Marin Water Lowers Phoenix Lake Level to Prevent Winter Floods

Marin Water and local county crews are actively working to lower the water level at Phoenix Lake to capture incoming stormwater runoff. This strategic drawdown project runs through mid-November and is designed to protect downstream communities from winter flooding.

The proactive effort focuses on safeguarding neighborhoods near Ross and San Anselmo from heavy seasonal rains. By managing capacity early, officials hope to replicate past successes in mitigating rapid runoff.

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Understanding the Phoenix Lake Project

District officials previously used a similar strategy during an October 2021 storm, which successfully reduced peak water flow to downstream areas by an estimated 40 percent. Despite this proven history, district leaders are treating the current drawdown as a unique, one-time intervention due to existing infrastructure constraints.

As the district’s smallest reservoir, Phoenix Lake provides much less overall flood-storage capacity than larger regional facilities like Kent Lake. Even with these spatial limitations, utilizing every available tool remains vital as local water systems hover around 80 percent capacity following heavy watershed drainage.

Broader Countywide Storm Preparations

County supervisors recently approved a substantial $3 million allocation dedicated entirely to comprehensive storm readiness and resilience efforts. Field crews are using these funds to accelerate seasonal maintenance across local creeks and complex drainage networks.

These heightened community precautions directly respond to severe regional flooding from last January that inundated local structures and closed Highway 101. Ongoing climate shifts, featuring intense atmospheric rivers and rising sea levels, mean that long-term mitigation strategies remain more critical than ever for residents.

Here is the source article for this story: Marin Water Plans to Lower Phoenix Lake to Cut Ross Flood Risk

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