06/30/2021 With springs and ponds running dry, Marin’s ranchers and farmers are racing to secure their water. The Marin Agricultural Land Trust launched a drought resilience and water security initiative this summer to fund improvements to water collection, storage and distribution. Twenty-one projects have been funded at a total cost of $250,000, and MALT’s board approved another round last week, funded by private donations. Most of the projects include adding large water tanks to existing infrastructure. The tanks are limited to 5,000 gallons to avoid the need for a building permit, and they allow landowners to truck in water and capture overflow from springs. Ranchers and farmers are also cleaning out springs that have been silted in for decades, connecting pipes to old sources, digging out the bottoms of ponds and creating rain catchment systems. The projects are intended to address the emergency and provide a long-term benefit.