To: Board of Directors, Sonoma County Water Agency
Department or Agency Name(s): Sonoma County Water Agency
Staff Name and Phone Number: Dan Mason (707) 547-1967
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Second
Title:
Title
Site Access Agreement to Cotati Tanks Water Storage Facility for USGS Seismic Monitoring
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Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Authorize the General Manager of Sonoma County Water Agency (Sonoma Water) to execute a Site Access Agreement for Seismic Monitoring by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
B) Determine that granting site access to the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to install and monitor a seismic site at the Cotati Tanks Water Storage Facility for a period of 20 years, in support of the west coast earthquake early warning system (ShakeAlert), are in the public interest and that the interests in land use so conveyed will not substantially conflict or interfere with the use of the property by Sonoma Water (agreement term of 20 years at no cost to Sonoma Water).
(Second District)
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Executive Summary:
This item involves granting site access to USGS, a bureau of the U.S. Department of the Interior, for the installation of a seismic monitoring site at the Cotati Tanks Water Storage Facility in support of the west coast earthquake early warning system (ShakeAlert®), for a period of 20 years. Granting this site access will not adversely affect Sonoma Water in any respect. Sonoma Water owns the Cotati Water Tank Site located at 1190 West Sierra Ave. in Cotati (APN 046-181-026 & 046-101-021).
Discussion:
USGS has approached Sonoma Water with a request to install a seismic monitoring site at Cotati Tanks Water Storage Facility at 1190 West Sierra Ave. in Cotati (APN 046-181-026 & 046-101-021). USGS is conducting research necessary to characterize and identify earthquake hazards, assess earthquake risks, monitor seismic activity, and develop and implement earthquake early warnings.
The state-of-the-art earthquake-recording and telemetry equipment proposed to be installed at the Cotati Tanks Water Storage Facility will contribute continuing seismic data to the west coast ShakeAlert® Earthquake Early Warning System (www.shakealert.org). ShakeAlert detects significant earthquake activity so efficiently that alerts can reach many people before shaking arrives. The system is designed to minimize injuries and save lives during a large earthquake, prevent critical infrastructure damage, and expedite recovery following a large earthquake.
The goal of the ShakeAlert system is to facilitate the delivery of public alerts of potentially damaging earthquakes and provide warning parameter data to government agencies and private users on a region-to-region basis as soon as the ShakeAlert system, its products, and its parametric data meet minimum quality and reliability standards in those geographic regions. USGS began testing public notifications in California in October of 2019 through the Wireless Emergency Alert system and cell phone app.
ShakeAlert partners are working with both public and private mass alert system operators including FEMA, cellular carriers, mass notification companies, and others to provide broader public alerting. USGS and its partners are working on a comprehensive education and training program for responding to alerts when they are received. Data from the site will also be of great value to public safety agencies, emergency responders, and the earthquake engineering and scientific communities.
Pursuant to Government Code Section 25526.6, Sonoma Water’s Board of Directors may make any real property of Sonoma Water, available to a public agency, upon a finding the use is in the public interest and will not interfere with Sonoma Water’s use of the property. Staff is recommending that the Board find that the proposed site access agreement with USGS meets such conditions and approves the agreement.
Sonoma Water wishes to create the agreement for 20 years. The agreement can be canceled for any reason by either party with thirty (30) days prior written notice.
The Site Access Agreement with USGS to the Cotati Tanks Water Storage Facility for the installation of a seismic monitoring site and continual monitoring for the 20-year term is provided by USGS at no cost to Sonoma Water.
The USGS will reimburse Sonoma County Water Agency a one-time payment of $5,000 to offset staff time costs related to processing the site access agreement and related Board agenda item.
California Environmental Quality Act
Sonoma Water’s General Manager has determined that the site access agreement is categorically exempt from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15304 (minor alterations to land) and 15306 (information collection) because the project would result in minor alterations to land which do not involve removal of healthy, mature, scenic trees; and research data collection, which does not result in a serious or major disturbance to an environmental resource. Installation of seismic monitoring equipment would have negligible ground disturbance in a previously disturbed area. Sonoma Water staff has prepared a Notice of Exemption for the project in accordance with CEQA, the State CEQA Guidelines, and Sonoma Water’s Compliance Procedures under CEQA.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Sonoma Water Strategic Plan Alignment
This item directly supports Sonoma Water’s Strategic Plan and is aligned with the following goal, strategy, and action item.
Goal: 4. Emergency Preparedness - Build organizational resilience and ensure effective emergency response to extreme weather events, disasters, and security risks.
Strategy: 4.1 Strengthen and ensure a comprehensive emergency response capability through coordinated response programs, resource mangagment, and emergency planning.
Action Item: 4.1.2 Establish operational emergency response functions, procedures, and systems.
The state-of-the-art earthquake-recording and telemetry equipment proposed to be installed at the Cotati Tanks Water Storage Facility will contribute continuing seismic data to the west coast earthquake early warning system - ShakeAlert. The potential of the earthquake early warning system could benefit Sonoma’s Waters emergency response time in the event of a significate earthquake disaster.
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
None
Fiscal Summary
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Expenditures |
FY24-25 Adopted |
FY25-26 Projected |
FY26-27 Projected |
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Budgeted Expenses |
$5,000 |
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Additional Appropriation Requested |
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Total Expenditures |
$5,000 |
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Funding Sources |
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General Fund/WA GF |
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State/Federal |
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Fees/Other |
$5,000 |
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Use of Fund Balance |
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General Fund Contingencies |
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Total Sources |
$5,000 |
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Budgeted amount of $5,000 is available from FY 2023/2024 appropriations for the Sonoma Water General Fund. The USGS will reimburse Sonoma County Water Agency a one-time payment of $5,000 to offset staff time costs related to processing the site access agreement and related Board agenda items. No additional appropriation is required.
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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:
USGS Seismic Monitoring Station Proposal
USGS SCWA Agreement
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board: