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 kicked off in Spring 2023 when HDR, Inc. was brought on as the consultant for this effort. The Assessment is designed to identify gaps and overlaps in flood risk management services across the county, to encourage collaboration, and to jointly develop recommendations for improving FRM services countywide. To date, the effort has produced a technical memo to aggregate existing information on current flood risk and flood risk management strategies by watershed in the county. Additionally, a partner kick-off meeting took place in August 2023, followed by several months of surveys and interviews with FRM partner agencies. Next steps include an in-person workshop for partner agencies and a final recommendations report that will be produced based on all input gathered during the assessment. Recommendations will help position the county for external funding and will inform future flood risk management efforts.

Key milestone update (include relevant metrics, if applicable)

• 1 technical memo produced
• August 2023 Partner Kick-off Meeting (27 participants, 13 agencies)
• 10 partner agencies interviewed, 12 survey responses collected
• Flood Risk Informational Briefing Series Launched: 1 complete, 2 scheduled
• ArcGIS webmap layer developed (in progress) to aggregate flood inundation, jurisdictional responsibilities across the county

Coordination and partnership update

Effort led by: Sonoma County Water Agency, 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 

Community, equity and climate update

• Racial Equity Toolkit incorporated in survey development; all interviews and surveys include questions on flood impacts to vulnerable communities.
• ArcGIS map includes Disadvantaged Community Layer to better understand inundation extent overlaps with vulnerable communities.
• Kick-off meeting, survey, interviews included questions related to climate change impacts on flooding and if/how agencies are planning accordingly.

Funding narrative (If this objective received Strategic Plan funding in year 1 or year 2, please provide a status of expenditures to date.)

The project is funded by the County Board of Supervisors 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 and the Sonoma Water Climate Adaptation Plan.