To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Emergency Management
Staff Name and Phone Number: Jeffrey Duvall / 707-565-1152
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Small Community Drought Relief Program Authorizing Resolution
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Adopt a Resolution authorizing the Director of Emergency Management to apply for, accept and execute the California Department of Water Resources Small Community Drought Relief Program Grant.
end
Executive Summary:
The Department of Emergency Management (DEM) is applying for grant funding in the amount of $125,000 from the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) Small Community Drought Relief Program to be used for the development of the Sonoma County Drought Resiliency Plan.
DWR application requirements include a Board Resolution authorizing the Director of Emergency Management to sign the application, and in the event of an award of grant funds, to execute the funding agreement and all necessary, related grant documentation.
Discussion:
On April 27, 2021, the Board of Supervisors proclaimed a local emergency due to drought conditions in the Sonoma County Operational Area. Critically low rainfall from 2020 through 2022 resulted in historically low water storage levels in the region’s two water supply reservoirs and groundwater tables, and storage levels continued to decline through the end 2022.
The adverse environmental, economic, health, welfare, and social impacts of the drought continued to pose an imminent threat of disaster, and threatened to cause widespread potential harm to people, businesses, agriculture, property, communities, the environment, wildlife, and recreation in Sonoma County. Increased precipitation across the region in early 2023 has dramatically improved water supplies but preparing for future severe droughts requires continuing the planning and mitigation efforts for the region and to minimize impacts of future droughts and prolonged extreme climate fluctuations.
The Small Community Drought Relief Program is one of DWR’s Drought Relief Grant Programs that supports counties’ efforts to plan and prepare capabilities for the next drought.
DEM is requesting funding from this grant on behalf of Sonoma County for the development of the Sonoma County Drought Resiliency Plan. This will support the County’s ability to meet the requirements of California State Senate Bill 552 (SB 552). SB552, requires all California counties to have a standing drought task force to facilitate drought and water shortage preparedness for small water systems (serving 5 to 14 connections), domestic wells, and other privately supplied homes within the county’s jurisdiction. Each county must also develop a plan demonstrating the potential drought and water shortage risk and propose interim and long-term solutions for state small water systems and domestic wells within the county. The County’s grant application will be focused on developing this plan.
Within Sonoma County, approximately 400 small water systems meet SB552 guidelines. If selected for the California Department of Water Resources Small Community Drought Relief Program Grant, DEM will work with a contractor through a request for proposal (RFP) to develop the Sonoma County Drought Resiliency Plan.
The plan will address and/or work with the contractor will include:
1. Potential drought and water shortage risk
2. Proposed interim and long-term solutions for small and domestic wells in the county
3. Consolidations for existing water systems and domestic wells
4. Domestic well drinking water mitigation programs
5. Provision of emergency and interim drinking water solutions
6. Short-term emergency and interim action plan
7. Assessment, design, and plan for mutual aid agreements, interties, interim, and emergency response provisions
8. Plan for consolidations for existing water systems and domestic wells and connecting high-risk domestic wells and other privately supplied residences with a more reliable water source
9. An analysis of the steps necessary to implement the plan
10. An analysis of local, state, and federal funding sources available to implement the plan
The Sonoma County Drought Resiliency Plan will develop the necessary planning and response capabilities to respond to future catastrophic drought conditions and State drought response requirements for the County. Sonoma County Drought Resiliency Plan will work in conjunction with your Board’s prior approval of the Drought Response and Flood Control Coordination project that was recommended by the Department of Emergency Management and Sonoma Water.
This item requests the Board of Supervisors adopt a Resolution authorizing the Director of Emergency Management to apply for, accept and execute the State of California, Department of Water Resources Small Community Drought Relief Program Grant in the amount of $125,000 which will be used for the development of the Sonoma County Drought Resiliency Plan.
If awarded, the department would add the revenue and expenditure appropriations to the FY2023-24 budget during the consolidated budget adjustment cycle.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
None
Fiscal Summary
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Expenditures |
FY 22-23 Adopted |
FY23-24 Projected |
FY 24-25 Projected |
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Budgeted Expenses |
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125,000 |
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Additional Appropriation Requested |
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Total Expenditures |
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125,000 |
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Funding Sources |
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General Fund/WA GF |
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State/Federal |
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125,000 |
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Fees/Other |
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Use of Fund Balance |
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Contingencies |
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Total Sources |
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125,000 |
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
If awarded, $125,000 in revenue and expenditure appropriations will be added to the department’s FY23-24 budget as state passthrough funding during consolidated budget adjustments, at no net cost to the general fund.
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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):
None
Attachments:
Resolution
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None