California’s dying lakes: Clear Lake
Clear Lake is the largest freshwater lake that lies wholly in California. It’s also the oldest warm water lake in North America, having formed over half a million years ago, but those ancient waters and surrounding shores hide a dangerous element that could suffocate this treasure. Warming temperatures and a changing climate are giving algae and bacteria the upper hand. The community isn’t willing to give up, though. Long-time resident Debbie Clarke sees the potential in the lake sitting just 100 miles north of Sacramento and San Francisco. She recalls summer days from her childhood when the lake would go from 1,000 people to 15,000 people starting Memorial Day weekend. Even though the population of permanent residents has grown, Debbie says it still feels like a close-knit community. One neighbor is even working on revitalizing an old boat slip with hopes of making it a place to swim and fish, if he can find a way to keep out a dangerous bacteria growth called cyanobacteria.
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