TISbnr_redwoods_oaks
Corte Madera, CA                                                                                                   September 2014
The Inside Source is produced by Marin Municipal Water District to inform local decision makers and opinion leaders on issues affecting Marin's water, people, and environment.
Features
Benefits of Fire Flow Continue
Water Education Program for Schools
Current Blog Posts
Spread the Word

MMWD Board of Directors 

Armando Quintero
President

Liza Crosse
Vice President 

Jack Gibson
Cynthia Koehler
Larry Russell

Regular meetings of the MMWD Board of Directors are held at 7:30 pm the first and third Tuesday of each month unless otherwise noted in the District Board Room, 220 Nellen Avenue, Corte Madera. Additional meetings are scheduled as needed. All board meetings are open to the public.
(415) 945-1455

Krishna Kumar
General Manager


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Upcoming Public Meetings

 
Mon., September 29, 6:30 pm 
WSIP EIR SCOPING MEETING  
Marin Art & Garden Center
30 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard
Ross, CA 
 

Tues., October 7, 7:30 pm
BOARD MEETING 
Board Room


Tues., October 21, 7:30 pm
BOARD MEETING 
Board Room
SEPTEMBER RAIN SO FAR MEASURABLE BUT MINIMAL
The rain that fell last week on the Mt. Tamalpais Watershed measured 0.21 inches, bringing total rainfall to date (July 1-September 21) to 0.25 inches. While the small amount of rain was enough to be measured and to help settle the dust, it did not contribute to higher reservoir levels.

Here are the current water statistics:
  • Reservoir Levels - As of September 21, reservoir storage is 51,662 acre-feet,* or 65% of capacity. The average for this date is 55,148 acre-feet, or 69% of capacity. Total capacity is 79,566 acre-feet.   
  • Rainfall - Rainfall this year to date (July 1-September 21) is 0.25 inches. Average for the same period is 0.52 inches.
  • Water Use - Water use for the week of September 15-21 averaged 25.19 million gallons per day, compared to 30.06 million gallons per day for the same week last year.      
  • Creek Releases - During the month of August 2014 MMWD released 164 million gallons, or a total of 504 acre-feet, into Lagunitas and Walker creeks in west Marin for habitat enhancement.  

Water use and reservoir figures are updated weekly and can be found on our Water Watch page. 

 

*One acre-foot is 325,851 gallons
MMWD HOLDS EIR SCOPING MEETING FOR STORAGE TANKS
MMWD will host a combined public open house and scoping meeting on Monday, September 29, 2014 to update the community on the proposed Water Storage Improvement Project (WSIP) and to gather public input on issues to be addressed during the environmental review process under the California Environmental Quality Act. The 30-day scoping period for an environmental impact report began September 8 and will continue to October 8, 2014.

The proposed WSIP will replace two nearly 100-year-old water storage facilities on the Mt. Tamalpais Watershed with new ones. The proposed project will provide 8 million gallons of potable water storage to:
  • Improve MMWD's ability to provide water to the Ross Valley during peak demand periods and in case of emergencies;
  • Improve seismic reliability of storage facilities;
  • Replace inadequate, outmoded, and sub-standard facilities;
  • Ensure the ongoing delivery of safe and reliable drinking water.
The proposed WSIP will not provide additional water supply for future growth. The proposed project is supported by the Division of Drinking Water of the State Water Resources Control Board, which is the state agency that regulates drinking water quality.

The scoping meeting will be held at the Marin Art & Garden Center, 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Ross, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM CONTINUES TO BENEFIT FROM FIRE FLOW PROGRAM
The ongoing district-wide fire flow improvement program dates back to 1997, when voters approved a $75 annual property fee to fund water distribution system improvements to provide water for fire protection and to strengthen the distribution system's seismic reliability. That original 15-year fire flow program funded the installation of 66 miles of larger pipes, 750 new hydrants, and seismic retrofits at the water treatment plants and critical tanks and pump stations.

The fee was renewed in 2012 for an additional 19 years to fund 52 more miles of pipeline replacements as well as seismic retrofits of pump stations and pipe bridges. Because the fee is based on property ownership and not MMWD customer records, the fee appears on property tax bills, which are received in early October of each year. MMWD has an agreement with the County of Marin to collect the funds, which are held in a separate account from MMWD's regular capital projects budget.

 More information about the fire flow program is available on MMWD's website.
FREE WATER EDUCATION PROGRAMS AVAILABLE FOR 2014-15 SCHOOL YEAR
With the 2014-15 school year now in full swing, we encourage schools in MMWD's service area to consider taking advantage of the district's water education programs. Our free, fun, and informative array includes indoor and outdoor educational opportunities, hands-on water conservation and restoration activities, whole-school assemblies in English and Spanish, service-learning projects, and school bus reimbursements.

Last year, MMWD's Water Wonders programs provided education to thousands of kindergarten through high school students throughout Marin. This year we expect similar demand, as water seems to be on everybody's mind with California's ongoing drought. By participating in the Water Wonders program, students will learn about drought and gain an understanding that droughts are an unpredictable and naturally recurring part of California's variable climate. Students will also learn about simple, positive actions they can take at home and at school to conserve water.

MMWD's teacher newsletter, Water Wonders, provides detailed information about all school programs.
NEW BLOG POSTS
  • For most, deer and other creatures in the garden are viewed as nuisances. But maybe a different viewpoint would serve you better. See what retired gardener Charlene Burgi has to say about these visitors here.
  • Fall is the ideal time to add mulch to your garden. Mulch reduces water evaporation and is a good "blanket" for the winter. Read here for more tips about mulch.
  • We're bringing in extra help, including some four-footed friends, to help maintain fuelbreaks on the Mt. Tamalpais Watershed. Read more about this effort here. 
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 colleagues and constituents. Thank you.
Libby Pischel, Public Information Officer
Marin Municipal Water District
lpischel@marinwater.org
(415) 945-1421