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lisml47

Blue Lakes, on the Northwest side of Clear Lake, would be safer to swim in. Safer area than the town of Clearlake.


Lurker_prime21

Let's just say that if you do go swimming there in the late summer, you won't stay in there long.


Bethjam

Clear Lake is fine to swim in. Clear Lake State Park is beautiful, Kelseyville, Lakeport, Blue Lakes, all beautiful. I don't go to the city of Clearlake though


30acrefarm

Clearlake is not safe to swim in. Cyanide algea is a huge problem in the lake, especially in late summer. That stuff poisons the water so badly that they tell everyone that even dogs should not be allowed to get in the water.


30acrefarm

Cyanic Algea. Stupid auto correct got me again.


Realistic-Weird-4259

Cyanobacteria? It's not actually an algae, which belongs in the plant kingdom.


30acrefarm

That us correct. But the bacteria lives in mats of algea so they refer to it as cyanic algea. It's a slang term.


30acrefarm

That us correct. But the bacteria lives in mats of algea so they refer to it as cyanic algea. It's a slang term.


Realistic-Weird-4259

In my experience in contained systems, it grows on its own and will smother out any other photosynthetic organism it covers. Cutting off light kills it in 3 days but that can't really be done in this scenario. It doesn't need algae, but looks like algae (the matted appearance). It can be killed with antibiotics, but again, in this scenario? Not practical or even really desirable. Nutrient load is the problem, especially excess P (phosphorous).


30acrefarm

I understand completely.


Phat-mahn

🤣


danisaccountant

What’s your reference? News article? Anything? The state park website says it’s okay to swim in. The tribal monitoring and water testing is also publicly available: https://www.bvrancheria.com/clearlakecyanotoxins


Bethjam

Park Rangers tell you it is. There are a few weeks during late summer that generally have a bloom, and swimming is not recommended. Please don't be hysterical


30acrefarm

They issue the warnings way before late summer. They already issued it this year.


Bethjam

We were just out there last weekend


lisml47

Ditto on this, I've lived in Sac my whole life, moved up to Kelseyville last year to help my parents and I have no plans to move back anytime soon. Mostly vineyards, oak trees, and generally nice people on the west side of the lake.


McHorseyPie

And literally nobody should. Absolute fucking shithole. Not even the restaurants are good


Line-Trash

Go to blue lakes or highland springs. Stay away from Clearlake. It’s an absolute shit hole. And I’m not just somebody who drove through, I’ve lived there…. It’s all this and worse.


they_are_out_there

Clear Lake is possibly the MOST polluted lake in the entire State of California. Heavy metal tailings from mining and mercury are present in silts and near shore sediments. I'd avoid swimming there if given the option. [https://knowablemagazine.org/content/article/food-environment/2023/reviving-famously-polluted-california-lake](https://knowablemagazine.org/content/article/food-environment/2023/reviving-famously-polluted-california-lake) [https://www.treehugger.com/from-the-isnt-it-ironic-dept-clear-lake-is-worlds-most-mercury-polluted-lake-4858506](https://www.treehugger.com/from-the-isnt-it-ironic-dept-clear-lake-is-worlds-most-mercury-polluted-lake-4858506)


drooperman55

If you lived in Lake County you should know the difference between Clearlake (the city) and Clear Lake (the body of water). Clearlake is a bigger shithole than the lake.


DarthLego

Confirming what this person is saying. The last two summers I stayed in a cabin near blue lakes and highland springs. Both were nice areas and the swimming was great. Very kid and pet friendly is that matters to you at all. 


canitasteyourbox

later in the summer its at its worst and pretty nasty


HopsAndHemp

Safe how? Do you and your family know how to swim? I wouldn't drink the water if I was swimming in it. I mean Clearlake is full blown tweakerville so that is certainly a danger. What are you specifically worried about?


Explorer_Entity

I went to a Ca state prison. In there, people/other inmates from Lake County have their own reputation lol.


HopsAndHemp

Everywhere else in Nor Cal makes fun of Lake County. If you see someone with meth mouth you say they have Lake County teeth.


canitasteyourbox

they had a beauty contest there once and nobody won


HopsAndHemp

hahahaha


lumpkin2013

😆😆


Klutzy-Ad-6705

What do you get when you line up 20 Lake County women in a row? A full set of teeth.


sn0tface

I grew up in Ukiah, and a common joke was to shove a bunch of Oreos in your mouth smile wide and say "I'm from Lake County!"


jmbosmth

just worried about possibly hazardous water ive read a few articles from the past few years talking about people getting sick


insideyourhug

It’s pretty gross and noone swims in it. Research the pollution. People don’t even let their pets swim in it. There’s a blue algae bloom there too. Go to blue lakes.


Grouchy_Guidance_938

I wouldn’t swim in clear lake. Go to upper lake just up the road, it is much better.


doinksforeverybody

Went there a few years ago. My buddy swam in it for a few. I just went in to my knees. He was fully submerged. The next day his skin was all red and his eyes were swollen. Lol it wasn't always like that and I don't know if the water did it to him but there were a bunch of dead fish on the shore.


rpm646

I wouldn't recommend swimming in Clearlake. There have been problems with sewage dumped into it and algae blooms. The same goes with eating the fish. Blue Lake, just up hwy 20 is good for swimming.


30acrefarm

Blue lakes is wonderful to swim on, especially the western portion of it. The water stays cold there though. Cold and clean.


CheapBison1861

Clearlake is fine to swim in. I’ve been going up there since 2000


30acrefarm

It is not fine to swim in. Do you not see the signs that say people & pets should not go into the water because of Cyanic Algea? They have already issued warnings this year about it. And it is always terrible by mid summer, continuing through the fall.


danisaccountant

Link to the warnings that have been issued? Because the water monitoring says it’s safe: https://www.bvrancheria.com/clearlakecyanotoxins


CheapBison1861

its been there for 50 years.


Burliestbread14

I would say it's probably fine for you but dont drink from the lake and shower when you get out and it's not safe for dogs.


Chip_Prudent

Read up on clearlake and DDT.


Voltronx100

No


Such-Flatworm4556

Clearlake is filled with Mercury contamination from mining From pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov: With total mercury (TotHg) concentrations up to 438 mg/kg (dry mass) in surficial sediments and up to 399 ng/L in lake water, Clear Lake is one of the most Hg-contaminated lakes worldwide.


Concrete-Professor

Lot of algae in some areas


MizterRage

I personally wouldn't with the algae and other issues


jonahmorningstar

I wouldn’t. If you do anyway, keep you face/head out of the water and shower afterwards. But there’s like 20 better places to swim nearby. And don’t leave any valuables in your car lol or on the beach maybe just don’t bring anything valuable.


Klutzy-Cockroach-636

Um generally no but north Clearlake is safer then south