View drought Frequently Asked Questions.
Learn more about current water supply levels.
Drought Town Hall Questions and Answers
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:
For additional water saving tips and resources, please visit the Sonoma-Marin Saving Water Partnership website.
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.
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.
Sonoma County communities awarded millions in state drought relief funds - Press Democrat - March 21, 2022
Sonoma County Water Agency To Draw From Russian River Weeks Early - CBS SF Bay Area - March 22, 2022
Drought Conditions Force Deployment Of Russian River Dam - KSRO - March 22, 2022
Marin utility pursues study of new water sources - Mercury News - March 20, 2022
Marin Municipal Water District bans new decorative turf - The Mercury News - March 18, 2022
Sonoma Water to host drought town hall - The Press Democrat - March 3, 2022
How can information about atmospheric rivers optimize reservoir operations? - American Society of Civil Engineers - February 24, 2022
Looking for past articles? Visit our Drought Articles Archive page.