LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – On Wednesday hundreds of people remained evacuated from their homes due to Clear Lake’s waters rising still higher and more storms in the weekend forecast.

In Lakeport, an evacuation order issued Monday for residents of the Willopoint, Aqua Village and Lucky Four trailer parks and the Esplanade Street neighborhood remained in effect, with evacuations urged by the sheriff’s office for low-lying areas of Clearlake Oaks and the Clear Lake Keys, and near Lakeport in Corinthian Bay and Lands End.

The water continues to be high in and around Lakeport’s evacuated neighborhoods and areas where residents have been urged to leave.

Neighborhoods in Clearlake Oaks, particularly the Clear Lake Keys, were inundated by lake water, with many streets barely passable and the lake lapping around home foundations.

In Lucerne, parks have been inundated, with lake debris washing up on sidewalks and walkways.

Along Highway 20, new, minor mudslides had occurred, and in one area near Lucerne the lake was lapping at the edge of the highway.

An evacuation shelter remains in place at the Lakeport Seventh-day Adventist Church on Park Way, which also is serving as the community’s winter warming center for the homeless.

The Lake Ministerial Association, which runs the warming center, reported Wednesday evening that it had aided 149 flood evacuees in the previous 24 hours.

Sheriff Brian Martin also announced on Wednesday that he had declared a state of emergency due to the widespread damage the county has suffered from the recent storms and the resulting flooding.

Lake County remains under a general flood warning issued by the National Weather Service.

Early Thursday, the lake’s elevation had risen to 10.58 feet Rumsey, while the Cache Creek Dam continued high-volume releases at nearly 5,100 cubic feet per second.

The California Nevada River Forecast Center expects Clear Lake’s elevation will crest at 10.6 feet Thursday before it starts to recede.

The lake’s current elevation is at a 19-year high, according to county records.

On Wednesday, a pattern of weird weather moved over Lake County, with reports of hail and snow flurries in lower elevations, snow in Cobb, and scattered rain.

By the evening, some blue sky had broken through before clouds again began to close in.

Looking ahead, Lake County is forecast to get a few days of mostly dry weather before several more days of rain arrive.

The National Weather Service’s updated forecast for Lake County expects colder weather and patchy frost on Thursday and Friday, with light winds.

Chances of rain are set to return on Friday evening, to be followed by expected showers on Saturday and Sunday, with slighter chances of rain on Monday.

Tuesday and Wednesday are expected to bring the county another sunny break, based on the forecast.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – A Sacramento-area California Highway Patrol officer died Wednesday evening from injuries he sustained in a crash during a vehicle pursuit.

Officer Lucas F. Chellew, 31, died shortly after the crash occurred, according to a report from the CHP’s Sacramento headquarters.

At 5:45 p.m., Officer Chellew was in pursuit of a motorcycle eastbound on Fruitridge Road east of State Route 99. During the pursuit, a collision occurred, causing Chellew to lose control of his motorcycle.

The CHP said Chellew suffered major injuries, and first responders on scene worked tirelessly to keep him alive as he was transported to University of California, Davis, Medical Center.

Despite the valiant efforts of the paramedics and medical professionals, Officer Chellew succumbed to his injuries at approximately 6:11 p.m., the CHP said.

“My heart aches on this terribly tragic day for the CHP as we have lost a hero, who swore a sacred and honorable oath to serve and protect the people of California,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow.  “Officer Chellew now joins a distinguished and cherished group of men and women whose names adorn a memorial fountain at the center of the CHP Academy. His service and sacrifice will forever be honored and never forgotten. Please keep Officer Chellew's family, friends and the entire CHP family in your thoughts and prayers as they mourn his loss.”

Late Wednesday night, Gov. Jerry Brown announced that Capitol flags will be flown at half-staff in Chellew’s honor.

"Anne and I join all Californians in offering our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Officer Chellew, who worked day and night to keep the people of California safe. Officer Chellew's great courage and sacrifice will never be forgotten,” Gov. Brown said.

Officer Chellew served with the California Highway Patrol for eight years. He was assigned to the CHP’s South Sacramento Area Office.

He is survived by his wife, Christina; a daughter and a son; father, Charles Chellew, a retired CHP captain; mother, Marion Chellew; and sister, Hanna Chellew, a CHP officer.

A bell toll tribute ceremony will be held in Officer Chellew’s honor at noon Thursday at the CHP Academy in West Sacramento, where he graduated in May 2009.

