To: Board of Directors, Sonoma County Water Agency
Department or Agency Name(s): Sonoma County Water Agency
Staff Name and Phone Number: Brad Sherwood 707-547-1900, Nathan Baskett 707-547-1983
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): First, Third, Fourth, and Fifth
Title:
Title
Flood Warning Monitoring Network Maintenance and As-Needed Equipment Installation
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Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Authorize Sonoma County Water Agency’s General Manager to execute an agreement with OneRain Incorporated, in substantially the form presented to this Board, for ongoing flood warning monitoring network system maintenance and support services through November 2, 2031, in the not-to-exceed amount of $471,419.
B) Authorize Sonoma County Water Agency’s General Manager to execute an as-needed agreement with OneRain Incorporated, in substantially the form presented to this Board, for installation of new flood warning monitoring equipment through November 2, 2031, in the not-to-exceed amount of $250,000.
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Executive Summary:
In response to the 2017 firestorm, the Sonoma County Water Agency (Sonoma Water) engaged OneRain Incorporated (Consultant) to install a flood warning monitoring network consisting of rain and stream gauges throughout the Tubbs and Nuns fire burn areas. Consultant also provided web-based software to receive and display data and to provide early detection of post-fire flood conditions in burn scars and areas downstream that could be impacted by flash floods and debris flows. The network has since been expanded to monitor other Sonoma Water flood management reservoirs and the Mirabel facilities, and the most recent maintenance agreement (approved September 9, 2025) provided one year of network maintenance and software renewal through September 15, 2026.
This item requests authorization of two new agreements with Consultant: (A) a new five-year agreement for continued network maintenance and software renewal, and (B) a new five-year as-needed agreement for installation of additional or replacement flood warning equipment.
Discussion:
HISTORY OF ITEM/BACKGROUND
As a result of the Sonoma Complex Fires in 2017, dangerous conditions threatened numerous properties in and around the Tubbs and Nuns fire burn areas of Sonoma County, including some properties owned or maintained by Sonoma Water. A Watershed Emergency Response Team (WERT), consisting of CalFire, California Geologic Survey, California Natural Resources Agency, California Governor's Office of Emergency Services, California Department of Water Resources, and the California State Water Resources Control Board, assessed the risks of landslides and flooding posed by fire-impacted zones throughout the area. This assessment informed the original installation of a flood warning monitoring network consisting of approximately 22 rain and stream gauges (approved December 5, 2017), which was subsequently expanded in 2019 to include water level sensors at Sonoma Water's four flood control reservoirs and at the Mirabel facilities.
On October 20, 2020, the Board approved a five-year maintenance agreement which provided ongoing system maintenance and software support through June 30, 2025, in an amount not to exceed $342,500. The most recent maintenance agreement, approved by the Board on September 9, 2025, provided for ongoing maintenance and system support through September 15, 2026, in an amount not to exceed $73,459, and included an approved sole source waiver based on the proprietary nature of the OneRain software platform used to operate the network.
The flood warning monitoring network remains essential for protection of life and property. It continues to provide the National Weather Service with real-time rainfall and streamflow data used to issue flash flood watches and warnings, and it continues to inform Sonoma Water's own field operations during and after storm events.
Sonoma Water requires additional hydrological monitoring stations to enhance the reliability and effectiveness of its early warning flood monitoring ALERT system. Hydrological monitoring stations are crucial to flood warning by providing real-time rainfall intensity, stream fluctuations or soil saturation. These ground-based monitoring stations greatly increase the effectiveness of flood warning systems by providing up-to-date hydrological conditions for a particular area, which is much more effective than relying solely on remote sensing techniques (i.e. doppler radar).
SELECTION PROCESS
Consultant's flood warning monitoring network operates on proprietary software and hardware platforms. Continued operation, data continuity, and system compatibility depend on remaining with the existing vendor.
A competitive selection process was not completed. Attached are signed Single/Sole Source Waivers for each proposed agreement obtained from Sonoma Public Infrastructure Department, Purchasing Division.
SERVICES TO BE PERFORMED
Under the proposed maintenance agreement, Consultant will continue to provide ongoing system maintenance and support services for the existing flood warning monitoring network, including software renewal and hardware maintenance. The cost of services will not exceed $471,419. This agreement covers services rendered from Sept 15, 2026, to November 2, 2031.
