Clear Lake is the heart of Lake County, a popular spot for bass fishing and water sports about 2.5 hours north of San Francisco. It is also, according to a recent letter sent to the California Legislature, “choking on past pollution and toxic blooms” and “exceedingly malodorous.” That description comes courtesy of a coalition of stakeholders in Lake County who are requesting upward of $15 million in state funds to rehabilitate Clear Lake. In the warmer months, the lake turns dangerous when toxic algal blooms and cyanobacteria surge. Tests have found cyanotoxins in 56% of homes that draw water from the lake, posing health risks ranging from rashes to liver damage. … In a joint letter to California legislators dated June 17, members of the Blue Ribbon Committee — including tribal leaders, a Farm Bureau representative and a Lake County supervisor — sent a blunt message about the ancient lake.