development Department Building Division (CDD). Technical questions, BFE determinations, review of pre-construction, during construction, and post-construction Elevation Certificates are all performed by Water Resources staff, while plan review, permitting and construction inspection are done by the Building Division. The Director of the Water Resources Department is designated as the Floodplain Manager by the Floodplain Ordinance.
Substantial Improvement and Post-Disaster Compliance
Substantial Damages and Substantial Improvements are both defined in the County Floodplain Ordinance. Each is determined by comparing the loss/improvement 225 | Page
against the market value of the structure. For improvement projects, “substantial improvement” is evaluated by the Chief Building Official working collaboratively with the Water Resources Director (Floodplain Manager) during the building permitting process. Following a storm event involving damage to structures, the same team works with the affected property owner to establish the appropriate level of damages.
CRS Participation and Public Outreach
The County of Lake participates in the Community Rating System (CRS) through the NFIP. Currently, Lake County has a Class 7 Rating, which affords Lake County residents a 15% discount on their flood insurance policies. The County received our re-certification in August 2022, which included the notification that we scored a 100% correct rate on the review of a representative sample of our Elevation Certificates. In addition to overseeing and implementing the Floodplain Ordinance requirements, the County also performs public outreach before winter rain seasons to advise property owners to obtain and keep flood insurance.
The County will continue to manage its floodplains in compliance with the NFIP and CRS programs. An overview of the County’s NFIP/CRS status and floodplain management programs is discussed on Table 32. Additional information on the County’s participation in the CRS program appears after the table.
Table 32: Lake County NFIP Status
NFIP Topic Comments
Insurance Summary
How many NFIP policies are in the
community? What is the total premium
and coverage?
745 policies
$877,102 of insurance in force
$1,146,609 in annual premiums
How many claims have been paid in the
community? What is the total amount
of paid claims? How many of the claims
were for substantial damage?
1021 closed paid losses totaling
$10,497,729
44 substantial damage claims since
1978
How many structures are exposed to
flood risk within the community?
3,563 (1% Annual Chance))
1,045 (0.2% Annual Chance)
Repetitive Loss and Severe Repetitive
Loss Properties
113 Repetitive Loss Properties
14 Severe Repetitive Loss Properties
Type(s) of properties are not available
at the time of this Update.
226 | Page
NFIP Topic Comments
Describe any areas of flood risk with
limited NFIP policy coverage
Undetermined
Administration
Is the Community Floodplain
Administrator or NFIP Coordinator
certified?
No
Provide an explanation of NFIP
administration services (e.g., permit
review, GIS, education or outreach,
inspections, engineering capability)
Permit review, inspections, engineering
review, floodplain determination, BFE
determination
What are the barriers to running an
effective NFIP program in the
community, if any?
Public disbelief in the flood threat
Compliance History
Is the community in good standing with
the NFIP?
Yes
Are there any outstanding compliance
issues (i.e., current violations)?
Yes
When was the most recent Community
Assistance Visit (CAV) or Community
Assistance Contact (CAC)?
CAV 3/2/2012
CAC 8/4/2016
Is a CAV or CAC scheduled or needed? No
Regulation
When did the community enter the
NFIP?
1979
Are the FIRMs digital or paper? Digital
Do floodplain development regulations
meet or exceed FEMA or State
minimum requirements? If so, in what
ways?
Yes |3' freeboard for houses on the
shoreline without a seawall or other
shore protection.
3' freeboard in Anderson Springs.
Provide an explanation of the
permitting process.
Applications accepted by Building
Division and review by technical staff
for floodplain review and determination
of need for an elevation certificate or
floodplain development permit.
Community Rating System (CRS)
Does the community participate in CRS? Yes
227 | Page
NFIP Topic Comments
What is the community’s CRS Class
Ranking?
7 What categories and activities provide
CRS points and how can the class be
improved?
The CRS program has been somewhat
overlooked in the past few years due to
its transition to different staff. The
County is committed to bringing more
time to the CRS program.
Does the plan include CRS planning
requirements?
Yes
Source: FEMA/Community Development Department 2024
The activities credited by the CRS program provide direct benefits to Lake County and its residents, including:
• Enhanced public safety.
• A reduction in damage to property and public infrastructure. • Avoidance of economic disruption and losses.
• Reduction of human suffering.
• Protection of the environment.