The CHP said the collision remains under investigation.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County’s flood situation led to several new road closures on Wednesday, including the short-term shutdown of the Nice-Lucerne Cutoff.

As Clear Lake’s elevation continued to rise, on Wednesday afternoon the Lake County Department of Public Works closed the cutoff due to flooding across the roadway, making it necessary for drivers to be rerouted through Upper Lake.

Elsewhere around the county, other new closures took place.

In Clearlake Oaks, Lake Street and Keys Boulevard were closed because of flooding.

In Lakeport, the city extended the closure of Lakeshore Boulevard from Giselman Street to the north city limit boundary at Beach Lane.

The city of Lakeport also asked people to avoid the area of Lakeshore Boulevard across from Jones Street, where the road appears to be undermined and may be structurally unsafe.

The Clearlake Police Department reported that Lakeshore Drive between Lower Lakeshore Drive and Kings Lane had been closed to traffic due to a sewage spill and heavy equipment in the area.

Police said Lakeshore Drive between Country Club Drive Extension and San Joaquin Drive, which previously had been closed, was reopened but still had some areas reduced to one-lane traffic due to flooding. Lakeshore Drive between Howard Avenue and Alvita Avenue also has water partially blocking lanes.

The full list of closures and advisories follows. Information was compiled from reports from Caltrans, the California Highway Patrol, the Clearlake Police Department, Lake County Department of Public Works, Lakeport Police Department and the Napa County Sheriff’s Office.

In the map below, areas marked with the flooding symbol and the red triangle indicate closures; the rockslide icon indicates those areas where there are slides but which remain open.

CLEARLAKE

All city boat launches remain closed.

Lakeshore Drive between Country Club Drive Extension and San Joaquin Drive was reopened after a closure, but some areas are reduced to one-lane traffic due to flooding in the area. Use caution driving in the area.

Lakeshore Drive between Lower Lakeshore Drive and Kings Lane is closed to traffic due to sewage spill and heavy equipment in the area. Use alternative routes.

Lakeshore Drive between Howard Avenue and Alvita Avenue has water partially blocking lanes. There is no traffic control in this area at this time. Use extreme caution and reduce speed.

CLEARLAKE OAKS

High Valley Road: Road conditions from Brassfield Winery to Bartlett Springs Road are unknown at this time.

Island Drive: Closed from Highway 20 to the bridge due to flooding.

Keys Boulevard: Closed due to flooding.

Lake Street: Closed due to flooding.

Old Long Valley Road: Open with slide activity.

Widgeon Way: Closed from the Plaza to Shady Lane due to tree across the roadway.

COBB

Maple Shadows: Closed at the south end from Highway 175 to Parnassus due to culvert failure.

Socrates Mine Road: Road slip out at MPM 3.8. Down to one lane in this area.

KELSEYVILLE

Bell Hill Road: Closed at Adobe Creek low water crossing.

Park Drive: Closed to through traffic due to flooding.

LAKEPORT (CITY)

All city boat launches remain closed.

Library Park continues to be closed due to the extreme danger and flood conditions.

City parking lots at Third Street, Fourth Street and Fifth Street are closed.

– Esplanade Street.
– K Street.
– Konocti Avenue.
– Lupoyoma Avenue.
– Helena Avenue.
– Lily Cove Avenue.
– Oak Knoll Avenue.
– E Street.
– Martin Street from N. Forbes Street to Russell Street.

Giselman Street from Lakeshore Boulevard to Sayre Street: Closed due to flooding. A detour has been set up: Northbound traffic will use Green Street to Sayer Street to Giselman Street, southbound traffic will use Giselman Street to Sayer Street to Green Street. Please drive with caution on these streets as there will be school children using them.

Lakeshore Boulevard: Closed to all traffic from Giselman to the north city limit boundary at Beach Lane. Lakeshore Boulevard across from Jones Street appears to be undermined and may be structurally unsafe. Avoid the area.

Royale Avenue: Closed to all vehicles at Pike Drive.

LAKEPORT

Eickhoff Road: Closed due to flooding. Detour is open for local traffic only.

Hendricks Road: Open with flooding.

Hill Road: Closed between Sutter Lakeside Hospital entrance and Lakeshore Boulevard due to mudslides across the roadway.

Lakeshore Boulevard: Closed from Park Way to Alterra Drive due to flooding.

Lakeshore Boulevard: Closed from Park Way to 2,500 feet north due to flooding and a power pole leaning into the roadway.

