One week after historic storms doused Northern California, Marin County and much of the region are expected to have another wet start to the week.
Forecasts show two storms are set to arrive on Monday and Thursday that could bring more rain measured in inches to the drought-stricken region. Meteorologists say these storms will be far less intense than those that last week, which doused Mount Tamalpais with a staggering 26 inches of rain and provided vital supplies to Marin’s shrinking reservoirs.
The district’s reservoirs make up 75% of the district’s water supply and rely entirely on rainfall runoff. Last week’s storms were intense enough to soak grounds that had been parched by two consecutive dry years, which will allow rain from coming storms to flow more easily into local reservoirs.
The district, which is the largest water supplier in the county serving 191,000 residents, saw its reservoir storage increase to 51% capacity this week. On Sunday, the district recorded 10.5 inches, its highest one day rainfall ever recorded. Some of the district’s smallest reservoirs, such as Lake Lagunitas and Phoenix Lake, were completely refilled. The district recorded a total of 17 inches at Lake Lagunitas rain gauge. By comparison, the district received only 20 inches last winter — its second-driest year on record. Still, Monday’s total was only 67% of average storage for Oct. 25 — which means Marin, like the rest of California, needs more rain events to see any substantial improvement in drought conditions.
Sonoma Water, which provides 25% of the water supply to the Marin Municipal Water District and 75% of the water supply to the North Marin Water District, also saw its two main reservoirs’ supply bolstered from the rain. Water use restrictions are not expected to end because of the recent rainfall, however. The district is also still planning for emergency water supply projects including a $90 million pipeline across the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge to pump in purchased Sacramento Valley water.
So while we aren't out of the woods yet, we are off to a wet start and that is a good thing. Our Marin Water continues to implement the a strict conservation plan. To learn what you can do to keep Marin beautiful and fire safe, visit marinwater.org/conserve. Here you can find conservation tips, water-efficient fixtures, rebates and programs. Marin Water provides free phone consultations to help you find the conservation programs and rebates that work best for you.
For more articles about buying, selling and living in Marin County, I invite you to visit my blog site. If you'd like to learn more, or tour Marin County's neighborhoods to find your perfect community, call me, Tracy Curtis, Coldwell Banker Realty, 415-910 0599.