Sonoma Water E-News | January 2023 |
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Water Supply Levels Update: Reservoirs are Recovering |
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We welcome in a new year, and the abundance of rain to Northern California. The recent storms have been filling up our reservoirs since New Year’s. While we cannot yet declare the drought over, this steady stretch of rain has improved conditions for both Lake Mendocino, which is now at an above average level, and Lake Sonoma, which is steadily increasing with each storm. We thank you for all of your diligent work conserving water and ask you make that New Year’s resolution to keep those water-saving habits. |
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Collecting and Saving Water for Later |
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Several atmospheric rivers have recently delivered much needed rainfall into our reservoirs, Lake Mendocino and Lake Sonoma. You may be wondering, what is being done to collect and save this winter water flowing down the Russian River for future use, especially since our region has been in a multi-year drought.
Please take a minute to learn more about these and other projects to make our water supply more resilient.
Our team will continue to use all our tools and technology to keep operations steady and supply clean, safe and reliable water from times of severe drought to extremely wet weather and floods.
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The Lake Sonoma Steelhead Festival is Back after a Two-Year Hiatus
We invite you to join us for this free celebration of the annual Steelhead migration on Saturday, February 11, from 10 AM – 4 PM on the grounds of the Milt Brandt Visitor Center at Lake Sonoma. Sonoma Water joins the Friends of Lake Sonoma, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the California Department of Fish & Wildlife to host the festival, which is, as always, a “rain or shine” event.
The free 2023 celebration will focus on educating young and old alike on environmental stewardship, preservation of natural resources and protection of threatened and endangered species. Local bands will perform, community organizations and small businesses will offer exhibits and activities for all ages, and food and drink will be available for purchase. Bring the whole family!
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Does Your Irrigation Controller Know What to Do When it Rains? |
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Have you ever wondered if your irrigation was running in the rain? If so, perhaps it is time to switch to a Weather-Based Smart irrigation controller. Smart irrigation controllers can automatically shut down irrigation cycles to avoid irrigating in the rain.
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A Call to Action Small Grants Program for Teachers Update |
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We are happy to report seven teachers received checks in November to support stewardship projects at their schools as part of the small grants program, A Call to Action. Many teachers requested funds to purchase rain barrels and irrigation equipment to help reduce water use and bring new life to school gardens that languished during the pandemic. Composting and recycling system improvements were also popular as teachers help schools comply with California Senate Bill 1383 to reduce lunchtime waste.
The next deadline is January 18th, and we hope to support a few more projects with the remaining funds. If you know a hard-working teacher looking to involve their students in a climate solutions project, please share this link: https://www.sonomawater.org/ACallToAction.
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Community Survey: Local Hazard Mitigation Plan |
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Sonoma Water invites you to participate in an online survey about awareness of natural disasters and the reliability of water transmission and sanitation facilities. The results inform our Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP), which forms the foundation for the community's long-term strategy to reduce disaster losses and break the cycle of disaster damage, reconstruction, and repeated damage.
The planning process is as important as the plan itself and must include public and stakeholder involvement. The information you provide will help us identify and develop projects for Sonoma Water’s 2023 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP).
The survey should take approximately 5 to 10 minutes to complete, and your personal information and responses will be kept confidential. The results of the survey will be included in the LHMP and will be posted on this project website. The survey will remain active through the end of January 2023.
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Rainfall and Water Storage Update
Current water supply conditions as of 1/11/2023:
Lake Mendocino Target Water Supply Curve: 63,734 acre-feet
Current Storage: 80,157 acre-feet (124.9% of Target Water Supply Curve)
Lake Sonoma Target Storage Curve: 245,000 acre-feet
Current Storage: 185,547 acre-feet (75.7% of Water Supply Pool)
Current rainfall conditions (10/1/22 – 1/8/23)
Ukiah:
Average (1894-2022 water years): 15.27”
Current Water Year: 20.15” which is 131.95% of average
Santa Rosa:
Average (1950-2022 water years): 13.18"
Current Water Year: 18.95” which is 143.73% 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.
•January 19, 2023 BSC/Virtual
•January 20, 2023 Virtual
•January 24, 2023 BSC/Virtual
•January 31, 2023 BSC/Virtual
•February 3, 2023 Virtual/Special Closed Session
•February 7, 2023 BSC/Virtual
Board Agendas:
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Fact of the Month
What are Atmospheric Rivers?
Atmospheric rivers are relatively long, narrow regions in the atmosphere – like rivers in the sky – that transport most of the water vapor outside of the tropics. These columns of vapor move with the weather, carrying an amount of water vapor roughly equivalent to the average flow of water at the mouth of the Mississippi River. When the atmospheric rivers make landfall, they often release this water vapor in the form of rain or snow. They can be beneficial, and sometimes destructive in nature.
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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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