To: Board of Directors, Sonoma County Water Agency
Department or Agency Name(s): Sonoma County Water Agency
Staff Name and Phone Number: Marcus Trotta 707-547-1978
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Regional Water Bank Implementation Strategy Agreement with Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc.
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Authorize Sonoma County Water Agency’s General Manager to execute an agreement with Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc., in substantially the form as the draft presented to this Board, for development of the Regional Water Bank Implementation Strategy report through December 31, 2027, in the not-to-exceed amount of $474,700, and to extend the agreement for up to two additional years.
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Executive Summary:
Sonoma County Water Agency’s (Sonoma Water) is seeking to develop a Regional Water Bank implementation strategy that would support coordination of Sonoma Water’s wholesale water supply with the local water supplies available to cities and water districts in Sonoma and Marin counties. A Regional Water Bank would integrate the most significant regional water storage facilities in Sonoma and Marin counties into Sonoma Water’s transmission system and provide mutually beneficial enhanced supply resilience to Sonoma Water’s transmission system customers.
Discussion:
HISTORY OF ITEM/BACKGROUND
Sonoma Water provides naturally filtered Russian River wholesale water to cities and water districts in Sonoma and Marin counties. This service area includes the cities of Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park, Cotati, Sonoma, and Petaluma; Town of Windsor; and the Valley of the Moon, North Marin, and Marin Municipal water districts. Collectively, these cities and districts serve a population of approximately 600,000 people. These retail customers also have local water supplies that are used to augment the regional water supply to meet the demands of their customers. Local supplies include surface water, groundwater, and recycled water sources. While these regional water systems are connected, primarily through connections to Sonoma Water’s transmission system, there is limited coordination in how the regional and local supplies are conjunctively operated or managed.
A Regional Water Supply Resiliency Study (Resiliency Study) was initiated in 2021 to better understand the existing and future water supply resiliency challenges facing the region and to increase regional resilience by adopting water supply options that more fully integrate the regional systems. The resilience of the regional water system was evaluated for droughts, earthquakes, wildfires, floods, and power loss using dozens of hydraulic modeling scenarios. Opportunities to increase water resilience across the region considered new and modified infrastructure, changes in operations, water conservation, and policy and regulatory measures. Among the most beneficial of these opportunities, according to hydraulic models, was the concept of a Regional Water Bank.
A Regional Water Bank would provide a mechanism to integrate the most significant regional water storage facilities (Lake Sonoma, Santa Rosa Plain groundwater basin, Sonoma Valley groundwater basin, Petaluma Valley groundwater basin, Stafford Lake, and reservoirs operated and managed by Marin Water), using Sonoma Water’s transmission system, which is the backbone for water deliveries in the region. This would provide mutually beneficial enhanced supply resilience to Sonoma Water’s transmission system customers. Surplus surface water during wet periods could be stored in surface reservoirs or groundwater basins and subsequently extracted during critical drought periods or emergencies, thus providing improved resilience and reliability to the region.
SELECTION PROCESS
Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc. (Consultant) was selected from a list of qualified consultants developed from a competitive selection process. Attached is a memo that explains the competitive selection process.
Consultant was selected for the subject work because of its substantial understanding of the region’s water resources; successful performance on similar planning efforts for Sonoma Water, including the Regional Water Supply Resiliency Study; and experience in supporting the development of regional water banks in other areas.
Sonoma Water may seek to amend or enter into subsequent agreement(s) with Board approval if required, relying upon this competitive selection process, after the preliminary or initial work is completed.
SERVICES TO BE PERFORMED
Under the agreement, Consultant will prepare an implementation strategy report for the Regional Water Bank, perform stakeholder engagement and outreach, and identify funding sources to support the Regional Water Bank.
The cost of services will not exceed $474,700; the term end date is December 31, 2027.
Under the agreement, the General Manager shall have the ability to extend the term of the agreement for up to two additional years by providing written notice to the other party thirty days in advance of the expiration date. The extension shall be formalized in an amended agreement or amendment signed by the parties.
County of Sonoma Strategic Plan Alignment:
N/A
Sonoma Water Strategic Plan Alignment:
Goal: Planning and Infrastructure
Strategy: Conduct planning that integrates and balances operational, maintenance, and infrastructure priorities.
Action: Continue to engage in planning efforts and partnerships to protect and enhance our water supply.
Development of a Regional Water Bank strategy between Sonoma Water and the local municipalities it serves would provide a more cohesive overall view of the regional water supply and provide enhanced water supply resilience to all Sonoma Water’s transmission system customers.
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
02/05/2019: Board approved agreement with Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc., to prepare a regional water supply reliability study through December 31, 2019, in the not-to-exceed amount of $163,728.
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY24-25 Adopted |
FY25-26 Projected |
FY26-27 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$225,000 |
$249,700 |
|
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
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Total Expenditures |
$225,000 |
$249,700 |
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|
Funding Sources |
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|
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General Fund/WA GF |
|
|
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|
State/Federal |
|
|
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Fees/Other |
$225,000 |
$249,700 |
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Use of Fund Balance |
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General Fund Contingencies |
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Total Sources |
$225,000 |
$249,700 |
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Budgeted amount of $225,000 is available from FY 2024/2025 appropriations for the Water Transmission fund. FY 2025/2026 appropriations will be budgeted in that fiscal year.
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Staffing Impacts: |
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Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
Attachment 1: Draft Agreement with Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc.
Attachment 2: Competitive Selection Process Memo
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None