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County to cut Sonoma water by 30 percent
Sierra Jenkins | Sonoma Valley Sun
The Sonoma County Water Agency announced Monday it will be cutting water supply to cities throughout the county by at least 30 percent, and up to 50 percent if the drought continues. The action affects 750,000 residents in portions of Marin, Sonoma and Mendocino counties.
“It absolutely will impact residents in Sonoma,” said Brad Sherwood, public information officer for the SCWA. “It is up to the City of the Sonoma and the VOM Water District as to how they will allocate and use the water that will be delivered from us.”
City Public Works Director Milenka Bates said that the city still does not have enough information from SCWA for them to respond. They are waiting on information regarding the reduction, especially the baseline that will be used, and the time frame associated with the reductions.
City staff is finalizing a Water Conservation Ordinance that will be presented to city council on February 18. Sonoma is currently operating at Stage 1, which is “voluntary restrictions.” In June of 2007, the City Council adopted a resolution calling for 15 percent reduction during the summer months, or until such time as the City Council determines that the conditions for conservation no longer exist.
“The projection will show that we have entered uncharted territory,” said Pam Jeane,
deputy chief engineer of operations for SCWA.
If the North Bay does not heed a call for reducing water usage, Lake Mendocino water storage levels are projected to reach a level so low that portions of the Russian River may run dry.
“Urban water users consume about half of the water taken from the Russian River,” said Jeane. “The remainder of the diversions goes to agricultural uses. In order for us to be effective in reducing the amount of water taken from the Russian River, urban and agricultural water users will need to cooperate. SCWA will be contacting all diverters on the Russian River to help conserve water.”
Lake Sonoma is currently only about 74 percent full, with about 182,000 acre-feet of water. This is down from 210,000 acre feet last year, which was already low, given that 270,000 is optimal for this time of year. Lake Mendocino, from which cities in the area of Healdsburg draw their water, is only 38 percent full.
The water shortage is both an economic and an environmental concern. The county’s most important industries – agriculture, recreation, and tourism – depend on water released from the reservoirs, as do endangered salmon and trout.
For the past two years SCWA has called for voluntary conservation, which has succeeded in reducing summertime water diversions by more than 20 percent.
The City of Sonoma has set up a new e-mail address for residents to send ideas to save water, to ask water conservation questions, and to report water waste. The e-mail is water@vom.com.
For more information, call 938-3332 or contact Water Conservation Specialist Carrie Pollard at 547-1968.
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