Sonoma County Water Agency E-News | March 2018
Groundwater Sustainability Agency Funding Options Community Workshops
Sonoma County’s three Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) will soon be working with local well-owners, farmers, businesses, and other interested parties to develop Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs), which are 20-year plans to ensure that groundwater will be available for people, farms, fish and other wildlife into the future. The GSAs are currently conducting fee and rate studies to determine how they will fund development of the GSPs and other operational costs.
Stakeholders in the Sonoma Valley basin discuss groundwater at 2016 community workshop

The GSAs want to understand and address the needs and concerns of the communities they represent. In March, the GSAs will hold community workshops at the times, dates, and locations below. These workshops will allow people living in the groundwater basin to learn about the rate and fee studies and to voice their concerns and opinions regarding different fee options. At the workshops, the GSAs and their financial consultants will discuss the fees that may be implemented, and attendees will have a chance to discuss these options and provide feedback.
Water Storage and Rainfall
Current water supply conditions (3/12/18)

Lake Mendocino
Target Storage Curve: 73,286 acre-feet
Current Storage: 63,388 acre-feet (86.49% of Target)

Lake Sonoma
Target Storage Curve: 245,000 acre-feet
Current Storage: 205,062 acre-feet (83.70% of Target)
Current rainfall conditions (10/1/17 - 3/4/18)

Ukiah:
Average (1894-2017 water years) 29.73”
Current Water Year: 14.27” which is 48.00% of average
 
Santa Rosa:
Average (1950-2017 water years) 24.73"
Current Water Year: 15.82” which is 63.97% of average
2018 North Bay Watershed Association Conference
Join us at the 2018 North Bay Watershed Association Conference, where leaders in science, business, and environment will come together to explore how the region can manage our water resource in the face of increasingly severe environmental challenges. Topics addressed include regional impacts of rising sea levels, flooding due to extreme weather, and recovering and building resiliency in the aftermath of October's devastating fires.

Among the notable speakers at this event, Water Agency General Manager Grant Davis will give the morning keynote address. Other speakers include Congressmen Mike Thompson and Jared Huffman, Sam Schuchat of the California Coastal Conservancy, and Lieutenant Colonel Travis J. Rayfield of the US Army Corps of Engineers.
When? April 6th, 2018 – 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Where? Sheraton Sonoma County – 745 Baywood Drive, Petaluma, CA

How to Register: Visit http://nbwatershed.org/conferences/ or click the button below!
Reserve your spot today for a Wastewater Treatment and Recycled Water Production Facilities Tour
The Water Agency is pleased to host free public tours of the Russian River County Sanitation District and the Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District. Come learn about where your water goes after if flows down the drain, how wastewater is treated, and how water is recycled and reused as a new resource after treatment. 
Sonoma Valley Wastewater Treatment Plant Tours

Saturday, April 7, 2018 – 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (SPANISH)
Saturday, April 28, 2018 – 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (ENGLISH)
Russian River Wastewater Treatment Plant Tour

Saturday, May 5, 2018 – 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (ENGLISH)
Tour registration is required. To learn more and to register, please click "More information," below. Registration will be confirmed via email.

Children must be 12 years old to attend a tour, and must be accompanied by an adult.

Questions? Please contact Sophie Porcelli at (707) 524-6430 or Sophie.Porcelli@scwa.ca.gov.  
Upcoming Events
  • March 13, 2018, 8:30 am
  • March 20, 2018, 8:30 am
  • March 27, 2018, 8:30 am (Special Closed Session)
  • April 3, 2018, 8:30 am

Public Tours
Sonoma Valley Wastewater Treatment Plant Tours
  • April 7, 2018 – 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (SPANISH)
  • April 28, 2018 – 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (ENGLISH)
Russian River Wastewater Treatment Plant Tours
  • Saturday, May 5, 2018 – 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (ENGLISH)

North Bay Watershed Association Conference
  • April 6, 2018, 8:00 am
Employment Opportunities
We invite you to explore the career opportunities available with the Sonoma County Water Agency.

Current opportunities:
  • GIS Analyst (closes 3/28/2018)
Fact of the Month
The Water Agency treats over 1.5 billion gallons of sewage every year and provides over 800 million gallons of recycled water for agricultural and golf course irrigation, as well as wetland habitat enhancement!
This E-News is produced by the Water Agency's Community & Government Affairs Department. We want to hear from you!  Contact us with your questions. 
Sonoma County Water Agency