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(Half Moon Bay, CA- [August 15, 2023] The San Mateo Resource Conservation District (RCD) has been awarded $11 million to increase water storage on the San Mateo County coast, increasing the region’s ability to withstand both storms and drought. For the last fifteen years, the RCD has undertaken a focused effort to plan, design, and build water conservation and storage projects that improve critically needed water security for people, farms, and wildlife, a win-win-win. With recent grants from the California Department of Water Resources, California Wildlife Conservation Board, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the RCD will develop reservoirs on three local farms, adding over 3.2 million cubic feet of water storage (about 37 Olympic-sized swimming pools). The funding will also enable RCD to implement other water conservation measures. The ponds will be completed by 2026.
By capturing water from creeks and storms when it is plentiful and storing for use when conditions are drier, the projects will provide farms with water security while leaving more water in the creeks for the people downstream and wildlife, such as endangered coho salmon, that depend on shared local water resources. The ponds are also designed to support fire suppression, as seen during the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex fires.
Kellyx Nelson, the RCD’s Executive Director, pointed out, “Like much of California, the coastside was hit by a barrage of storms in 2023. As streams swelled and flooded, people started calling for ways to capture it. In a place without summer rain, snowpack, large municipal reservoirs, or connections to a state water project, our rural communities and wildlife rely on the same limited creeks and aquifers for local water supplies. During our long summer dry season, farms, fish, and people all need water the most when our streams are at their lowest—every drop of water counts.”
State Senator Josh Becker added, “Now more than ever, we are witnessing the harsh effects of extreme climate—atmospheric rivers followed by the hottest temperatures in recorded history. More must be done to adapt to this new reality by investing in better ways to capture and store water for when we need it and to repair our environment. These grants are a necessary step towards achieving these goals, and I am proud of the work that the San Mateo Resource Conservation District is doing to adapt to this new climate reality and keep our community protected.”
In recent years, the RCD has worked with many partners to create or improve over 170 acre-feet (over 55 million gallons, or 84 Olympic swimming pools) of water storage on the coast and conserved over 227 acre-feet annually by developing water storage, fixing leaky infrastructure, and installing high-efficiency irrigation equipment.
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About the RCD: The San Mateo Resource Conservation District is a local hub for conservation, helping the people of San Mateo County build a more thriving natural environment for all. The district provides comprehensive, non-regulatory services to protect, conserve, and restore natural resources in partnership with land owners and managers, technical advisors, area jurisdictions, government agencies, and others.
For more information visit www.sanmateorcd.org.
Author: Coastside Buzz
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