The activities that Lake County implements and receives CRS credits for include:
• Activity 310 – Elevation Certificates: The Lake County Water Resources Department maintains elevation certificates for new and substantially improved buildings. Copies of elevation certificates are made available upon request. Elevation Certificates are also kept for post-FIRM and pre-FIRM buildings.
• Activity 320 – Map Information Service: Lake County provides inquirers with basic flood zone information from the community’s latest Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) and additional FIRM information, information about problems not shown on the FIRM, and as available, historical flood information. Records are maintained.
• Activity 330 – Outreach Projects: Credit is provided for informational outreach projects that include brochures in public buildings, general outreach projects that include mailers to the entire community, posts on social media and community events, and targeted outreach projects that include letters to repetitive loss areas and flood prone properties. These projects are disseminated annually. Credit is also provided for having a preflood plan for public information. 228 | Page
• Activity 340 – Hazard Disclosure: Credit is provided for the local real estate agents disclosure of flood hazards to prospective buyers. Credit is also provided for state regulations requiring disclosure of flood hazards. Real estate agents provide a brochure advising prospective buyers about insurance and checking property flood hazards.
• Activity 350 – Flood Protection Information: Documents relating to floodplain management are available in the reference section of the Lake County Public Library. Floodplain information is available on the County website.
• Activity 360 – Flood Protection Assistance: Lake County provides one-onone advice for property flood protection and performs site visits as needed. • Activity 420 – Open Space Preservation: Credit is provided for preserving approximately 35% of the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) as open space, protecting open space land with deed restrictions, and preserving open space land in a natural state. Credit is also provided for regulations and incentives that minimize development in the SFHA.
• Activity 430 – Higher Regulatory Standards: Credit is provided for enforcing regulations that require development limitations, freeboard for new and substantial improvement construction, foundation protection, cumulative substantial improvement, enclosure limits and local drainage protection. Credit is also provided for the enforcement of building codes, a BCEGS Classification of 3/3, other higher standards, state-mandated regulatory standards, and regulations administration.
• Activity 440 – Flood Data Maintenance: Credit is provided for maintaining and using digitized maps in the day-to-day management of the floodplain.
Credit is also provided for establishing and maintaining a system of benchmarks and maintaining copies of all previous FIRMs and Flood Insurance Study Reports.
• Activity 450 – Stormwater Management: Lake County enforces the stormwater ordinance for stormwater management, low-impact development, soil and erosion control, and water quality, and has a watershed master plan.
• Section 502 – Repetitive Loss Category: Based on the updates made to the NFIP Report of Repetitive Losses as of December 11, 2011, Lake County, CA has 123 repetitive loss properties and is a Category C community for CRS purposes. The County has a Floodplain Management Plan.
• Activity 540 – Drainage System Maintenance: A portion of the community’s drainage system is inspected regularly throughout the year and maintenance is performed as needed. Credit is also provided for listing 229 | Page
problem sites that are inspected more frequently, and for implementing an ongoing Capital Improvements Program. The community enforces a regulation prohibiting dumping in the drainage system, and annually publicizes the regulation. The cities inspect their storm drainage systems regularly. Both the cities and the County prohibit dumping into storm drains. • Activity 610 – Flood Warning and Response: Credit is provided for a program that provides timely identification of impending flood threats, disseminates warnings to appropriate floodplain residents, and coordinates flood response activities.
• Activity 630 – Dams: Credit is provided for a State Dam Safety Program. The two Dams operated by the County (Highland Springs and Adobe Creek) are inspected twice per year and we have existing Emergency Action Plans for each.
• Activity 710 – County Growth Adjustment: All credit in the 400 series is multiplied by the growth rate of the county to account for growth pressures.
The growth rate for Lake County, CA is 0.70.
17.1.2 Clearlake’s Flood Management Program
The City of Clearlake has participated in the Regular Phase of the NFIP since October 10, 1978. Since then, the City has administered floodplain management regulations that meet the minimum requirements of the NFIP. Under that arrangement, residents and businesses pay the same flood insurance premium rates as most other communities in the country.
The City does not currently participate in the CRS program, but will evaluate the overall value of joining CRS in the future during the implementation phase of this MJHMP.
Section 16.5, Compliance with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) in the Clearlake Annex, provides additional information on Clearlake’s participation in NFIP.
