TISbnr_redwoods_oaks

 

Corte Madera, CA                                                                                         September 2011
The Inside Source is produced by Marin Municipal Water District to inform local decisionmakers and opinion leaders on issues affecting Marin's water, people, and environment.

Features
Reduced Budget for 2011-12
Road Closures on Public Lands
Free training in Spanish for Landscapers
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MMWD Board of Directors
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Public Meetings

Wed., Oct. 5, 7:30 pm
BOARD MEETING
Board Room
  


Wed., Oct. 19, 7:30 pm
BOARD MEETING
 
Board Room 
 

WATER USE LOW, RESERVOIRS HIGH    

No change this month in the patterns for both reservoir levels, which continue to be above average, and water use, which continues to be below.

Here are the most current figures:
  • Reservoir Levels - As of September 25 the reservoirs contain 65,641 acre-feet,* or 81 percent of capacity. This volume is well above the average for this date of 53,350 acre-feet, or 67 percent of capacity.   
  • Water Use - Per capita water use for the past week was 156.8 gallons; for the same week in 2010 it was 158.4 gallons.
  • Creek Releases - For the month of August we released 197 million gallons, or a total of 603 acre-feet, into Lagunitas and Walker creeks in west Marin. We release water throughout the year to maintain adequate flows for the fishery per our agreement with the State of California.  
  • Rainfall - We received our first measurable rainfall for the year on Sunday, September 25, in the amount of 0.03 inches. Average rainfall for the same date is 0.62 inches. Rainfall is measured at Lake Lagunitas.   

Rainfall and reservoir figures can be found on the homepage of our website.

 

*One acre-foot is 325,851 gallons.  

 


LEAN BUDGET APPROVED FOR 2011-12 FY
At a board meeting held earlier this month the MMWD Board of Directors adopted a lean budget for the 2011-12 fiscal year. The new operating budget is $66.4 million and the capital improvement program budget is $14.9 million. The 2011-12 budget is three percent lower than the revised budget for the 2010-11 fiscal year, which was already lower than the original 2010-11 budget by more than 16 percent.

The board had passed an interim 2011-12 budget in June to allow the district to continue operating when the new fiscal year began on July 1, but spent additional time in Finance Committee meetings in July and August reviewing proposed expenditures before forwarding the budget to the board. As a result of that additional review, $1.4 million was removed from the proposed budget in the areas of salaries, benefits, utilities and professional fees.

A summary of the adopted budget is on MMWD's website.


WATER RATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE NARROWING RATE STRUCTURE IDEAS  

The MMWD Water Rate Advisory Committee, a citizens' committee formed earlier this year to advise the Board of Directors on potential changes to the rate structure, is continuing to review various water rate structure alternatives. The district's goal for any new rate structure is one that secures a more consistent base revenue stream for the district and allocates costs fairly and accurately across all customer categories.

The advisory committee's next step is to take a closer look at six potential rate structure options and evaluate how well each one meets the district's goal and how each option impacts MMWD's different customer types: residential, commercial, institutional and irrigation only.   

 

The citizens' committee will continue to meet through November and then make a recommendation to the MMWD Board of Directors regarding possible changes to MMWD's current rate structure. The current rate structure has a basic meter charge for all customers and a water use charge with four inclining tiers based on water use. 

 

Background materials provided to the committee are available here.      

 


CURRENT AND UPCOMING TRAIL AND ROAD CLOSURES IMPACT ACCESS ON PUBLIC LANDS  

Two current closures along Lagunitas Creek in West Marin are currently limiting access to public lands, while three new closures on Mt. Tamalpais will begin in October and continue into the winter months.

Currently Shafter Grade Road at Dog Creek in West Marin is closed for the installation of a new culvert and the Cross Marin Trail in Samuel P. Taylor State Park is closed for multiple trail improvements. Both are grant-funded projects that will help control erosion and improve water quality and habitat for the benefit of threatened and endangered coho salmon, steelhead trout and California freshwater shrimp in Lagunitas Creek. Both trails are scheduled to reopen in mid-October.
 
On the Mt. Tamalpais Watershed three popular roads are scheduled to be closed starting in October for slide repairs, a result of heavy rains last spring. The routes include:
  • Sky Oaks Road - Traffic control and closures are planned during regular work hours Monday-Friday, October-November.
  • Concrete Pipe Road - Closed from Bolinas Road to Five Corners during regular work hours Monday-Friday, October-January.
  • Shaver Grade - Closed from Concrete Pipe Road to the bottom of Fish Grade also during regular work hours Monday-Friday, October-January.  

Every effort will be made to open the roads to visitors after work hours and on weekends. Visit marinwater.org for updates.

 


FREE TRAINING IN SPANISH FOR LANDSCAPERS BEGINS OCTOBER 11 

MMWD is co-sponsoring a FREE Spanish-language Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper (QWEL) 20-hour certification course beginning October 11. The three-week, seven-session course includes instruction in irrigation systems, water management, soil science and new technology. Graduates will receive a certificate of completion with the QWEL designation, which has been approved by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Spanish QWEL 2011 Class Schedule

  • Week 1: Tuesday, October 11 and Thursday, October 13, 6-9 pm
  • Week 2: Tuesday, October 18, 6-9 pm; Saturday, October 22, 9 am-1 pm 
  • Week 3: Tuesday, October 25 and Thursday, October 27, 6-9 pm; Saturday, October 29, 9 am-1 pm 
All classes will be held at Pickleweed Community Center, 50 Canal Street, San Rafael. For more information and to register, call (877) 689-7721 or visit www.qweltraining.com. QWEL was developed in 2007 through a partnership of landscape contractors, educators and North Bay water agencies with the goal of reducing landscape water demand. It is one of the first irrigation auditor certification programs in the nation to carry the U.S. EPA's WaterSense label.

The course is sponsored by Marin Municipal Water District and Sonoma County Water Agency.


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WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
We welcome your comments and need your help raising awareness about water in Marin.  Please share this information with your members and constituents. Thank you!


Libby Pischel, Public Information Officer
Marin Municipal Water District
[email protected]
(415) 945-1421