City Files Claim Over Poisoning of Water Source

The city of Portola filed a claim with the state Monday, demanding assistance in finding an alternative water source to deliberately poisoned Lake Davis.

The Sierra Nevada city, about 160 miles northeast of Sacramento, was infuriated when state Department of Fish and Game officials insisted on poisoning the seven-mile lake last fall to eradicate an unwanted fish species.

“We’re going into the heavy water-usage months in the city, and current water production . . . is not adequate to meet our summertime usage,” said Portola Mayor Greg Stevenson.

The city uses about 400,000 gallons a day in the winter, but as much as 1.5 million gallons a day in the summer, Stevenson said.

Lake Davis, the primary water source for the city of 2,300, was saturated with a fish-killing poison called rotenone in October to eliminate the Northern pike. The pike, a voracious predator illegally introduced into the lake, was threatening to destroy prized salmon and trout fisheries, state officials argued.

The poisoning killed all fish in the lake. The state tried to remove as many trout as possible ahead of the poisoning, and has promised to restock the lake.

Residents vehemently opposed the plan. But the state said there was no other solution and promised that the poison would degrade within a few weeks.

Six months later, however, the lake remains contaminated. State officials were testing the lake Monday and were scheduled to report their findings to the community at a meeting Monday night.