17.1.3 Lakeport’s Flood Management Program
The City of Lakeport has participated in the Regular Phase of the NFIP since September 1, 1978. Since then, the City has administered floodplain management regulations that meet the minimum requirements of the NFIP. Under that arrangement, residents and businesses pay the same flood insurance premium rates as most other communities in the country.
230 | Page
The City does not currently participate in the CRS program, but will evaluate the overall value of joining CRS in the future during the implementation phase of this MJHMP.
Section 16.5, Compliance with the National Flood Insuring Program (NFIP) in the Lakeport Annex, provides additional information on Lakeport’s participation in NFIP.
231 | Page
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: Plan Adoption and Maintenance
18.1 Adoption
The 2025 Lake County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Update Board of Supervisor’s adoption resolution will be included at the start of this Plan once complete. The 2025 Lake County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan is FEMA approvable pending adoption by the jurisdiction as of August 12, 2025. The resolutions for adoption for each jurisdiction are within their respective Annexes in sections 17.1.
This plan is a living document, expected to guide actions within the Planning Area over time. As new scientific data or general information becomes available and as actions are processed, it may be updated or revised. By conducting a formal adoption process, the County solidifies its commitment to overall community resilience to disaster and mitigating hazards.
18.2 Implementation
After Cal OES/FEMA review, and approval and local adoption by all jurisdictions, the MJHMP will be ready to implement. All stakeholders will be notified that the Plan is current, and the mitigation strategy ready to begin.
18.2.1 Continued Public Involvement
Residents of Lake County, Clearlake, and Lakeport will stay informed about MJHMP actions through the Lake County OES website and annual progress report updates.
Upon the initiation of the MJHMP update process as outlined in 18.3.2, a new public involvement strategy will be initiated based on the guidance from the HMPC. This strategy will be based on the needs and capabilities of the jurisdictions at the time of the update.
18.2.2 Integration with Other Planning Mechanisms
The effectiveness of the MJHMP depends on implementing the plan and incorporating the outlined actions into existing plans, policies, and programs. The MJHMP includes hazard, risk, and vulnerability profiles based on the best data available at the time of the plan. Additionally, the mitigation actions can be implemented through the creation of new educational programs, interagency coordination, or improved public partnership. Planning processes and programs to be coordinated with the recommended of the MJHMP include the following:
• Lake County EOP
• Clearlake EOP
• Lakeport EOP
• Building Codes
232 | Page
• Climate Vulnerability Assessment
• FEMA BRIC Information
• Lake County General Plan
18.3 Maintenance
18.3.1 Ongoing
Not less than annually, and following any significant hazard event or disaster declaration, the Lake County OES in coordination with Clearlake and Lakeport will conduct a maintenance review for effectiveness and progression of the mitigation actions. The review will identify changing community priorities, updated or new planning documents and progress/status identified within the Mitigation Strategy.
Additional questions to complete the review will be considered as follows:
• Do the goals address current and expected conditions? • Are the goals and objectives consistent with changes in local, state and federal policy?
• Complete status update on all mitigation projects. What strategies should be revised?
• Has the nature or magnitude of risks changed considering both current and expected conditions?
• Are the current resources appropriate for implementing the HMP? • Are there implementation problems, such as technical, political, legal or coordination issues with other agencies?
• Have the outcomes occurred as expected?
• Did the County and participating agencies and other partners participate in the plan implementation process as assigned?
To accomplish the review, the OES Manager, under the direction of the Deputy OES Director will:
• Coordinate with participating jurisdictions, the City of Clearlake and the City of Lakeport, on the review, update, and approval process. • (60 days ahead or approximately September each year) Notify each responsible lead agency of the pending review including, but not limited to:
o Request for completion of a mitigation action update form, which will include items from the bullet points above, and also replicate “Worksheet 9: Action Monitoring Form”, from FEMA’s 2023 Local Mitigation Planning Handbook .
o Request for input regarding community priorities (and supporting data if available), updated or new planning documents.
o Availability of OES to discuss actions verbally if necessary. 233 | Page
o (40 days ahead) Deadline for response.
• Compile an electronic document summarizing the information compiled. (i.e. spreadsheet).
• (30 days ahead) Use the compiled information to report to Department heads, Disaster Council meetings, and the public (via social media and website) and any other interested parties, with a request for feedback. • Incorporate feedback into the final report and publish online with the HMP. • (November, annually) Issue final report including HMP effectiveness evaluation.
o Effectiveness metrics may include a review of the risk assessment.
