WATER MANDATE LEVEL REACHED

The reduction of water being diverted from the Russian River has reached the mandated level for the first time this summer, the result of conservation efforts and a break in the weather.

Sonoma County Water Agency officials said Wednesday that they had achieved a 15 percent reduction in the amount of water siphoned from the river, a level that had eluded them until this week.

The agency delivers water to 600,000 residential and business customers in Sonoma and Marin counties. So, collectively, they've managed to reach the state-imposed target.

But water officials sounded a note of caution, saying North Coast residents should not be complacent about using water.

"Of course we don't want to rest on our laurels. We still have a long way to go in conserving water," said Water Agency spokesman Brad Sherwood. "We still have a lot of summer left, a lot of hot days."

The Water Agency is under state order to reduce diversions from the Russian River by 15 percent from July 1 through Oct. 28, compared to the same period in 2004.

The mandate is intended to save enough water for the fall salmon run. By reducing diversions from the Russian River, water officials hope to retain more water in Lake Mendocino, near Ukiah, which serves as a reservoir.

Santa Rosa, Windsor, Rohnert Park, Cotati, Sonoma, Petaluma, the Valley of the Moon, North Marin and Marin Municipal Water districts -- all of which obtain water from the Water Agency -- have called for conservation measures by residents and businesses. Most of the savings can be achieved by limiting outdoor water use and ensuring irrigation systems are functioning properly, according to officials.

Even though they are not contractors with the Water Agency, other cities that pump from the Russian River -- Healdsburg, Cloverdale and Ukiah -- have also asked their residents to conserve voluntarily.

Grape growers, who account for one-third of the water taken from the Russian River, are also adjusting irrigation schedules to minimize their take from the river.

The figures released Tuesday show the Water Agency pumped 4,625 acre-feet of water from the Russian River for the first 24 days of July, a 15.2 percent reduction from the 5,451 acre-feet pumped during the same period in 2004. An acre-foot is approximately 326,000 gallons.

The agency in the first half of July struggled to meet its goal. But things improved as conservation efforts gained momentum and the weather cooperated.

"We've seen cooler weather. The little bit of rain helped," Sherwood said.

He said the agency wants to make sure everyone remains on alert about saving water. "While we have so far reached the 15 percent, that doesn't mean we have met our goal," he said, adding that cutbacks must continue until Oct. 28.

Water officials say it is important to keep up conservation efforts now, because it becomes harder to cut back by 15 percent in September and October.

"Now is the highest demand period of the year. It's easier to get conservation," said Chris Murray, principal engineer for the Water Agency. "When you get into the fall . . . it's more difficult to get conservation.

But officials were still relieved to have reached their target for now.

"It feels good to me, to say 'we can do this,' " Murray said. "Keep doing what you're doing and it should be OK."

You can reach Staff Writer Clark Mason at 521-5214 or clark.mason@pressdemocrat.

com.