To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Regional Parks
Staff Name and Phone Number: David Robinson, 707-565-2824
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Fifth
Title:
Title
Wright Hill Ranch Regional Park and Open Space Preserve Site Access Agreement for Seismic Monitoring
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Make findings and approve the proposed Site Access Agreement with United States Geological Survey to install a seismic station at Wright Hill Ranch Regional Park and Open Space Preserve for the period of January 10, 2023, to January 9, 2043, and authorize the Chair to execute the Site Access Agreement. (Fifth District)
end
Executive Summary:
Regional Parks proposes the County of Sonoma to enter into a Site Access Agreement with United States Geological Survey, a bureau of the U.S. Department of the Interior, for the installation of seismic monitoring site at Wright Hill Ranch Regional Park from the period of January 10, 2023, through January 10, 2043, consistent with the public interest and the County’s use of the property.
Discussion:
The U.S. Geological Survey (“USGS”), a bureau of the U.S. Department of the Interior, has approached Regional Parks with a request to install a seismic monitoring station at Wright Hill Ranch Regional Park at approximate coordinates of 38.41114°/-123.05968°. USGS is conducting research necessary to characterize and identify earthquake hazards, assess earthquake risks, monitor seismic activity, and develop and implement earthquake early warnings.
The state-of-the-art earthquake-recording and telemetry equipment proposed to be installed at the Wright Hill Ranch Regional Park will contribute continuing seismic data to the West Coast earthquake early warning system - ShakeAlert (www.shakealert.org). ShakeAlert detects significant earthquake activity so efficiently that alerts can reach many people before shaking arrives. The system is designed to minimize injuries and save lives during a large earthquake, prevent critical infrastructure damage, and expedite recovery following a large earthquake.
The goal of the ShakeAlert system is to facilitate the delivery of public alerts of potentially damaging earthquakes and provide warning parameter data to government agencies and private users on a region-to-region basis as soon as the ShakeAlert system, its products, and its parametric data meet minimum quality and reliability standards in those geographic regions. The USGS began the testing of public notifications in California in October of 2019 through the Wireless Emergency Alert system (WEA) and cell phone apps.
ShakeAlert partners are working with both public and private mass alert system operators including FEMA, cellular carriers, mass notification companies, and others to provide broader public alerting. The USGS and its partners are working on a comprehensive education and training program to so that the public knows respond to alerts when they are received. Data from the site will also be of great value to public safety agencies, emergency responders, and the earthquake engineering and scientific communities.
The Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District (“District”) holds a conservation easement (“Easement”) over the Wright Hill Ranch Regional Park & Open Space Preserve. District staff has reviewed the request and the Easement and determined that the proposed early warning seismic station is consistent with the Easement and hereby approved its installation.
Pursuant to Government Code Section 26226.6, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors may make available to a public agency any real property of the County upon a finding the use is in the public interest and will not interfere with County use of the property. Staff is recommending that the Board find that the proposed site access agreement with U.S. Geological Survey meets such conditions, and approve the agreement.
The County and the District wish to create the agreement for twenty years. The agreement can be canceled for any reason by either party with thirty (30) days prior written notice.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Prior Board Actions:
None
Fiscal Summary
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
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Attachments:
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Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
Site Access Agreement
Project Proposal
Site Approval Letter