Public information and education about hazards, mitigation and the Plan will continue throughout the year. During each review, public input and participation will be incorporated using the same methods that guided this Update (social media, traditional media, public library, website and inclusion into Disaster Council meetings).
18.3.2 Five-year Update
Lake County OES will initiate the 2029 Update no later than January 30, 2028. If funding is necessary to complete the update, Lake County OES will seek funds in the 2027 grant cycle.
To accomplish the Update, the OES Manager, under the direction of the Deputy OES Director will:
1) (30-24 months ahead of plan expiration) Monitor grant(s) that may fund the Update project. Coordinate grant application(s) when due. 2) (24-12 months ahead of plan expiration) Convene a planning team and complete stakeholder and public outreach that will:
a. Identify new plans, studies, reports and technical information that pertain to Lake County’s vulnerabilities.
b. Validate or update the hazard list.
c. Update hazard profiles to include events that occurred since the last plan.
d. Validate or update community capabilities.
e. Validate or update community assets.
f. Update the risk assessment based on the above.
g. Update the mitigation strategy based on the new risk assessment and completed annual reviews.
h. Address changes in development and changes in priorities, if any. i. Document and describe the plan update process.
234 | Page
j. Incorporate public comment and input.
CHAPTER NINETEEN: Figures, Tables & Data Sources
19.1 List of Figures
Figure 1: Mitigation Action Overview .............................................................................11 Figure 2: Example Stakeholder Invitation to Participate in the Hazard Mitigation Planning Process from October 1, 2024 .......................................................22 Figure 3: Invitation to Tribal Leaders .............................................................................23 Figure 4: Hazard Mitigation Planning Joint Press Release............................................26 Figure 5: Map of Lake County Cities, Towns, Communities, and Highways...............45 Figure 6: Lake County, California....................................................................................46 Figure 7: Possible 1906 Earthquake Damage (Lakeport) .............................................48 Figure 8: Lake County Demographics ............................................................................49 Figure 9: Lake County Vulnerable Populations Compared to California....................50 Figure 10: FEMA's Social Vulnerability Maps. ................................................................51 Figure 11: Top Three Commodities for the County ......................................................60 Figure 12 Photo courtesy of Lake County Sheriff's Office............................................62 Figure 13: Fire Hazard Severity Zones............................................................................64 Figure 14: Konocti Wind - Morning.................................................................................66 Figure 15: Konocti Wind - Afternoon..............................................................................67 Figure 16: Air Quality for August 28, 2020.....................................................................74 Figure 17 A USGS Early Warning Alert notifies Lake County residents of an earthquake detection ahead of impact on December 5, 2024 at approximately 10:45 AM.................................................................................79 Figure 18: Collayomi Scenario.........................................................................................80 Figure 19 Hunting Creek Scenario..................................................................................81 Figure 20 Active Faults in and near Lake County ..........................................................83 Figure 21 Shakemap 7.5 Earthquake scenario..............................................................94 Figure 22 A cyanobacteria bloom near the shore of Clear Lake. ................................95 Figure 23 Trigger Levels for Human and Animal Health (Cyanotoxin) .......................99 Figure 24 Photo of drought impacts on Clear Lake from Lakeport, facing Mt. Konocti late 2022. Photo Courtesy of City of Lakeport............................................105 Figure 25 Lake County Drought Classification During the Last Drought..................107 Figure 26 Historical photo of the Keys flooding in 1983. ...........................................111 Figure 27: Lake County Flood Map...............................................................................113 Figure 28 NFIP Flood Zones in Lake County ................................................................117 Figure 29 Middle Creek Flood Control project levee in early spring, unknown date.
