Marin Pipeline Tussle Extended - Russian River
Peter Fimrite / SF Chronicle 9nov00

MARIN -- A tussle over a proposed pipeline bringing Russian River water into Marin County is likely to intensify with the election of one proponent and one opponent of the pipeline to the Marin Municipal Water District board.

The $20 million pipeline could have a huge impact on water usage in both Marin and Sonoma counties, and its construction was the key factor in the election for two open seats.

The easy win by Alex Forman, who opposes the project, and the narrow victory by incumbent Richard (Dick) Hill, who supports it, has thrown what was a clear majority supporting the pipeline into question.

A final decision by the five-member water board was put on hold until after the election so that an environmental study could be done on the project.

Environmentalists are convinced that a new pipeline would encourage sprawling new developments and increase the degradation of the Russian River. Proponents argue that it would only be used to carry the water the district already has rights to in order to prevent severe rationing during dry years.

Hill and board member John Jaeger say a new pipeline would allow the district to pump as much water as it needs in the event of a crisis.

``The anti-pipeline people think they can solve our water problems with conservation alone, and I don't believe conservation alone will solve them,'' Hill said. ``We also need some additional supply. Sure, there's a slightly different cast of characters now, and we'll have to play out the cards, but nothing has changed in the situation that needs to be resolved.''

Forman and board member Jared Huffman are afraid that more available water will make developments such as the controversial Gold Hill Grade development above San Rafael's Dominican University more likely.

They say Russian River water will probably increase in price and decrease in quality because the aquifer is being destroyed by gravel mining, the watershed is not protected and Eel River diversions into the Russian River are the subject of lawsuits.

``My goal will be to protect the environment and protect ratepayers,'' Forman said. ``I'm very concerned about the environmental implications of this pipeline in Marin and Sonoma counties, but also in Mendocino County with the Eel River diversions. And is this extra water going to be used to develop every ridgetop in Marin County that developers have rights to? It's a concern, and I plan to raise it.''

Forman replaces newly elected Assemblyman Joe Nation, who supported the pipeline, and he and Huffman now form a solid bloc against the pipeline project. Hill and Jaeger want the pipeline constructed as soon as possible.

That leaves Jack Gibson as the swing vote. In July, when the board ordered an environmental review, he seemed to be leaning toward building the pipeline -- but Gibson has also expressed concerns about the project.

While only two of the district's five divisions were electing directors, the public opposition reflected in the election results could now sway his vote.

Hill won his race with 46 percent of the vote to his main rival Toni Kendall's 44 percent. He probably would have lost if Pete Romanowsky, a fringe candidate who, nonetheless, got nearly 10 percent of the vote on a platform opposing the pipeline, had not been in the race.

In the second race, Forman garnered 56.8 percent of the vote, while his rival, pipeline proponent Morrow Cater, got 31.4 percent. In addition, Laurence Minikes, who dropped out of the race and supported Forman's candidacy, won 12 percent of the vote.

``The overwhelming majority of voters in both districts voted for candidates who were opposed to construction of the pipeline,'' Forman said.

The Marin Municipal Water District, which serves 184,510 customers in southern and central Marin, has a contract with the Sonoma County Water Agency for 14,300 acre-feet of water a year out of the Russian River. One acre-foot is enough water to cover an acre of land in a foot of water, or to supply five people with water for a year.

The district now uses a pipeline owned by the North Marin Water District to take about 8,300 acre-feet of water a year, about 25 percent of its total supply. Growing water use in northern Marin, however, has reduced the amount of water that the Marin Municipal Water District can draw through the pipe.

The predicted capacity problem inspired voters to approve building a new pipeline in 1992, with the provision that it would be built only when it was needed. Whether it is needed is the issue that is raising so many hackles.