Memorandum
Date: June 9, 2026
To: The Honorable Lake County Board of Supervisors, and the Directors of the Lake County Watershed Protection District
From: Dr. Pawan Upadhyay, Director, and Todd Abbott, Program Coordinator, Water Resources Department
Subject: Consideration of Presentation provided by Lake County Water Resources, regarding the LG Sonic Harmful Algal Bloom Mitigation Project
Executive Summary:
The Lake County Water Resources Department requests that the Board of Supervisors and the Directors of the Lake County Watershed Protection District receive and accept a staff presentation regarding the LG Sonic Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) Mitigation Project. The presentation will provide an overview of the project, including its objectives, implementation strategy, anticipated benefits, funding sources, and long-term operations and maintenance plan.
Clear Lake continues to experience recurring harmful algal blooms (HABs), which can negatively affect public health, recreational opportunities, aquatic ecosystems, and drinking water treatment operations. To address these challenges, the County is implementing a 24-month pilot project utilizing LG Sonic technology to reduce the frequency and severity of HABs in targeted areas of Clear Lake. The project includes the installation of twelve (12) algae mitigation buoys and two (2) monitoring/data collection buoys equipped with LG Sonic’s Interactive Algae Control (IAC) software. The system uses environmentally safe ultrasonic technology to disrupt algae buoyancy, reducing access to sunlight and limiting bloom formation without harming fish, wildlife, or other aquatic organisms.
The project is funded through Community Development Block Grant - Mitigation Resilience Improvement Program (CDBG-MIT-RIP) funds, which cover equipment procurement, installation, system setup, and the initial software subscription period. The pilot project will generate valuable data regarding the effectiveness of this technology in improving water quality and reducing impacts associated with HABs in Clear Lake. Following project completion, the Lake County Water Resources Department will assume ownership and responsibility for system operation and maintenance, including annual software, communications, and maintenance costs. Staff anticipates funding these ongoing expenses through recently awarded California Natural Resources Agency grant funding, future grant opportunities, and the Department's annual operating budget.
This project represents an innovative and proactive approach to improving water quality, protecting public health, supporting drinking water providers, and advancing the County's long-term efforts to address harmful algal blooms in Clear Lake.
If not budgeted, fill in the blanks below only:
Estimated Cost: _____ Amount Budgeted: _ _ Additional Requested: _____Future Annual Cost: ______
Consistency with Vision 2028 and/or Fiscal Crisis Management Plan (check all that apply): ☐ Not applicable
☒ Well-being of Residents ☒ Public Safety ☒ Infrastructure ☐ Technology Upgrades
☐ Economic Development ☐ Disaster Recovery ☐ County Workforce ☐ Revenue Generation
☐ Community Collaboration ☐ Business Process Efficiency ☒ Clear Lake ☒ Cost Savings
If request for exemption from competitive bid in accordance with County Code Chapter 2 Sec. 2-38, fill in blanks below:
Which exemption is being requested? NA
How long has Agreement been in place?
When was purchase last rebid?
Reason for request to waive bid?
Recommended Action: Informational item only, no action to be taken.