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, Kevin Booker 707-521-1865
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Phase 1 and Phase 2 Storm Water Consulting Services
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Authorize Sonoma County Water Agency’s General Manager to execute an agreement with Stone Creek Environmental Consulting, LLC, in substantially the form presented to this Board, for storm water consulting services through July 31, 2028, in the not-to-exceed amount of $300,000.
end
Executive Summary:
Sonoma County Water Agency (Sonoma Water) is seeking assistance with storm water permit implementation, planning, compliance, and reporting within Flood Protection Zones 1A, 2A, and 3A and the service areas of the sanitation Zones and Districts managed by Sonoma Water.
Discussion:
HISTORY OF ITEM/BACKGROUND
The Sonoma County Flood Control and Water Conservation Act of 1949 established Sonoma Water as a Flood Control and Water Conservation District. Sonoma Water was originally authorized to provide water supply and flood control services.
In 1958, Sonoma Water formed eight geographic flood protection zones, each encompassing a major watershed. The Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Phase 1 Permit area encompasses the boundary of Flood Protection Zone 1A, which incorporates the Laguna-Mark West Creek Watershed. The cities of Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park, Cotati, and Sebastopol, and the Town of Windsor lie within Flood Protection Zone 1A. The MS4 Phase 2 Permit area encompasses the boundary of Flood Protection Zones 2A and 3A, which incorporates the Upper Petaluma River and Upper Sonoma Creek Watersheds. The cities of Petaluma and Sonoma, as well as the numerous unincorporated communities within these watersheds all lie within Zones 2A and 3A.
Sonoma Water is subject to requirements of the North Coast and San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Boards’ Waste Discharge Requirements (WDR) Order No. R1-2015-0050, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit No. CA0025054 for Discharges from the MS4 Phase 1 Permit. This five-year permit has been effective since January 6, 2016, and expired on January 5, 2021. The Phase 1 Permit has been administratively extended until a new permit is adopted. These requirements apply to Sonoma Water’s Flood Protection Zone 1A.
Because Sonoma Water owns portions of the MS4 within the Phase 1 permit boundary, Sonoma Water is a named as co-permittee along with City of Santa Rosa, County of Sonoma, City of Cloverdale, City of Cotati, City of Healdsburg, City of Rohnert Park, City of Sebastopol, City of Ukiah, and Town of Windsor. In addition, because Sonoma Water owns portions of the MS4 within the Phase 2 permit boundary, Sonoma Water is a named as co-permittee along with County of Sonoma and City of Petaluma.
As a Phase 2 co-permittee, Sonoma Water is subject to the requirements identified in the NPDES General Permit for WDRs for Storm Water Discharges from Small MS4s (Phase 2 Permit). The Phase 2 Permit went into effect July 1, 2013, and expired January 30, 2018. The Phase 2 Permit has been administratively extended until the Phase 2 Permit is renewed. Phase 2 Permit requirements apply to Sonoma Water’s Flood Protection Zones 2A and 3A.
Sonoma Water’s Storm Water Management Plan incorporates appropriate activities and best management practices for activities related to its flood control activities.
Sonoma Water is committed to protection of water quality. Under previous MS4 permits, Sonoma Water provided direct instruction to numerous students and removed debris from creeks and channels using Sonoma Water staff and through the Creek Stewardship Program (the Creek Stewardship Program is funded by Sonoma Water and City of Santa Rosa). Sonoma Water’s Water Education Program includes topics such as storm water and water conservation as part of its curriculum. Sonoma Water has partnered with the Russian River Watershed Association to administer and fund the Storm Water Pollution Prevention Video Contest for high school students. In addition, Sonoma Water’s commitment to storm water education is further demonstrated by sponsoring a school assembly program that began in 2006 to increase educational outreach that focuses specifically on storm water pollution prevention aimed at elementary and junior high school students.
SELECTION PROCESS
Stone Creek Environmental Consulting, LLC (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 extensive knowledge of the North Coast and San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Boards and its extensive knowledge in MS4 permit requirements.
SERVICES TO BE PERFORMED
Under the proposed agreement, Consultant will assist Sonoma Water with storm water permit implementation, compliance, and reporting, including: NPDES renewal, updating and revising the Phase 1 and Phase 2 Storm Water Management Plans, providing annual reporting, providing Sonoma Water staff training, implementing total maximum daily load program management, providing trash management strategies, providing regional coordination, and other related services.
The cost of services will not exceed $300,000. This agreement covers services rendered from November 1, 2025, to July 31, 2028.
Through the proposed agreement, the General Manager will be delegated the authority to approve a written amendment 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 and by executing an agreement amendment.
County of Sonoma Strategic Plan Alignment:
This item directly supports Sonoma County’s Five-year Strategic Plan and is aligned with the following pillar, goal, and objective.
Pillar: Resilient Infrastructure
Goal: Goal 5: Support, fund, and expand flood protection.
Objective: Objective 3: Evaluate the feasibility, creation, and/or update of Flood Protection Plans and seek out financing mechanisms to establish protection zones countywide by 2026.
Sonoma Water’s ongoing effort is to improve water quality and protect environmental resources, along with the co-permittees, and to provide for the continued protection and preservation of the County’s surface waters.
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 to support reliable wastewater and
flood management services.
This agreement is in alignment with Sonoma Water’s goals to protect water quality and increase community outreach, while continuing to operate and modify flood protection facilities to meet current and future public needs.
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
07/19/2022: Approved an agreement with Stone Creek Environmental Consulting, LLC for storm water consulting services through July 31, 2025, in the not-to-exceed amount of $300,000.
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY25-26 Adopted |
FY26-27 Projected |
FY27-28 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$100,000 |
$100,000 |
$100,000 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
$100,000 |
$100,000 |
$100,000 |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
|
|
|
|
State/Federal |
|
|
|
|
Fees/Other |
$100,000 |
$100,000 |
$100,000 |
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
General Fund Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
$100,000 |
$100,000 |
$100,000 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Budgeted amount of $100,000 is available from FY 2025/2026 appropriations for the Flood Control Zone 1A ($50,000), 2A ($25,000), and 3A ($25,000) Funds. FY 2026/2027 and FY 2027/2028 appropriations will be budgeted in those fiscal years.
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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 Stone Creek Environmental Consulting, LLC
Attachment 2: Competitive Selection Process Memo
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None.