Records indicate that the Sonoma County Water Agency now exports approximately 6 billion gallons of groundwater supplies to Marin County per year. North Marin Water District which represents Novato and Ignacio is now 80% reliant on Sonoma County for drinking water. Marin Municipal Water District is 23% reliant on Sonoma County for its daily supply—and they want more.

During the drought of 1975, 1976, and 1977, Marin Municipal Water District (M.U.D.) made an agreement with East Bay Municipal Utility District to take delivery of State water diversions from the Delta. The water would be delivered by the City of Richmond through a newly erected pipeline that would cross the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. The agreement was successful and the water kept Marin going, barely. Many years later the pipeline was disassembled and the reliance on Sonoma County groundwater supplies increased.

By now everyone is aware of the posturing to dominate what little remains of delta (Sierra snowmelt) water; most officials will tell you no additional water is available.

Both Marin and Sonoma County officials have made a tremendous mistake not seeing to it that Marin and Sonoma County also got a share of delta water. I have often predicted that future water imports into Sonoma County would likely be through the very pipeline that now takes water south into Marin County.

Eel River Diversions

Eel River diversions began about 100 years ago. Water that leaves Lake Pillsbury through Scott Dam flows to Cape Horn Dam, where a portion of it is diverted through a power generating station. The water leaves the Eel River behind and makes its way to Lake Mendocino. Coyote Dam controls water levels; water is released into the East Fork of the Russian River and flows in a southerly direction from Mendocino County into Sonoma County. As of this date Mendocino County has mandatory rationing and they are not pleased with ever increasing demands in Sonoma and Marin Counties.

Russian River flows are a key component to recharging the largest groundwater basin in Sonoma County—the Santa Rosa Plain Groundwater Basin.

Eel River diversions along with natural river drainage provide sub-surface recharge flows which fills the fourteen mile long basin that reaches southward to Penngrove. Successful litigation has prevented additional water from being diverted out of the Eel River. Reduced Eel River flows continue to cause significant damage to the Eel’s ecosystem, which also includes impacts on fisheries.

Future diversions are not likely to happen.  We cannot look to the Eel River for endless water supplies.

This blended water supply makes up a percentage of water that is extracted and sent to the cities of Sonoma and Marin Counties. The more water extracted from the banks of the Russian River means less water makes its way into the southern Santa Rosa Plain Groundwater Basin for overlying users.

Increased demand by Marin County on this recharge process affects everyone who relies on the Santa Rosa Plain Groundwater Basin.

This is not sustainable. We are running out of water unless something is done. We must:

• Phase out Marin County’s reliance on Sonoma County’s groundwater supplies–using case law governing groundwater regulation if necessary.
• Build membrane filtration and reverse osmosis water treatment facilities.
• Develop more reservoirs in Marin and Sonoma Counties.
• Pursue State water diversions and use the East Bay M.U.D. system to deliver water back across the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge to Marin County again.
• Develop desalination treatment facilities.

I’m willing to get this moving!

Signed,
John E. King