Photo courtesy of Lake County Water Resources......................................133 Figure 30 Lake County – Local Levees Map................................................................. 135 235 | Page
Figure 31 Lake County Levee System 7 at Hidden Valley Lake as shown in the National Levee Database including the levee (purple line) and levee protected area (purple shading). .................................................................136 Figure 32 Scotts Creek Levee as show in the National Levee Database including the levee (purple line) and levee protected area (purple shading).................137 Figure 33 Lake County Levee Protected Areas............................................................140 Figure 34 An aerial view at an unknown date of the Indian Valley Dam, courtesy of Yolo County Flood Control District. .............................................................143 Figure 35 Lake County Dams ........................................................................................149 Figure 36: Lake County Dam Failure and Inundation Maps ......................................154 Figure 37 A hot summer day in Northern Lakeport, August 2024............................159 Figure 38 Cal Adapt's Extreme Heat Tool ....................................................................163 Figure 39 FEMA's National Risk Index rating for Lake County...................................164 Figure 40 An unexpected snow day: ............................................................................165 Figure 41 NWS: Eureka Advisory & Warnings History (Wind) ....................................169 Figure 42 Vegetation Loss due to Tree Mortality ........................................................173 Figure 43 Tree Mortality and Population.....................................................................176 Figure 44: Volcanic Vent from Mt. Konocti in Clear Lake State Park.........................177 Figure 45: Active Volcanoes in California and in the Lake County Area ...................178 Figure 46 Magmatic storage region's depiction. Captured from Mitchell, et al, “Imagining the magmatic plumbing of the Clear Lake Volcanic Field using 3-D gravity inverstion” printed in the Journal of Volcanic and Geothermal Research (2023). ............................................................................................181 Figure 47 A view of the Clear Lake volcanic field. .......................................................182
19.2 List of Tables
Table 1: List of Planning Committee Members and Agency/Group Represented.....13 Table 2: Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee Meetings .........................................14 Table 3: Public Information Sessions .............................................................................14 Table 4: Participation.......................................................................................................15 Table 5: Operational Area Contacts (Excluding County Departments).......................18 Table 6: Lake County Disaster Declarations ..................................................................30 Table 7: Hazards for 2025 Inclusion Ranking ................................................................32 Table 8: Hazard Identification Table...............................................................................36 Table 9: Values – 2025 Unincorporated Parcels, Land and Improved Structures .....57 Table 10 Agricultural Land (California Department of Conservation’s Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program (FMPP))..................................................60 Table 11 Lake County Crop Production Values.............................................................61 236 | Page
Table 12 Fire Responsibility Area Population and Parcels at Risk...............................76 Table 13 Lake County – Count and Values at Risk in Local, State, and Federal Responsibility Areas by Property Use with Contents Replacement Values ...........................................................................................................................77 Table 14 Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) Scale .........................................................84 Table 15 Summary of social impact and economic loss ..............................................93 Table 16 SWRCB Harmful Algal Bloom and Illness Reports in California .................100 Table 17 Probability of Future Aquatic Hazard Events...............................................101 Table 18 Water Body Flood Analysis ............................................................................125 Table 19 Lake County Dam Inventory..........................................................................145 Table 20 Total Population at Risk to Dam Inundation Flooding................................156 Table 21 Population at Risk to Each Dam Inundation Flooding ................................156 Table 22 Lake County – Values and Parcels by Dam Inundation Area* ...................157 Table 23 Lake County – Critical Facilities in Dam Inundation Areas .........................158 Table 24 National Weather Service Heat Risk Categories..........................................160 Table 25 NWS: Eureka Advisory & Warnings History..................................................161 Table 26 National Weather Services: Eureka Office Record High Temperatures in Lake County ...................................................................................................161 Table 27 County of Lake Regulations that Address Hazards.....................................186 Table 28 County Administrative and Technical Capabilities & Improvement Needs .........................................................................................................................191 Table 29 County Financial Capabilities and Improvement Needs ............................192 Table 30 Education and Outreach Capabilities and Improvement Areas ................194 Table 31 Mitigation Actions Scoring less than 10 on STAPLEE and therefore, not prioritized.......................................................................................................201 Table 32 Lake County NFIP Status................................................................................225 237 | Page
19.3 Data Sources
The profiles were completed utilizing web-based research and a review of plans, current reports and other available documents. Only high-quality, consistent, peer reviewed and publicly accessible data sources are used. Where possible, other County and State plans were incorporated.
Unless otherwise cited, data sources used frequently include:
• CAFR (Annual Financial Report from the Auditor’s Office):
https://www.lakecountyca.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/125 • Map of Lake County in California. By David Benbennick - The maps use data from nationalatlas.gov, specifically countyp020.tar.gz on the Raw Data Download page. The maps also use state outline data from statesp020.tar.gz.
Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=570010 • Intensified burn severity in California’s northern coastal mountains by drier climatic condition - IOPscience
• Wildfire and Climate Change | U.S. Geological Survey (usgs.gov) • Latest Earthquakes (usgs.gov)
• Can Climate Affect Earthquakes, Or Are the Connections Shaky? – Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet (nasa.gov)
• Warmwater Aquatic Fauna and Climate Change | Climate Change Resource Center (usda.gov)
• Roghair, C.; Adams, S. B. 2019. Warmwater Aquatic Fauna and Climate Change. (April 2019). U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Climate Change Resource Center. http://fs.usda.gov/ccrc/topics/aquaticecosystems/warmwater-aquatic-fauna • California Water: Assessment of Toxins for Community Health (Cal-WATCH) Study Calwatch drinking water fact sheet (trackingcalifornia.org) • The Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale | U.S. Geological Survey (usgs.gov) • (Page 37, DePalma-Dow & Cowan 2018
https://www.energy.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2019-11/Reg_Report-SUMCCCA4-2018-001_NorthCoast_ADA.pdf) • DePalma-Dow et al. 2022
https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ecs2.4271 • Big valley 2021
https://www.bvrancheria.com/_files/ugd/f2d74c_13159c520c1d44ab8a11287 6ae6a6593.pdf)
• (Kennard 2021)
https://watermanagement.ucdavis.edu/files/3816/3364/0833/Kennard_Thesi s.pdf
238 | Page
• https://www.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/uploads/dnrc_economic_cost_dreissei d_mussels_0119.pdf
• (Page 37, DePalma-Dow & Cowan 2018
https://www.energy.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2019-11/Reg_Report-SUMCCCA4-2018-001_NorthCoast_ADA.pdf) • DePalma-Dow et al. 2022
https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ecs2.4271 • U.S. Quaternary Faults (arcgis.com)
• California Earthquake Map - Fault Lines, Zones & Risks by County | CEA (earthquakeauthority.com)
• Heat Watch vs. Warning (weather.gov)
• Upper Lake Feasibility Study 12.7.21
• https://www.lakecountyca.gov/1239/What-Can-You-Do
• Primrose | Lake County, CA
• QZ Containment & Transition Plan | County Of Lake Dreis • Lake County | Lake County Mussel Prevention
• Clear Lake Integrated Science Symposium 2024 | Lake County, CA • https://mywaterquality.ca.gov/habs/what/index.html
• https://www.drought.gov/states/california
• https://nfipservices.floodsmart.gov/reports-flood-insurance-data 239 | Page
Attachment 1: 2023 to 2025 Mitigation Action Crosswalk
2023 Mitigation Actions 2025 Mitigation Action
Relationship
Action 1. Dreissenid Mussel Prevention Renumbered to 11 Action 2. Water Quality Lake Monitoring Renumbered to 21 Action 3. Solid Waste Management Emergency Planning Renumbered to 28 Action 4. Groundwater Management Plan Implementation Remains number 4 Action 5. Flood Protection Projects Renumbered to 3
Action 6. Lakebed Hazard Task force Renumbered to 20
Action 7. Assess parks/rec for use in response to disaster to be completed in PRT Master Plan. Renumbered to 27
Action 8. Public Open Space / Regional Parks subject to wildfire Education & Outreach Awareness Renumbered to 26 Action 9. Big Valley Groundwater Sustainability Plan
Implementation Renumbered to 2
Action 10. Post-Fire Water Quality Monitoring Renumbered to 24 Action 11. Implement drinking water / dry well remedies Renumbered to 23 Action 12. Decon stations for boats (QM Prevention &
Response) Renumbered to 22
Action 13. Gravel Extraction from streams (Including levee road repair infrastructure repair) Renumbered to 10
Action 14. Infiltration & Inflow Mitigation Renumbered to 18 Action 15. Water Distribution System Reliability Eliminated Action 16. Water System Storage Reliability Eliminated
Action 17. Backup Power Reliability Eliminated
Action 18. Assess feasibility and identify potential options for a community call-in line. Completed
Action 19. Middle Creek Flood Damage Reduction and
Ecosystem Restoration Project Renumbered to 9
Action 20. Seismic monitoring - (for Dams) Renumbered to 8 Action 21. Inundation Area Mapping & EAP - Update Renumbered to 6 Action 22. Flood Insurance Outreach Renumbered to 32
Action 23. Develop notification plan & early warning
infrastructure (dam failure) - including warning sirens Renumbered to 12 Action 24. Levee & Dam Rodent Control Planning &
Implementation Renumbered to 13
Action 25. Implement or enhance public education drills and other activities (including awareness, prevention,
response actions)
Renumbered to 29
240 | Page
2023 Mitigation Actions 2025 Mitigation Action
Relationship
Action 26. Develop, enhance, implement or maintain
training within the OA to enhance response capabilities Eliminated Action 27. Old Long Valley Road - Low Water Crossing Renumbered to 55 Action 28. Encourage use of existing public information channels to increase awareness of hazards, actions to
mitigate and preparedness.
Eliminated
Action 29. SCADA Refresh Eliminated
Action 30. Sheriff Facility Improvements (Response and
Prevention) Complete
Action 31. Water Supply Redundancy Eliminated
Action 32. Increase the number of Government/public and private sector entities with a current disaster/emergency operations plans
Eliminated
Action 33. Assess critical/key facilities and identify Govt facilities to maintain operations Renumbered to 36
Action 34. New Long Valley Road Hillside Stabilization Renumbered to 37 Action 35. Cyanobacterial Monitoring Renumbered to 39
Action 36. Extension of boat ramps (for continued use of the lake during drought) Renumbered to 38
Action 37. Protective measures to flood proof. Renumbered to 40 Action 38. Full Circle Effluent Pipeline (Special Districts) - Renumbered to 41 Action 39. Hardening of Sewer Infrastructure - I&I
Mitigation Eliminated
Action 40. Anderson Springs Slide Renumbered to 42
Action 41. Identify and support preventative maintenance and mitigation actions for public and private levees. Renumbered to 43 Action 42. Increase capacity to dispose of hazardous
materials Completed
Action 43. Dredge channels of Clear Lake Eliminated via STAPLEE Score
Action 44. Water Conservation – Reuse Eliminated
Action 45. Public Facility Improvement in Support of
Emergency Events
Eliminated via STAPLEE
Score
Action 46. Anderson Springs Secondary Access Renumbered to 44 Action 47. Middletown Intertie Eliminated
Action 48. Update Safety Plan (After the 7th Cycle Housing Element Update) Completed
Action 49. Develop Oak Preservation Policy Renumbered to 31 Action 50. Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan (ALUCP) Renumbered to 45 241 | Page
2023 Mitigation Actions 2025 Mitigation Action
Relationship
Action 51. Climate Action Plan Renumbered to 46
Action 52. Grading Ordinance Revisions Renumbered to 30 Action 53. County-Wide Evacuation Plan Renumbered to 47 Action 54. Resiliency Plan Renumbered to 48
Action 55. Dam Inundation Zone Study Renumbered to 49
Action 56. Seismic Retrofit - Feasibility Study Renumbered to 50 Action 57. Cow Mountain Fuel Break
Combined into Action 58.
CWPP Projects =
Renumbered to Action 34
Action 58. CWPP Projects Renumbered to Action 34
Action 59. The Davis Project
Combined into Action 58.
CWPP Projects =
Renumbered to Action 34
Action 60. Anderson Springs Fuel Break
Combined into Action 58.
CWPP Projects =
Renumbered to Action 34
Action 61. Carter Lane Fire Road/Harbin Springs Ridge Fuel Break
Combined into Action 58.
CWPP Projects =
Renumbered to Action 34
Action 62. Hidden Valley Fuel Break
Combined into Action 58.
CWPP Projects =
Renumbered to Action 34
Action 63. Wildlands Fire Prevention Project
Combined into Action 58.
CWPP Projects =
Renumbered to Action 34
Action 64. Design, implement and enhance lot inspection programs (i.e. LE-100, AB 3074) Eliminated
Action 65. Increase number of Firewise Communities Renumbered to 51 Action 66. Develop and/or enhance capabilities to reduce fuels and harden homes for eldery, low-income and other AFN
Renumbered to 52
Action 67. Design and implement a "Certified Home"
program
Eliminated via STAPLEE
Score
Action 68. Continue and enhance local fuels reduction
crew.
Renumbered to 1
Action 69. Replant burnt and/or beetle-killed tree areas with native species trees and brush, drought tolerant and firewise.
Eliminated via STAPLEE
Score
Action 70. Develop funding/incentives for property owners to remove hazardous trees.
Eliminated via STAPLEE
Score
242 | Page
2023 Mitigation Actions 2025 Mitigation Action
Relationship
Action 71. Enhance awareness Renumbered to 33
Action 72. Support development of waste woodybiomass
utilization Renumbered to 53
Action 73. Increase existing capability to remove trees Renumbered to 54 Action 74. Lake County Special Districts, Spring Valley Lake Reservoir Recovery
Eliminated via STAPLEE
Score
New 2025 Mitigation Actions
Action 5 Inter-tie water system Soda Bay and Kelseyville providing additional water sources/redundancy Action 5
Action 7 Additional water storage for North Lakeport water – adding additional tanks new Hill Road tank Action 7
Action 14 Upgrades to SE Wastewater Treatment Plant
Headworks to increase capacity/flow volume at the
headworks
Action 14
Action 15 Additional water sources to Spring Valley & North Lakeport (2 new wells) adding redundancy and capacity
increasing
Action 15
Action 16 Fire suppression using purple pipe (non-potable water) - Phase 1 Action 16
Action 17 Fire suppression using Geyser Pipeline - Phase 1 Action 17 Action 19 Kelsey Creek Fish Ladder Project at Main Street Kelseyville Action 19
Action 25 Elk Mountain Road Improvement Action 25
Action 35 Geothermic Gas Released Education and
Awareness Action 35
243 | Page
Annex 1: Clearlake Annex
Annex 1 is available:
• Lake County OES Website: https://lakesheriff.com/about/oes/hmp • Clearlake Website: https://clearlake.ca.us/354/HAZARD-MITIGATION-PLAN Annex 2: Lakeport Annex
Annex 2 is available:
• Lake County OES Website: https://lakesheriff.com/about/oes/hmp • Lakeport Website:
https://www.cityoflakeport.com/news_detail_T14_R568.php Attachment 1: Public Input Survey Results
Attachment 1 is available on the Lake County OES Website:
https://lakesheriff.com/about/oes/hmp
408195.1
CITY OF LAKEPORT
RESOLUTION NO. ___________
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAKEPORT ADOPTING THE 2025 LAKE COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN AND INCORPORATING HAZARD MITIGATION
INFORMATION INTO THE SAFETY ELEMENT OF THE CITY OF LAKEPORT
GENERAL PLAN
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Lakeport recognizes the threat that natural and human-caused hazards pose to people, property, and the economy within the City of Lakeport; and
WHEREAS, the City of Lakeport has participated in the preparation of the Lake County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (“MJHMP”) in accordance with the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 and implementing regulations at 44 CFR Part 201; and WHEREAS, the MJHMP identifies hazard mitigation goals and actions intended to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and property from the impacts of future hazards and disasters; and
WHEREAS, California Government Code §65302(g)(4) requires that upon the next revision of the housing element on or after January 1, 2017, the safety element of the general plan must be reviewed and updated as necessary to address climate adaptation and resiliency strategies, and must be consistent with the hazard mitigation plan adopted pursuant to federal law; and
WHEREAS, adoption of the MJHMP by the City Council of the City of Lakeport will allow the City to integrate relevant hazard mitigation data, goals, and actions into the Safety Element of the City’s General Plan, ensuring consistency between the MJHMP and the General Plan as required by state law; and
WHEREAS, adoption further ensures the City’s continued eligibility for certain federal disaster assistance and hazard mitigation funding through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the California Disaster Assistance Act.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Lakeport, State of California, that:
Section 1. The City Council hereby adopts the 2025 Lake County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan, attached hereto as Exhibit “A” and incorporated herein by reference, as the City’s official hazard mitigation plan. 408195.1
Section 2.
The City Council directs staff to initiate preparation of a future amendment to the Safety Element of the City of Lakeport General Plan, incorporating applicable data, goals, and policies of the MJHMP, to ensure consistency and compliance with California Government Code §65302(g).
Section 3. While the City-specific content within the MJHMP may require revisions to meet plan approval requirements, changes occurring after adoption will not require the City of Lakeport to re-adopt any further iterations of the plan until the next required update cycle.
ADOPTED by a vote of ____ in favor, ____ against, and ____ abstaining, this _____ day of _______, 20.
By: _________________________________
Kim Costa, Mayor
ATTEST:
By: _________________________________
Kelly Buendia, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
By: _________________________________
David J. Ruderman, City Attorney