Is it time to remove Nicasio Dam? I've been asking myself this question ever since I came across this
great report from the 1960s on the effects of Nicasio Dam on Coho Salmon and Steelhead Trout.
So I added up the unused portions of Kent, Nicasio, and
Soulajule Reservoirs, since most have been kept pretty full since 1977 and all since
1992. We have a reservoir the size of Nicasio Reservoir sitting unused at the
bottom of these three reservoirs. Add unused
storage in Alpine Reservoir, and the numbers work out even better. If we allowed the full use of the reservoir
capacities of Marin Municipal Water District (MMWD), instead of always keeping them more than half full, it effectively doubles the available water storage, and would make the presence of Nicasio Dam and Reservoir unnecessary. The following graphs from CDEC show the amount of water unused sitting on the bottom of each reservoir:
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| Alpine Reservoir levels since 1977, adapted from CDEC. 3,500 acre-feet unused. |
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Kent Reservoir levels since 1977, adapted from CDEC. 12,500 acre-feet unused.
Note that the reservoir capacity was expanded in 1983. |
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| Nicasio Reservoir levels since 1977, adapted from CDEC. 8,000 acre-feet unused. |
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Soulajule Reservoir levels since 1979, adapted from CDEC. 4,500 acre-feet unused.
Note that the dam was built in 1979. |
