Drought Is Here. Save Water.

As a region we are experiencing a second consecutive dry year, and rainfall and water storage are well below average for this time of year. Sonoma Water and its partners in the Sonoma Marin Saving Water Partnership (SMSWP) encourage all of our 600,000 drinking water customers to continue to save water.

Our region just experienced the third driest water year (October 2019 - September 2020) on record over the last 127 years. We all need to make changes to our everyday habits to eliminate water waste and preserve water supply. Every drop saved helps maintain water flows in the Russian River and extend reservoir storage levels should the current dry period continue.

To help raise awareness of water supply conditions, Sonoma Water is unveiling a new water supply graphic (below) that provides a snapshot of the rainfall and water storage for our two main reservoirs, Lake Sonoma and Lake Mendocino.

View drought Frequently Asked Questions.

Learn more about current water supply levels.

Drought Town Hall Questions and Answers

Drought Is Here. Save Water.

The Sonoma-Marin Saving Water Partnership has launched a public outreach campaign to encourage water conservation in the North Bay. To support this message, we’ve adopted a regional tag line: "Drought Is Here. Save Water." Water is a resource that our community shares, and it is critical that we all protect and conserve this valuable resource.

These are a few of the water-wasting activities that are prohibited year-round in cities in Sonoma and Marin county:

• Washing sidewalks, walkways, driveways or other hard surfaced areas with a hose. Use a broom instead.
• Irrigation runoff to streets and storm drains from overwatering or sprinkler-overspray of landscapes.
• Using a hose without a self-closing shutoff nozzle to wash cars, boats, or trailers.
• Irrigating outdoors during and within 48 hours following measurable rainfall.
• Using potable water in decorative water features that do not recirculate the water.

For additional water saving tips and resources, please visit the Sonoma-Marin Saving Water Partnership website.

How are we doing?

The Sonoma Water Cumulative River Diversions Plot graph below shows cumulative water savings by Sonoma Water customers for 2021 compared to 2020. Since July 1, we’ve reduced diversions from the Russian River by nearly 22%. Please keep up the good work -- every drop we save means more water in our reservoirs for the dry fall!

On October 22, 2021 the State Water Resources Control Board issued an amended order that modified Condition 11 of the original order.  Condition 11 limited Sonoma Water cumulative diversions from July 1 through the end of the order (December 10) to 20% below 2020 diversions over the same period. The amended order suspends this requirement while water rights curtailments in the watershed are not in effect whether by suspension or recission. It also requires Sonoma Water customers that are urban water suppliers to implement the appropriate stage of their respective Water Shortage Contingency Plans, consistent with the Governor’s October 19, 2021 emergency drought proclamation.

Local Water Supply Articles

Sewer main break triggers wastewater leak near Guerneville The Press Democrat - December 1, 2021

Groundwater plans near adoption Kenwood Press - December 1, 2021

New drastic restrictions in Marin County mark seriousness of the drought SFGATE - December 2, 2021

Looking for past articles? Visit our Drought Articles Archive page.