To: Board of Supervisors; Board of Directors, Sonoma County Water Agency
Department or Agency Name(s): Sonoma County Water Agency
Staff Name and Phone Number: Supervisor James Gore, (707) 565-2241, Grant Davis 707-547-1900, Brad Sherwood 707-322-8192
Vote Requirement: 4/5th
Supervisorial District(s): Fourth
Title:
Title
District 4 Infrastructure Funds - Cloverdale Water Supply Resources and Resiliency Support Services
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Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Approve and allocate $150,000 from District 4 Infrastructure funds to Sonoma County Water Agency (Sonoma Water) to provide water supply resources and resiliency support services based on City of Cloverdale’s findings of water resource investigation.
B) Adopt a Resolution Authorizing Adjustment to the Board Adopted Budget for Fiscal Year 2025/2026 for the Sonoma County Water Agency Russian River Projects Fund in the amount of $150,000 to support services based on findings of the water resource investigation with the City of Cloverdale.
(4/5th Vote Required)
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Executive Summary:
This item seeks the Board’s authorization to use $150,000 of District 4 Infrastructure Funds to support services by Sonoma Water based on the findings of a water supply resources investigation being conducted by the City of Cloverdale.
Discussion:
In August 2025, the Board authorized funding a water supply resource investigation with the City of Cloverdale using District 4 Infrastructure Funds. This item authorizes additional appropriations for Sonoma Water to conduct as-needed support services, such as water supply engineering and environmental compliance services based on the findings of that investigation. These services could include managing the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process and/or water rights processes with the State Water Resources Control Board, pending the outcome of the water supply resource investigation.
The Cloverdale area of northern Sonoma County is particularly 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.
The initial investigation funding will be used to investigate new resiliency and supply alternatives in the near and long term for the Cloverdale area. Sonoma Water has collaborated with other jurisdictions supporting water supply alternatives under existing Sonoma Water water rights. Sonoma Water and the City of Cloverdale are researching the potential for a similar initiative.
During the FY 2023-24 budget hearings, the Board set aside $4 million each for Districts 1, 2, 4, and 5. Use of $150,000 in District 4 infrastructure funds is requested with this Board item.
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.
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
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.
06/13/2023: 2023-2024 Budget Hearings
Fiscal Summary
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Expenditures |
FY25-26 Adopted |
FY26-27 Projected |
FY27-28 Projected |
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Budgeted Expenses |
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Additional Appropriation Requested |
$150,000 |
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Total Expenditures |
$150,000 |
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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 |
$150,000 |
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Use of Fund Balance |
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General Fund Contingencies |
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Total Sources |
$150,000 |
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Additional appropriations of $150,000 are required to receive revenue from Sonoma County District 4. With Board approval of the attached budgetary resolution, FY 2025/2026 appropriations of $150,000 will be made in the Russian River Projects Fund.
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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.