Sonoma Water E-News | April 2022 |
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Water Supply Update – Drought is Still Here. Save Water. |
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The drought is still here. The Russian River watershed is entering a third consecutive year of below-average rainfall. As a result, water supply levels at Lake Mendocino and Lake Sonoma remain at historic lows. Water is a resource that our community shares, and it is critical that we all continue to protect and conserve this valuable resource.
The Sonoma Water weekly water supply graphic (below) provides a comparison of storage levels during 2020, 2021 with current 2022 water storage for our two main reservoirs, Lake Sonoma, and Lake Mendocino. You can stay informed about Current Water Supply Conditions, Drought Updates, Actions, and Information by going to: SonomaWater.org/current-water-supply-levels.
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Water Saving Tips for Spring |
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As the drought persists, we can all adopt daily water-saving habits to preserve our region’s water supply. Although it has been dry, if you have a low water-use landscape your irrigation can remain off. If some plants are showing visible water stress, hand watering is recommended only as needed. If you do decide to turn on your automated irrigation, make sure to tune up your system first and adjust your schedule for spring. Visibly inspect your system while running to identify and fix leaks from valves, delivery pipes, drip lines or broken spray heads. If you have spray irrigation, make sure that no overspray and runoff is occurring.
Mandatory watering restrictions and water waste prohibitions are still in effect, so check with your local water utility for details.
It is also essential for all customers to continue to focus on saving water indoors. This means taking shorter showers, washing only full loads of dishes and laundry, turning off the tap when brushing teeth, and catching rinse and warm-up water from sinks, showers, and tubs to water indoor and outdoor plants. Lastly, learn how to read your water meter to detect and fix hidden leaks, or find out if your water provider allows you to track water use from your home computer or wireless device. This can help you save water and money.
Explore Local Landscape Resources:
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Earth Day 2022 Saturday, April 23 | 11am-2pm | Courthouse Square in Santa Rosa |
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Celebrate Earth Day 2022 with Sonoma Water at the Courthouse Square in Downtown Santa Rosa on Saturday, April 23rd from 11:00am to 2:00pm. Visit our booth to observe the wonder and diversity of aquatic invertebrates from the Russian River watershed using microscopes, ask questions about the current drought, and gain a better understanding of our regional water supply. Learn more about water through music and movement with a special performance by ZunZun!
To support water customers with ongoing water conservation efforts, the Sonoma-Marin Saving Water Partnership will be handing out free drought toolkits— including water reuse buckets with shower timers, dye tabs and informational handouts. Drop by the booth for free water-saving kit while supplies last. Limit one kit per household.
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Drought Resiliency Project |
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As crews prepare to rehabilitate the Sebastopol Road in preparation for the summer, fencing has been installed at the site to protect California Tiger Salamander from the upcoming construction.
In 2013, Sonoma Water, and local partners conducted a feasibility study for a regional groundwater banking program that would store surplus Russian River water – produced at existing drinking water facilities – in aquifers beneath the Santa Rosa Plain or in Sonoma Valley. The Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) project is used to capture water when it’s available and send it underground to new or existing wells. The stored water helps recover depleted aquifers and can build up reserves to be used during droughts and emergencies.
Sonoma Water owns three production wells within the Santa Rosa Plain. The wells were originally drilled in 1977 in response to the historic 1976-77 drought and their rehabilitation is a critical component of the regional drought and seismic emergency water shortage resiliency strategy.
The Santa Rosa Plain Drought Resiliency Project will rehabilitate remaining wells and add recharge (or ASR) capacity for at least one of the production wells.
Through a policy known as ‘conjunctive use,’ Sonoma Water increases its use of groundwater during droughts to offset declines in Russian River surface water. Secondly, during wet or normal water years, Sonoma Water reduces groundwater use to allow aquifers to recover. The production wells were last relied upon during the 2012-2015 drought years when they helped reduce Russian River water usage during those dry years. Increasing water conservation efforts during droughts is a third component of conjunctive use.
