To: Board of Directors, Sonoma County Water Agency
Department or Agency Name(s): Sonoma County Water Agency
Staff Name and Phone Number: Grant Davis 707-547-1900, Donald Seymour, 707-547-1925
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): All
Title:
Title
Upper Russian River Community Water Supply Reliability Planning Project
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Adopt a Resolution authorizing Sonoma Water’s General Manager or designee to (1) execute a grant agreement and any amendments thereto with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife in the amount of $300,000 for the Upper Russian River Community Water Supply Reliability Planning Project; and (2) take all actions necessary to carry out the project and implement the grant agreement.
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Executive Summary:
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Watershed Restoration Grant Program supports projects that provide multi-benefit ecosystem and watershed protection and restoration in accordance with the Water Quality, Supply, and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014 (Prop 1).
In February 2026, Sonoma County Water Agency (Sonoma Water) filed an application for Watershed Restoration Grant funding with CDFW on behalf of the proposed “Upper Russian River Community Water Supply Reliability Planning Project” (Project). The Project involves assessing the feasibility of implementing a water supply agreement between Sonoma Water and the City of Cloverdale in northern Sonoma County to enhance the City’s water supply reliability.
Sonoma Water received the Notice of Award from CDFW on April 20, 2026. CDFW’s program guidelines require a resolution authorizing execution of a grant agreement and related actions from the applicant’s governing Board to be signed and submitted prior to executing an agreement.
Discussion:
Background:
The City of Cloverdale is vulnerable to water supply uncertainty and insecurity due to climate change, its geographic location north of Lake Sonoma and outside Sonoma Water’s current service area, and as the planned decommissioning of the Potter Valley Project transitions to a new Eel-Russian diversion project.
To enhance the City’s water supply reliability, the Board of Supervisors previously authorized $50,000 of District 4 Infrastructure funds to the City to support its water supply resources investigation and $150,000 of District 4 Infrastructure funds for Sonoma Water to support a possible water supply agreement with the City as it investigates new resiliency and supply alternatives in the near and long term for its service area.
Project Details:
The funding awarded by CDFW is needed to assess the feasibility of implementing a water supply agreement between Sonoma Water and City of Cloverdale. The Project begins with the preparation of engineering analyses, including a water supply demand assessment and water supply availability analysis. The outcome of these analyses will determine the remaining components of the Project.
If Sonoma Water and the City pursue the water supply agreement, based on the water supply assessment and analyses, subsequent tasks would include the completion of California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) compliance requirements and the preparation of a water rights change petition package for submission to the State Water Resources Control Board to amend Sonoma Water water rights permits.
If Sonoma Water and the City determine that pursuing the water supply agreement is not the preferred action, based on the assessment and analyses, the funding from CDFW will support investigations of groundwater resources that the City could access to supplement their water resources portfolio. These investigations could include a deep well feasibility study, hydrogeologic studies, geophysical surveys, and the drilling of test and monitoring wells.
The anticipated Project timeline begins in June 2026 and ends in March 2028.
Funding:
Total costs for Sonoma Water to provide water supply resources and resiliency support services and implementation of a water supply agreement with the City of Cloverdale are estimated to be $500,000. Costs under the grant Project are estimated to be $350,000. The CDFW grant will reimburse expenses up to $300,000, including labor and contractual costs. Project costs exceeding the $300,000 grant will be budgeted in the Russian River Projects fund. The remaining $150,000 in project costs will be covered by the previously authorized District 4 Infrastructure funds.
County of Sonoma 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: 5. Climate Change - Assess risk and uncertainty of climate change and develop and take actions that improve resiliency and sustainability.
Strategy: 5.1 Develop and implement practices to understand and minimize vulnerability to climate change impacts.
Action Item: 5.1.4 Develop inclusive practices for Sonoma Water's climate mitigation and adaptation efforts considering the needs of under-resourced and under-represented communities.
This Project addresses climate change risk and uncertainty in the City of Cloverdale, which is outside regional water supplier Sonoma Water’s service area and vulnerable to water supply insecurity in times of drought.
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
10/28/2025: Board of Supervisors authorized use of $150,000 from District 4 Infrastructure funds to Sonoma Water to provide water supply resources and resiliency support services based on City of Cloverdale’s findings of water resource investigation.
08/12/2025: Board of Supervisors authorized the use of $50,000 of District 4 Infrastructure funds to support the City of Cloverdale’s water supply resources investigation, and to allow the County Executive or designee to execute a funding agreement totaling $50,000.
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY26-27 Adopted |
FY27-28 Projected |
FY28-29 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$60,000 |
$290,000 |
|
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
$150,000 |
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|
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Total Expenditures |
$210,000 |
$290,000 |
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Funding Sources |
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General Fund/WA GF |
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State/Federal |
$33,000 |
$267,000 |
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Fees/Other |
$177,000 |
$23,000 |
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Use of Fund Balance |
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General Fund Contingencies |
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Total Sources |
$210,000 |
$290,000 |
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Budgeted amount of $60,000 is available from FY 2026/27 appropriations for the Russian River Projects fund. Additional appropriations in the amount of $150,000 from the Russian River Projects fund are required to process this expense. With board approval, unused appropriations in the amount of $150,000 will be rolled forward to FY 2026/2027 in Sonoma Water’s Q1 consolidated budget adjustments. FY 2027/28 appropriations will be budgeted in the applicable fiscal year, with offsetting revenues from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
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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:
Resolution
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None.