Reeves Lane: Closed at Land’s End due to flooding.

Scotts Valley Road: Closed at Hendricks Drive due to flooding.

LOWER LAKE

Morgan Valley Road: Closed at the Lake/Napa line due to numerous trees and mud slides on the Napa County side.

NICE

Lakeshore Boulevard: Closed from Stokes Avenue to Carson Street due to flooding.

Nice-Lucerne Cutoff: Closed due to flooding.

Stokes Avenue: Closed from Stokes Court to Nice-Lucerne Cutoff due to flooding.

UPPER LAKE

Bachelor Valley Road: Open with flooding.

Bartlett Springs Road: Closed at MPM 18.0 due to mudslide.

Elk Mountain Road: Roadway closed at MPM 29.6 due to road washout. No estimate of when road will be reopened.

Laurel Dell Road: Currently open with closure pending due to flooding.

Main Street: Open with flooding.

Scotts Valley Road: Closed at Highway 20 to Hendricks Road due to flooding.

Witter Springs Road: Open with flooding.

COLUSA COUNTY

Highway 20: One-way controlled traffic from 5.5 miles east of the junction of Highway 16 to “E” Street in Williams due to flooding. One-way controlled traffic from Husted Road in Williams to Will S. Green Avenue in Colusa.

NAPA COUNTY

Diamond Mountain Road: Closed at the intersection with S Fork Diamond Mountain Road due to a downed tree. The tree hit AT&T lines and AT&T has been notified.

Mt. Veeder Road: The 3000 block of Mt. Veeder Road is closed due to downed trees and power lines.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Water Resources Department will convene a public meeting on Sunday, Feb. 26, to discuss the current flooding situation on Clear Lake and emergency restrictions the county has implemented while the lake remains in flood stage.

The meeting will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St. in Lakeport. Entrance to the meeting will be from the side door located on Third Street.

This meeting will also be available via live stream on the Lake County OES Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/LakeCountyOES/ .

The purpose of the meeting is to gather public comment and input on the recent series of urgency ordinances related to boating on Clear Lake during the flood emergency and what a permanent ordinance should address.

Water Resources also will present information on the current status of Clear Lake in terms of lake levels, dam discharges, and the effect of foreseeable precipitation and how long before the lake levels might return to more normal lake levels.

For more information, please contact the Water Resources Department at 707-263-2344 or the Water Resources Director Phil Moy via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Redbud Audubon Society has collaborated with two other Audubon Society chapters for six years to conduct a conservation project for Western and Clark’s grebes.

Grebes are loved for their amazing courtship displays where they “dance” in synchronized pairs across the surface of Clear Lake. These water birds have been favorites of Lake County residents for decades.

The grebe program is the February installment of the Lake County Library’s “Know Lake County” free monthly lecture series.

On Saturday, Feb. 25, at 2 p.m., Marilyn Waits, a former president of the Redbud Audubon Society, will present a program about the grebe conservation project that she has managed since it began in 2010.
The program will take place at the Lakeport branch of the Lake County Library located at 1425 N. High St.

The presentation will include a video of grebe behaviors on Clear Lake and photos of the courtship, nesting, and parenting activities that are part of the breeding season.

Grebes breed on Clear Lake during the summer in large colonies of floating nests, sometimes numbering in thousands of birds in a colony.

During incubation, the male and female take turns sitting on the nest, and once the chicks are born, the parents carry them on their backs for the first weeks of life.

The grebe conservation project seeks to educate boaters, jet-skiers, water-skiers, fishermen and the general public about protecting the grebe colonies.

The conservation project also includes a research component that Dr. Floyd Hayes, head of the Biology Department at Pacific Union College in Angwin, and his student interns conduct.

Hayes and the students monitor the number of colonies, nests, and adult and juvenile birds each year, compiling valuable data for future researchers.

Waits will present information about Redbud Audubon Society’s annual Heron Days when pontoon boat tours carry participants onto Clear Lake to observe the grebes in their native habitat and to see great blue herons in their tree-top nesting colonies.

This year’s Heron Days will take place April 29 to 30 and May 6 to 7. Waits will also briefly explain other contributions Redbud Audubon Society has made to Lake County since its start in 1975.

The Lake County Library is on the Internet at http://library.lakecountyca.gov and Facebook at www.facebook.com/LakeCountyLibrary .

For more information call 707-263-8817.

Jan Cook works for the Lake County Library.