Clear Lake receives mixed post‑fire water‑quality results; council approves temporary road closures in Cache Fire area

State and city officials presented the Cache Fire response and monitoring results, and the City Council voted to temporarily close multiple unimproved roads in the burned area to deter illegal dumping and protect safety.

In a technical briefing, Angela DePalma Dow, program coordinator with the Department of Water Resources, summarized a fast post‑fire monitoring program along Cache Creek. Staff sampled two core sites through three storm events and tested a suite of parameters including turbidity, metals, nutrients, VOCs, PAHs and dioxins and furans. DePalma Dow said the monitoring showed the expected early increase in turbidity and total suspended solids downstream after the first atmospheric river, and that a few metals (calcium, barium, manganese, vanadium) “popped out” but remained within basin plan and World Health Organization thresholds. She stated, “we did not see any VOCs, PAHs, or PCBs,” and called drought‑year low flows a complicating factor for post‑fire monitoring.

Council action on public safety: following public testimony from property owners concerned about access and enforcement, council adopted a resolution authorizing an 18‑month temporary closure of multiple roads in the Cache Fire footprint to reduce illegal dumping. City Manager Flora and staff said closures would be implemented with K‑rail and gates, emergency access maintained, and that staff will publish a clear access process and a single point of contact on the city website and in code‑enforcement notices. Councilmember Kramer moved the measure; the amended motion directing staff to publish access instructions passed unanimously.

Why it matters: the monitoring suggests acute, short‑term sediment and suspended‑solid impacts tied to storm runoff but not persistent, high‑risk contaminant loads in the sampled events. The temporary road closures are intended to reduce ongoing illegal dumping, recurrent fires and hazards in an area where many parcels are tax‑defaulted and difficult to maintain.

Details and follow‑up:
- Monitoring partners/funders included Cal OES, California Water Boards, Yolo County, the City of Clear Lake and regional partners; Angela said the group raised roughly $40,000 to support lab analysis and field response.
- Staff stressed that property owners with legal rights will retain access; staff will post gate signage with a contact number and will work case‑by‑case to allow caretaking visits, while warning that staff cannot guarantee daily escorts without reallocating resources.
- Council authorized staff to implement closures and to publish an access process on the city website and in code‑enforcement correspondence.

Next steps: Water‑quality staff recommended continued monitoring and coordination with Cal OES and cleanup crews; city staff will implement the short‑term road closures and return with implementation details and signage language.