Monterey secures $1 million for urban diversion and water supply project at Lake El Estero

MONTEREY, Calif. (KION-TV)- The City of Monterey said they received $1 million from the state for an urban diversion and water supply project within the Lake El Estero watershed.

This three-year project was proposed to help capture excess fresh water from the lake that would have ended up in Monterey Bay. This extra water would be diverted to the sanitary sewer system to be treated and recycled via Monterey One Water’s Regional Treatment Plant.

Tricia Wotan, Environmental Regulations Manager for the City of Monterey, explains, “This model project will benefit our community and the environment by protecting Monterey Bay, enhancing the local water supply, and supporting the City’s value driver to protect our natural environment.”

The amount of water captured would depend on rainfall conditions in a given year. Lake waters are currently pumped to Monterey Bay multiple times per year, so the average lake level is not expected to be changed.

The Project will help the region’s water supply and quality by filtering more urban runoff before being discharged into Monterey Bay.

The City will post updates on the Project at monterey.org as its planning, design, and construction progress over the next three years.