Aerial photographs of the drought at California’s Clear Lake show the lake at historically low levels. Many residential piers around Clear Lake are now far from the water’s edge. Particularly impacted are areas where Clear Lake has a relatively shallow depth drop off. The residential piers in the photograph above are an example of the numerous piers in North Lakeport that are similarly impacted by Clear Lake’s low water level. There are similar high and dry piers in Lakeport, Lower Lake, Clearlake and other locations around the Lake with shallow shorelines.

Numerous residential developments with channels designed to provide access to Clear Lake such as Lakeport Lagoons are completely dry, some overgrown with weeds.

The Rumsey Gage reading indicates the water level of Clear Lake. Zero Rumsey equals 1318.257′ above mean sea level, the normal low level of Clear Lake. Cache Creek Dam controls the level of Clear Lake. The Yolo Water and Power Company built the dam on the south fork of Cache Creek in 1914. The Yolo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District now owns and operates Cache Creek Dam. Yolo County has rights to water in Clear Lake covered by several decrees one of which stipulates that Clear Lake’s water level shall be maintained between zero and 7.56′ above Rumsey. If Clear Lake is “full” on May 1, defined as 7.56′ above Rumsey, Yolo County may withdraw up to 150,000 acre feet of water. If Clear Lake is 3.22′ above Rumsey or lower on May 1, Yolo may not withdraw water from the Lake.

When Clear Lake is full it has a surface area of 43,790 acres and contains 1,155,000 acre-feet of water. When the Lake is at Zero Rumsey it has a surface area of 39,170 acres and contains 842,000 acre-feet of water. As of November 6, 2022, the Lake is at less than 2.6′ below Rumsey.

Clear Lake’s evaporation rate during the summer is approximately 3′ according to Lake County’s Department of Public Works Water Resources Division.

The drought has dramatically changed some of the creeks and sloughs around the Lake together with the nature of their surrounding habitat.

Rodman Slough is a wetland that drains into Clear Lake. It is fed by Scotts Creek and Middle Creek and is an important habitat for wildlife including fish, birds and amphibians. Rodman Slough is a remnant of a much larger wetland area drained for farmland that included Tule Lake, a seasonal lake that forms in the winter when Scotts Creek overflows. The slough is an important stopover point for migratory birds. It has a large rookery of great blue heron and is an important breeding and nursery area for black bass, catfish and black and white crappie.

Hundreds of American White Pelicans spend the winter at Clear Lake. The flock shown above is located on a sandbar just outside of Clear Lake State Park. The white pelicans are particularly attracted to Clear Lake because it is a shallow lake making it easier for them to locate minnows than they could at adjacent bodies of water such as Lake Pillsbury or the Indian Valley Reservoir. Because Clear Lake is a shallow lake, the impacts on the Lake’s shoreline can be dramatic during droughts and floods.

Please use these links to view additional related photography:

Aerial Photographs of Lake County, California

Aerial Photographs of the Drought in the Western United States

Aerial Photographs of Wetlands

Photographs of the Drought at Clear Lake

From August 12 through August 31, I had the opportunity to create new aerial photography of the Pacific Northwest.

Flying over the mountains from Bella Coola, British Columbia to Comox, Vancouver Island brought me to the Klinaklini Glacier shown in the aerial photograph above.

The Klinklini Glacier is the largest glacier in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia and one of the largest glaciers in North America. It is located west of the Klinaklini River and the head of the Knight Inlet. Scientists are studying its changes and retreat over time. The glaciers of British Columbia contain a large portion of the total water supply of Canada.

Visibility was exceptional during most of the days during which I acquired new aerial photography of the Pacific Northwest.

Areas I photographed in British Columbia include Vancouver, Victoria, the Frasier River Valley, the Okanagan Valley, much of the eastern shoreline of Vancouver Island and the Coast Mountains of British Columbia.

Atmospheric conditions in Seattle, the remainder of Puget Sound, Portland and the Columbia River were all exceptional for aerial photography while I was working there.

To see the details of this photography flight, please download this interactive pdf which has the route of flight shown in the graphic below together with links to the locations and to larger versions of the photographs.

Please use these links to view additional aerial photography for the locations covered by this trip:

Aerial Photography of British Columbia

Aerial Photography of Washington

Aerial Photography of Oregon

Aerial Photography of Vancouver, BC

Aerial Photography of Portland, OR

License Image ID: AHLE1599 shown above or purchase a print

The Route of the Flight

Herb Lingl took this aerial photograph of wildfire smoke in the mountains of Humboldt County, California from an altitude of approximately 9,500′ above sea level on August 31, 2022. It is part of a series of aerial photographs documenting wildfires in California.

The volume of smoke being generated by this and other fires burning in the western portion of North America is massive. The smoke reaches high altitudes and spreads to distant locations. Wildfire smoke from West Coast wildfires has reached New York City and Washington, DC in recent years.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Global Systems Laboratory created a striking animated graphic showing the spread of wildfire smoke. The New York Times published it in a 2021 article entitled See How Wildfire Smoke Spread Across America.

The smoke from the wildfire shown above is from the Six Rivers Lightning Complex Fire. It has already burned well over 30,000 acres.

Smoke is a particularly concerning wildfire hazard. It is certain to have widespread long term impacts on human health. Particulate matter, especially small particles (less than 2.5 microns in size) can be inhaled into the deepest parts of the lungs causing adverse heart and lung effects. While these shorter term impacts have received the most attention, there are now an increasing number of studies on the long term impacts on human health of wildfire smoke. The chemicals in wildfire smoke are correlated with an increase in the risk of all kinds of cancer. Among the other long term impacts of wildfire smoke identified by these studies are premature mortality, increased respiratory and cardiovascular disease, as well as mental health issues.

To view more aerial photography of California’s wildfires please visit:

Aerial Photography of California Wildfires

License Image ID: AHLE1596 shown above or purchase a print

License Image ID: AHLE1597 shown above or purchase a print

To view more aerial photography of Humboldt County, California, please visit:

Aerial Photographs of Humboldt County