Under the proposed as-needed installation agreement, Consultant will install additional or replacement flood warning equipment as needed, over a five-year term, in an amount not to exceed $250,000.
Through the proposed agreements, the General Manager will be delegated the authority to approve written amendments to extend the term of both agreements for up to two additional years each by providing written notice to the other party thirty days in advance of the term end date and by executing agreement amendments.
California Environmental Quality Act:
The General Manager determined that the on-going project activities are exempt under California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15301, Existing Facilities, and 15306, Information Collection, because the project consists of data collection and research activities at existing facilities that will not result in any expansion of use or major disturbance to environmental resources. The installation, operation, and maintenance of small hydrologic monitoring equipment are limited to minor ground disturbance activities that will not affect environmental resources or result in a substantial adverse change to a historical resource. Sonoma Water staff has prepared a Notice of Exemption for the agreement in accordance with CEQA, the State CEQA Guidelines, and Sonoma Water’s Procedures for the Implementation of CEQA.
County of Sonoma Strategic Plan Alignment:
N/A
Sonoma Water Strategic Plan Alignment
Goal: Build organizational resilience and ensure effective emergency response to extreme weather events, disasters, and security risks.
Strategy: Strengthen and ensure a comprehensive emergency response capability through coordinated response programs, resource management, and emergency planning.
Action: Fully develop and enhance the capabilities of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC).
This item will help achieve the goal to ensure effective emergency response to extreme hydrological events by supporting the maintenance and expansion of Sonoma Water’s ALERT early flood warning gauging network. The routine maintenance and expansion of hydrological monitoring stations enhance the effectiveness of emergency response by ensuring that areas impacted by extreme hydrological events are accurately monitored.
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
09/09/2025: Board authorized agreement with OneRain Incorporated for ongoing flood warning monitoring network system maintenance and support services through September 15, 2026, not to exceed $73,459.
10/20/2020: Board authorized agreement with OneRain Incorporated for flood warning monitoring network maintenance and support through June 30, 2025, not to exceed $342,500.
08/20/2019: Board authorized agreement with OneRain Incorporated for flood warning monitoring network expansion (reservoirs and Mirabel facilities), not to exceed $178,900.
12/05/2017: Board authorized agreement with consultant (later determined to be OneRain Incorporated) for Burn Area Watershed Protection: Flood Warning Monitoring Network, not to exceed $400,000.
10/24/2017: Board adopted Resolution No. 17-0415 declaring an emergency need to remove dangerous conditions and suspending competitive bidding requirements.
10/10/2017: Board adopted Resolution No. 17-0389 ratifying the proclamation of a local emergency due to the existence of multiple fires.
Fiscal Summary
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Expenditures |
FY26-27 Adopted |
FY27-28 Projected |
FY28-29 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$136,592 |
$146,207 |
$146,207 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
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|
|
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Total Expenditures |
$136,592 |
$146,207 |
$146,207 |
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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 |
$136,592 |
$146,207 |
$146,207 |
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Use of Fund Balance |
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General Fund Contingencies |
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|
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Total Sources |
$136,592 |
$146,207 |
$146,207 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Budgeted amount of $86,592 for maintenance and support services is available from FY 2026/2027 appropriations for the Flood Control Zone 1A ($64,944) and Zone 2A ($21,648) funds.
In addition, budgeted amount of $50,000 for as-needed installation services is available from FY 2026/2027 appropriations for the Water Transmission Fund, Flood Control Zone Funds, Occidental, Russian River, South Park, and Sonoma Valley County Sanitation Districts’ Funds, and for the Geyserville, Penngrove, Airport/Larkfield/Wickiup, and Sea Ranch Sanitation Zones’ Funds. The revenue source for the Water Transmission Fund is water rates, Flood Control Zones are primarily funded by taxation, and the sanitation Districts and Zones are funded by rate-payer annual sewer service charges. Work contracted through the proposed as-needed agreements will be budgeted separately and included in the Board-adopted fiscal year appropriation for the subject enterprise fund. No additional appropriation is requested.
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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: Draft Maintenance Agreement with OneRain Incorporated
Attachment 2: Single/Sole Source Waiver
Attachment 3: Draft As-Needed Installation Agreement with OneRain Incorporated
Attachment 4: Single/Sole Source Waiver
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None.