We are grateful for the unusually early seasonal rains during this exceptional drought year, even if most of it arrived in the form of an atmospheric river, and resulted in flooding. Despite the early rainfall, the California drought is far from over and water conservation efforts must continuously be evaluated with changing climate conditions.
Marin County is primarily reliant on our network of reservoirs and imported water, and this year has provided a preview of what to expect in the coming years as our communities cope with the climate crisis, a growing population, finding new water sources, rationing water, and balancing this precious resource to support species and habitats.
Droughts don’t only impact humans, they have profound negative impacts on the natural environment. Looking at our dry creeks and stressed trees is a glimpse of the struggles to come. Finding a pathway to ensure the health and well-being of our entire ecosystem begs the question – are we individually and collectively doing enough to plan and conserve water?
For example, this fall Marin Water (formerly Marin Municipal Water District) applied to obtain a temporary urgency petition to change the timing and reduce the amount of water returned to the creek to support the endangered coho salmon, even when they had failed to meet their water conservation targets. We raised concerns about the petition, voicing our support for the salmon and calling out the inadequate community water conservation. Our advocacy raised awareness, and resulted in the Water Board and state agencies placing strict conditions and oversight into the temporary urgency change petition.
As we all grapple with hard decisions related to water and species, you can count on us to advocate for water conservation and solutions with the least environmental impact.
* This article was also published in our Winter 2021 Print newsletter
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