High-end wine isn’t the only liquid Marin imports from Sonoma—and water users in the 415 are hoping to increase their flow of Russian River H20. At least that’s the plan for the Marin Municipal Water District, whose board Feb. 25 voted to move forward with plans for a new pipeline that would draw additional water from Sonoma County aqueducts to Marin. The plan is part of the county’s goal of fortifying its supplies in the event of another drought, according to the Marin IJ, which first reported the MMWD board decision. Marin water officials estimate the district would need about another 6,500 acre-feet, or 2.1 billion gallons, of water a year to withstand another drought.
About 25% of Marin’s water supply flows through channels from the Russian River watershed, with a lot of excess water going into the ocean, the IJ reported. The $168 million project would install a 3-foot -wide, 13-mile-long pipeline to bring more water to the reservoir in Nicasio. District officials estimate the project would take about four years to complete.
