Water Conservation Element (near-term) 

• Build upon the District's industry-leading conservation program and pursue a variety of identified activities to incentivize further water use efficiency. 

  • What's in progress: The District’s Water Efficiency team is engaged in work to shape a Water Efficiency Master Plan that is intended to yield beneficial changes to water use rules, ordinances and incentive programs. Staff are also working to develop a Water Loss Reduction Program. In July, Water Efficiency staff shared goals, initiatives and projections to be included in the Water Efficiency Master Plan. 

  • Recent update: 

    • July 16, 2024 - Board of Directors Regular Meeting
      Agenda Item 9a - Water Efficiency Master Plan
      Watch meeting recording and view documents

Water Shortage Contingency Plan (completed) 

• The District’s approved Water Shortage Contingency Plan is ready to be implemented as needed should water supply conditions warrant.  

Electrify Lake Soulajule (near-term) 

• This measure provides PG&E line power to the pump station at Lake Soulajule so that the lake can be operated more frequently.  

• Estimated water yield: 250-1,000 AFY.  

• Estimated cost: $6 million 

• Cost per AF: $1,800. 

  • What's in progress: District engineers are still in the design stage of this project, and staff are looking into various alternatives to meet the energy load requirement for electrical service. Marin Water is also working on designs for a pipeline that would replace the open-channel flow currently utilized and ensure more of the water pumped from Soulajule makes it to Nicasio Reservoir. The District is also pursuing efforts to secure grant funding to offset the cost of this important project. 

  • Recent update:

    • June 18, 2024 - Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors
      Agenda Item 10b - Desalination and Recycled Water Costs Review
      Watch meeting recording and view documents

Phoenix-Bon Tempe Connection (near-term) 

• This project installs a connection from Phoenix Lake to Bon Tempe reservoir, increasing District control over water flows.  

• Estimated water yield: 250-750 AFY 

• Estimated cost: $5 million  

• Cost per AF: $1,611 

  • What's in progress: Marin Water is currently working on the design aspect of this reservoir connection project. Connecting the Bon Tempe and Phoenix Reservoirs will require nearly a mile and half of new pipeline, as well as a new pump station. Several steps in that process have been accomplished to date:

    • Engineering staff have mapped out the alignment for the new pipeline, and a geotechnical consultant has been hired to report on potential impacts.

    • District staff are working with regulatory agencies to determine permitting requirements.

    • Marin Water has submitted an application to PG&E for new service to power the new pump station, and a request for proposals has been prepared for pump station design.

  • Recent update:

    • June 18, 2024 - Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors
      Agenda Item 9a - Presentation - Phoenix-Bon Tempe Connection Project
      Watch meeting recording and view documents

Forecasting and Stream Release Automation (near term) 

• This initiative aims to improve forecasting capabilities and stream release automation to better manage releases. 

• Estimated water yield: 100-1,000 AFY 

  • What's in progress: Marin Water staff obtained the necessary permissions for equipment installation and installed streamflow measurement equipment in late September near Shafter Bridge. However, that equipment was stolen shortly after installation, demonstrating how even simple projects can be impacted by unforeseen variables. Staff is now working to reinstall equipment with upgraded protections in place. Similar work is planned at Walker Creek to further improve the accuracy of streamflow releases.

  • Recent update:

    • June 18, 2024 - Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors
      Agenda Item 10b - Desalination and Recycled Water Costs Review
      Watch meeting recording and view documents

Operational Strategy for Maximizing Sonoma Water supply (near-term) 

• Develops operational rules to guide the timing and quantity of water purchased from Sonoma to maximize take of supplemental water in dry years while minimizing risk of reservoirs spills.  

  • What's in progress: The strategy will seek to balance water supply risk and District costs by analyzing system supply and demand over long periods of time and a wide range of conditions. Work is expected to continue through the winter.

  • Recent update:

    • Jan. 23, 2024 - Board of Directors Regular Meeting
      Agenda Item 8B - Water Supply Roadmap Update Presentation
      Watch meeting recording and view documents

Dedicated Conveyance (medium-term) 

• Develop dedicated conveyance to storage in two phases.  

• Estimated water yield:  5,000 AFY.

• Estimated cost: $111-$158 million 

  • What's in progress: Marin Water this summer narrowed a list of potential alignments to three preferred alternatives: 

    • Cotati 3 - Pipeline from Cotati tanks to Soulajule and Nicasio

    • Peta 3- Pipeline from North Marin Aqueduct to Soulajule and Nicasio with project developed in phases 

    • Peta 4- Pipeline from the North Marin Aqueduct along San Antonio Road to Soulajule and Nicasio 

The team continues to refine the alternatives optimizing alignments, right sizing facilities and costs. It's estimated this project could be completed in the next 4-5 years. 

• Recent update: 

  • July 2, 2024 - Board of Directors Meeting
    Agenda Item 9a - Water Supply and Roadmap Update
    Watch meeting recording and view documents

Local Storage Alternatives (long-term) 

• Develop an additional storage via movable spillway gates or raising of dams at Kent, Nicasio or Soulajule reservoirs.  

• Estimated yield: 5,000-20,000 acre-feet 

• Estimated cost: $90 million to $600 million

  • What's in progress: Marin Water this summer narrowed a list of potential projects to three preferred alternatives: 

    • Kent reservoir expansion 

    • Soulajule reservoir expansion 

    • Upper Nicasio (a new reservoir)

    The team is working to refine the conceptual designs, and right size storage and costs. The preferred alternative could be completed in 10-15-plus years and provide 20,000 acre-feet of additional storage. This level of detail will lead to a comprehensive alternatives analysis and selection of a preferred alternative by the end of 2025.

    Additionally, Marin Water separated and accelerated one local storage alternative - the installation of raised spillway gates at Nicasio. The spillway at Nicasio Reservoir stands alone in terms of flexibility because the original dam was designed to allow a spillway raise. The Nicasio Spillway Gates project could produce an additional 3,000 acre-feet of storage at a cost of less than $2.5 million. 

  • Recent Update:

    • July 2, 2024 - Board of Directors Meeting
      Agenda Item 9a - Water Supply and Roadmap Update
      Watch meeting recording and view documents

Increase Storage via Regional Partnerships (long-term) 

• Pumping existing groundwater from the Santa Rosa Plain aquifer for consumption could create the necessary capacity to store winter water from Sonoma County.  

Petaluma Brackish Desalination (near-term) 

• Monitor advances in desalination technology, track installation of desalination plants in California and perform feasibility analysis for Petaluma brackish desalination which could conceptually yield 5,000 acre-feet.  

  • What's in progress: The District contracted in October 2023 with Kennedy/Jenks Consultants, Inc., to investigate subsurface conditions and feasibility of desalination of the Petaluma River near San Pablo Bay. This work follows an initial collaboration between Marin Water and the City of Petaluma to review groundwater availability for a potential brackish desalination plant near this Sonoma County city. That review, also conducted by Kennedy/Jenks, found the groundwater in the area around Petaluma is not saline water, with few exceptions. The current work involves the potential to locate an ancient (paleo) riverbed channel near San Pablo Bay that could be used to support a subsurface intake structure for a desalination plant.

  • Recent update: 

    • June 18, 2024 - Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors
      Agenda Item 10b - Desalination and Recycled Water Costs Review
      Watch meeting recording and view documents

Recycled Water Expansion (near-term) 

• Pursue grant opportunities for recycled water projects to reduce the cost to the average cost.  

  • Recent update: 

    • June 18, 2024 - Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors
      Agenda Item 10b - Desalination and Recycled Water Costs Review
      Watch meeting recording and view documents