To: Boards 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 and Paul Piazza, 707-547-1968
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): All
Title:
Title
2025 Urban Water Management Plan
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Authorize Sonoma County Water Agency’s General Manager to execute an agreement with Brown and Caldwell, in substantially the form as the draft presented to this Board, for preparation of the 2025 Urban Water Management Plan through June 30, 2027, in the not-to-exceed amount of $200,000.
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Executive Summary:
Sonoma County Water Agency’s (Sonoma Water) 2025 wholesale Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) is to be filed with the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) before July 1, 2026. Brown and Caldwell (Consultant) will conduct research and outreach to obtain necessary information and then prepare the 2025 UWMP.
Discussion:
HISTORY OF ITEM/BACKGROUND
Sonoma Water’s wholesale UWMP is a 25-year water supply reliability assessment conducted in collaboration with its Water Contractors and other customers to understand whether current and future planned water supplies are sufficient to meet projected demands. The UWMP includes assumptions for climate change considerations, such as a multi-year drought risk assessment, and current understanding of environmental regulatory requirements pertaining to fisheries and the maintenance of minimum in-stream flows in the Russian River. The UWMP is a primary source of information for long-term water supply planning to the communities reliant on wholesale water from Sonoma Water. Although the UWMP looks out 25 years into the future, the assumptions and conditions used to derive the results of the assessment change over time and consequently the plan is updated no less than every five years to incorporate new or changed information to keep the public informed of the factors that affect water supply planning.
Sonoma Water prepares the wholesale UWMP as required by the Urban Water Management Planning Act, sections 10610 through 10657, of the California Water Code. The purpose of the wholesale UWMP is to consolidate regional information regarding water supply and demand, provide public information, and improve statewide water planning. The wholesale UWMP is also intended to serve as a regional water supply planning document for Sonoma Water and its Water Contractors and other customers. Sonoma Water has prepared a wholesale UWMP every five years since 1985. Sonoma Water’s 2025 wholesale UWMP is to be filed with the DWR before July 1, 2026.
SELECTION PROCESS
Consultant was selected from a competitive selection process. Attached is a memo that explains the competitive selection process.
SERVICES TO BE PERFORMED
Under the agreement, Consultant will review current California Water Code and DWR requirements, collect and review data, organize technical elements, meet with Sonoma Water and the Technical and Water Advisory Committees, present a PowerPoint to the Board, prepare the final 2025 UWMP, and submit it to DWR and other stakeholders.
The cost of services will not exceed $200,000; the term end date is June 30, 2027.
Under the agreement, the General Manager will 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 will 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.
Goal: Environmental Stewardship
Strategy: Ensure that environmental and ecosystem considerations are incorporated into water resources planning, capital, operations, maintenance, and restoration project implementation.
Action: Support regular interdepartmental coordination meetings to share understanding of current regulatory requirements.
Goal: Climate Change
Strategy: Develop and implement practices to understand and minimize vulnerability to climate change impacts.
Action: Support interagency partnership efforts addressing regional climate-resiliency planning and projects.
Goal: Community Engagement
Strategy: Focus public outreach and engagement to increase understanding of Sonoma Water’s needs and challenges for infrastructure investments.
Action: Continue to educate students and the public on topics that affect our water supply, flood control, and wastewater systems.
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
See Attachment 3.
Fiscal Summary
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Expenditures |
FY25-26 Adopted |
FY26-27 Projected |
FY27-28 Projected |
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Budgeted Expenses |
$200,000 |
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Additional Appropriation Requested |
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Total Expenditures |
$200,000 |
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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 |
$200,000 |
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Use of Fund Balance |
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General Fund Contingencies |
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Total Sources |
$200,000 |
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Budgeted amount of $200,000 is available from FY 2025/2026 appropriations for the Water Management Planning fund. 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:
Attachment 1: Agreement with Brown and Caldwell
Attachment 2: Consultant Selection Memo
Attachment 3: Prior Board Actions
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
No.