MMWD to study effects of climate change on dam system
The Marin Municipal Water District is embarking on a yearlong study to examine the impact of frequent, severe storms on the utility’s seven dams. The district board authorized spending up to $1.06 million to evaluate the capacity of the dam spillways, and to use climate change projections to assess potential hazards. The study is a response to a critical Marin County Civil Grand Jury report published last summer. The watchdog panel said dam safety plans for the Marin Municipal Water District and the North Marin Water District are failing to account for more regular “atmospheric river” storms brought on by climate change. The grand jury recommended, among other actions, that the water districts update their dam hazard mitigation plans with the latest science on climate change effects on storms.