Sonoma Water’s production wells are deep (773 feet to 1,040 feet) and draw water from the deep aquifer, not the shallower aquifer. Monitoring from Sonoma Water’s network of 18 monitoring wells during the last drought period when the production wells were more consistently in use found that most home/private wells are connected to the shallower aquifer in the Santa Rosa Plain Basin and were not affected by the pumping. Similarly, creeks, streams, and the Laguna de Santa Rosa are connected to the shallower aquifer. Since groundwater levels in the shallow aquifer system (which is connected to surface water sources like the Laguna de Santa Rosa) are not anticipated to be impacted by drought year pumping from these wells, streams and associated habitats are not expected to be affected.
However, as part of the ASR planning and permitting process, potential impacts to nearby well users, creeks and water quality will be further assessed and monitored.
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Russian River Water Supply Dam Inflation |
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Due to a dry winter and warm temperatures, Sonoma Water began the multi-day process of inflating its rubber dam on March 21, 2022. 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. A lack of measurable rainfall in January and February and warm temperatures have increased water demands earlier than usual and river flows remain relatively low.
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.
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Sonoma Water Invites Applications for Water Agency Chief Engineer |
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Sonoma Water is inviting applications to fill its Chief Engineer position. The Chief Engineer is a pivotal, executive-level position, with general oversight for all engineering activities within the organization and for managing and providing direction to Sonoma Water's Engineering and Water Resource Planning Division, which includes directly supervising seven managers.
The Chief Engineer works closely with elected officials and governing boards to support decision-making based on technical and scientific information, seeks and develops strategic partnerships with state and federal agencies, and represents Sonoma Water to the media, external partners, and stakeholders.
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Russian River Biological Opinion 2022
Public Policy Facilitating Committee Meeting
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Please mark your calendars for the annual Public Policy Facilitating Committee (PPFC) scheduled for Wednesday, May 4.
The meeting will take place from 2-4:30 p.m. via Zoom.
Register in advance for this webinar:
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
This year we will be combining the PPFC meeting will provide updates on:
- Biological Assessment
- Drought and Fisheries Monitoring
- USACE/Warm Springs Hatchery
- Dry Creek Habitat
- Status of Russian River Minimum Flow Changes
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Rainfall and Water Storage Update
Current water supply conditions as of 4/11/2022:
Lake Mendocino Target Water Supply Curve: 83,110 acre-feet
Current Storage: 44,706 acre-feet (53.79% of Target Water Supply Curve)
Lake Sonoma Target Storage
Curve: 245,000 acre-feet
Current Storage: 143,342 acre-feet (58.51% of Water Supply Pool)
Current rainfall conditions (10/1/21 – 4/10/22)
Ukiah:
Average (1894-2021 water years): 33.40”
Current Water Year: 16.58” which is 49.6% of average
Santa Rosa:
Average (1950-2021 water years): 27.77"
Current Water Year: 23.36” which is 84.12% of average
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Upcoming Events
The Board normally holds its regular meetings on Tuesdays, beginning at 8:30 a.m. and will be facilitated virtually through Zoom and at Board of Supervisors Chambers (BSC) 575 Administration Drive 102A.
•April 19, 2022 Virtual/BSC
•April 25, 2022 Virtual/BSC
•April 26, 2022 Virtual/BSC
•April 27, 2022 Virtual/BSC
Board Agendas:
Groundwater Sustainability Agency Board Meetings
Sonoma Valley -
April 25, 2022 4:00pm
Petaluma Valley -
April 28, 2022 4pm
Santa Rosa Plain -
April 14, 1pm
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FOG Fact of the Month
Fats.Oils.Grease. (FOG)
TRUE OR FALSE
I can prevent pipes from becoming clogged and causing sewer backups by flushing with plenty of hot water and detergents that “dissolve grease.”
FALSE hot water and detergents do not dissolve grease – it only pushes FOG further down your pipes where it can stick and build up. Protect your sewer pipes by disposing of fats, oils, and grease in the trash, not down the drain.
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Employment Opportunities
Sonoma Water has job openings for people with a variety of skills and experience.
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Sonoma Water | 404 Aviation Blvd, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 | SonomaWater.org |
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