To: Board of Directors, Sonoma County Water Agency
Department or Agency Name(s): Sonoma County Water Agency
Staff Name and Phone Number: Chris Delaney 707-547-1946
Vote Requirement: 4/5th
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Russian River Watershed Resiliency Study
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Authorize Sonoma County Water Agency’s General Manager to execute the First Amended and Restated Agreement for Russian River Watershed Resiliency Study with Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc., in substantially the form as the draft presented to this Board. The amended agreement increases the amount by $1,543,833, with no change in scope or end date of August 30, 2026, for a new not-to-exceed agreement total of $1,593,833.
B) Adopt a Resolution authorizing Adjustments to the Board Adopted Budget for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 for the Sonoma County Water Agency Russian River Projects Fund in the amount of $150,000 for the Russian River Watershed Resiliency Study.
(4/5th Vote Required)
end
Executive Summary:
The Russian River watershed and Sonoma County Water Agency (Sonoma Water) were selected by the California State Department of Water Resources (DWR) to receive grant funds to participate in a pilot Watershed Resilience Program (Program) that will build upon DWR’s Integrated Regional Water Management Program, placing a stronger emphasis on climate vulnerability assessment, adaptation planning, watershed-based planning, multi-sector collaboration, and equity and inclusiveness. Under this grant, a Watershed Resilience Plan will be developed for the Russian River watershed and Sonoma Water’s service area (collectively “Watershed”), which is scheduled to be completed by April 30, 2026. This item seeks authority to enter into an agreement to complete a watershed resilience study that will inform DWR’s Watershed Resilience Plan.
Discussion:
HISTORY OF ITEM/BACKGROUND
Throughout the State of California, local and regional water management infrastructure is struggling to keep pace with the rapid changes brought about by climate change. The recent extremes of droughts and floods have exposed the vulnerabilities of this infrastructure. Recognizing the urgency posed by climate change and its evolving challenges, DWR aims to enhance regional climate resilience through integrated watershed management. Strategic investments are essential to support planning and projects at the watershed scale, enabling communities to respond and adapt effectively.
DWR seeks to better understand the vulnerabilities and risk of water resources to climate change throughout the State of California and develop strategies to enhance resiliency by means of comprehensive and strategic engagement with communities, including Tribes and frontline communities.
In 2024 DWR initiated the Program with pilot projects led by selected entities representing five watersheds in the State of California. By working closely with the five-pilot project participants, DWR will refine the Watershed Resilience Plan requirements before introducing the Program statewide. Sonoma Water was selected as one of the five Program pilot projects to develop a Watershed Resilience Plan that will include the Watershed.
A Watershed Network will be convened as part of this pilot project to assist with the development of the Watershed Resilience Plan. The Watershed Network may include regional water management groups, groundwater sustainability agencies, regional climate collaboratives, environmental groups, and other relevant water and resource management groups. Through the development of the Watershed Network, Sonoma Water will seek to engage vulnerable communities and relevant California Tribes.
As authorized by Board Resolution 24-0159, Sonoma Water’s general manager executed an agreement with DWR on July 25, 2024, to accept up to $2 million to participate in the pilot Program. With its goal to introduce the Program statewide in 2025-2026, DWR has established an accelerated timeframe for completion of the pilot projects. To meet DWR’s pilot Program deadlines, Sonoma Water and Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc. (Consultant) entered into an agreement for Russian River Resiliency Study, dated September 30, 2024, in the amount of $50,000.
SELECTION PROCESS
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 experience working on projects in the Russian River watershed, most notably the Sonoma Water Climate Adaptation Plan and Regional Water Supply Resiliency Study. Additionally, Consultant has extensive experience and expertise in the fields of climate science and climate resiliency planning.
Sonoma Water may seek to amend or enter into subsequent agreement(s) with Board approval if required, relying upon this competitive selection process, after the preliminary or initial work is completed.
SERVICES TO BE PERFORMED
Under the amended agreement, Consultant will continue to assist Sonoma Water to conduct outreach and strategic engagement with impacted communities, develop a Watershed Network, conduct Watershed Network coordination, conduct climate change analysis, and prepare a Watershed Resilience Plan.
Due to the expedited timeline to complete this project, Sonoma Water entered into an initial agreement with Consultant before receiving grant funding in order to begin early project tasks as soon as possible. Grant funds have been received. This amended agreement is needed in order to add a portion of the grant funding to the agreement in order to complete the remainder of work required for the development of the Watershed Resilience Plan.
The additional cost to complete Consultant’s scope of work is $1,543,833, for a new not-to-exceed agreement total of $1,593,833. There is no change to end date of August 30, 2026.
Under the amended agreement, the General Manager shall 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 shall 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 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 5.1.1: Ensure alignment with the Board-approved Climate Adaptation Plan by establishing interdisciplinary climate resilience teams.
Action 5.1.2: Support interagency partnership efforts addressing regional climate-resiliency planning and projects.
Action 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.
Recognizing the urgency posed by climate change and its evolving challenges, DWR aims to enhance regional climate resilience through integrated watershed management. Strategic investments are essential to support planning and projects at the watershed scale, enabling communities, including Tribal and frontline communities, to respond and effectively mitigate the impacts of climate change.
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit? No
DWR provides its own equity framework and resources for this project.
Prior Board Actions:
04/30/2024: Adopted resolution authorizing the execution of a grant agreement between Sonoma Water and State of California Department of Water Resources to accept $2,000,000 in grant funds for the development of a resiliency plan for the Russian River Watershed and portions of Sonoma Water’s service area.
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY24-25 Adopted |
FY25-26 Projected |
FY26-27 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$1,100,000 |
$293,833 |
|
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
$150,000 |
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
$1,250,000 |
$293,833 |
|
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
|
|
|
|
State/Federal |
$1,100,000 |
$293,833 |
|
|
Fees/Other |
|
|
|
|
Use of Fund Balance |
$150,000 |
$293,833 |
|
|
General Fund Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
$1,250,000 |
$293,833 |
|
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Budgeted amount of $1,100,000 is available from FY 2024/2025 appropriations for the Russian River Projects fund. With Board approval of the attached budgetary resolution, FY 2024/2025 appropriations of $150,000 will be made in the Russian River Projects fund. FY 2025/2026 appropriations will be budgeted for in that fiscal year.
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
Attachment 1: Amended Agreement with Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc.
Attachment 2: Consultant Selection Memo
Attachment 3: Budgetary Resolution
Attachment 4: Watershed Resilience Program
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None.