Sonoma Water joined Governor Gavin Newsom at a parched Lake Mendocino on April 21^st, 2021 for the announcement of an executive order declaring a targeted drought emergency in Sonoma and Mendocino Counties.

Gov. Newsom expanded the drought emergency declaration May 10^th, 2021 to include 41 of 58 counties in California, about 30% of the state’s population.

The Water Advisory Committee (WAC) to the Sonoma County Water Agency (Sonoma Water) adopted a resolution seeking 20% voluntary water conservation from the members of the Sonoma-Marin Saving Water Partnership (SMSWP) May 3^rd, 2021.

Sonoma Water and its partners in the Sonoma-Marin Saving Water Partnership encourage all of our 600,000 water customers to continue to save water. To help, the Sonoma-Marin Saving Water Partnership is coordinating a Drought Drop By event to support our community in reducing water use by 20%.

Free drought toolkits— including water reuse buckets with high-efficiency showerheads, faucet aerators, digital shower timers, leak detection tools, and informational handouts — will be distributed to participants who drop by on a first-come, first serve basis.

Due to historically dry conditions and increasing needs to preserve water supply, Sonoma Water inflated its rubber dam located in the Russian River near Forestville. The rubber dam is a critical component of the Russian River water supply system that provides naturally filtered drinking water to more than 600,000 residents in portions of Sonoma and Marin counties.

The rubber dam is typically inflated in spring or early summer when demand for potable water increases. When fully inflated, the rubber dam creates a small pool of water from which Sonoma Water draws water for use in four off-stream infiltration ponds. The infiltration ponds help recharge groundwater, which is naturally filtered through sand and gravel and delivered to Sonoma Water’s customers.

The rubber dam is located just downstream of the Wohler Bridge on the Russian River. When the rubber dam is raised, permanent fish ladders provide fish passage and allow Sonoma Water to count the migration of adult salmon and steelhead with its underwater video system located in the fish ladders.

Boaters must portage around the rubber dam, located downstream of Wohler Bridge. Public notices will be posted around the rubber dam warning the public not to recreate on or near the dam. California Department of Fish and Wildlife regulations prohibit fishing within 250 feet of the upstream and downstream sides of the rubber dam.

Learn about groundwater in your community and plans being developed now to ensure groundwater is available in the future.

Join a community meeting:

Meetings held via Zoom 5:30pm-7:30pm,

Register in advance for your basin event at:

On April 20^th, 2021 the Board of Directors approved Sonoma Water’s Fiscal Year 2021-2022 (FY 21-22) Water Transmission Budget. Recognizing the difficult economic hardships COVID-19 has had on many residents and businesses throughout our county and beyond, the development of this budget has been a collaboration effort from Sonoma Water and water contractors. While Sonoma Water remains committed to operate and maintain the systems in a responsible manner, protect public health and the environment, and comply with regulatory requirements, the costs to meet those requirements continue to increase. The Water Advisory Committee and the Technical Advisory Committee had a unanimous vote on April 5^th, 2021 to approve the FY 21-22 proposed budget. 

The county’s cities and regions are served by individual water suppliers. In most cases, a city's public utilities will provide the water service. Other times it will be a water company. Customers can try to call their water provider to see if a payment program or assistance program might be offered. To see a list of local water suppliers Click Here.

Current water supply conditions as of 5/10/2021:   

Current rainfall conditions (10/1/20 – 5/9/21)