Resilient Infrastructure​

Summary of objective implementation status (achievements or progress over last year; significant delays or issues, etc.)

The Countywide Flood Risk Management (FRM) Assessment, which was kicked off in Spring 2023, has made significant progress over the last year. This CRF-funded effort (co-led by Sonoma Water and County DEM) is set to produce a final Summary Report on Improved Coordination on Flood Risk Management in Sonoma County late 2024.

The assessment identifies gaps and overlaps in flood risk management services across the county, encourages collaboration, and takes a first step to jointly develop recommendations for improving FRM services countywide. Over the last year the effort included an in-person partner workshop to vet findings and discuss opportunity areas for collaboration. The draft final report includes a summary of opportunity areas and recommendations to move this work forward. This draft report was recently reviewed by all partners and is in the process of being finalized. 

Recommendations will help position the county for external funding and will inform future flood risk management efforts. In April 2024, effort leads identified state funding from OPR’s ICARP program as an opportunity to continue these efforts (through the creation of a Countywide Flood Management Partnership and development of an Action Plan based on the recommendations report) and applied. Unfortunately, this grant program was cancelled due to State of California budgetary cuts. 

Key milestone update (include relevant metrics, if applicable)

• Hosted one in-person workshop to improve flood risk management effectiveness in the County
• Flood Risk Informational Briefing Series Continued: 3 sessions
• Draft Recommendations Report completed (including maps focused on equity, flood inundation, and updated model extents) (including partner review period)
• 1 grant application submitted

Coordination and partnership update

Effort continues to be led by: Sonoma Water, Sonoma County Department of Emergency Management (with support from HDR, Inc as consultants)  

Key partners and survey/workshop participants: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Permit Sonoma, Sonoma County Public Infrastructure, Sonoma County Climate Action and Resiliency Division, Cloverdale, Cotati, Healdsburg, Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Santa Rosa, Sonoma, Windsor, Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians, Sonoma RCD, Gold Ridge RCD, COAD, West County Community Services, Russian River Alliance, Cafecitos, Catholic Charities, Nuestra Comunidad, Laguna Foundation 

The report described above is focused primarily on riverine flooding.

A separate effort is just beginning with county partners to potentially apply for sea level rise funding available through state (OPC, SB1) to develop a comprehensive sea level rise plan and/or shoreline adaptation plan for the County. This would address flood risk from sea level rise and would likely be a coordinated effort between Permit Sonoma, Regional Parks, CARD, Sonoma Water, and City of Petaluma. No work has begun on this proposed effort yet, only preliminary conversations.

Community, equity and climate update

• Racial Equity Toolkit incorporated into report developed; Office of Equity provided edits/recommendations to report – significant edits made accordingly.
• A set of final maps was produced focused on equity (highlighting the overlap of flood inundation with disadvantaged communities).
• Equity-focused recommendations are prominent in the report. Next steps may include the development of a time-bound action plan related to the report which would involve community engagement to prioritize actions protecting disadvantaged and vulnerable communities.

If this objective received Strategic Plan funding, please provide the project status and amount spent to date for non-position related funding.

The project is funded by the PG&E Settlement funds through the Climate Resiliency Fund. This funding is also leveraged by Sonoma Water and DEM labor hours funded by the Water Security Fund. Project goals are aligned with the County’s Strategic Plan, Sonoma Water’s Strategic Plan, Sonoma Water’s Energy and Climate Resiliency Policy, and Sonoma Water’s Climate Adaptation Plan.  Nearly all funds have been used for the completion of the report. More funding will be necessary maintain the proposed partnership and to turn high-level recommendations into an action plan.