If you haven't heard the news, it's going to be a dry summer in California. Lawns are going to start to turn brown, and you can expect local news stories - and your neighbors - to lead on the topic of water usage and various bad actors. Of course, we will also likely see another wave of commentary on social media about how the Central Valley sucks up all the state's water with their almond trees. Meanwhile, an uproar occurred recently when a bottled water company continued to refuse to cooperate with an FDA investigation of non-viral hepatitis.
Because Marin County relies on reservoirs in the coastal range for its drinking water, and not on water from the Sierra like much of the Bay Area, we in Marin are on particularly high alert. As KPIX reports, the county's water supply is already around half of what it should be at this time of year, with reservoirs having gotten about half their typical amount of rainfall.
That's prompted the Marin Municipal Water District (MMWD) to announce mandatory water-use restrictions to take effect May 1. The district provides water to Central and Southern Marin, and as of next month, residents served by the district will need to stop washing their cars at home, only water lawns once a week, and refrain from refilling backyard pools.
I've spoken to some of my neighbors who are starting to make plans to rip up their green lawn and are contemplating either a fake lawn or a 'xeriscaping' dessert garden. It also goes by the name of 'water-conserving' landscapes, 'drought-tolerant' landscaping, or 'smart scaping' in different circles. According to Wikipedia, xeriscaping is the process of landscaping or gardening that reduces or eliminates the need for irrigation. It is promoted in regions that do not have accessible, plentiful, or reliable supplies of fresh water and is gaining acceptance in other regions as access to irrigation water is becoming limited; though it is not limited to such climates. I'll share my favorite xeriscaping articles in future posts.
So that's the bad news. The good news is that, in Marin, we have no shortage of bodies of water to visit!
The Marin Watershed offers over 150 miles of trails and unpaved roads for hiking. Much of our trail network connects to neighboring national and state parks as well as county open space lands. To minimize disturbance to sensitive habitat, please stay on authorized routes. Dogs are welcome on the watershed. However, Marin Water requires all dogs to be leashed, and under the control of the owner at all times. For the safety of other visitors and protection for fish and wildlife, we discourage any aggressive dogs on the watershed.
For more information about the Marin Watershed, visit https://www.marinwater.org/ recreation. And if you are looking for the beauty and space that only Marin can offer, I can help you find your new home! Contact me to get started - Tracy Curtis, Coldwell Banker Realty, tracy.curtis@cbnorcal.com
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