Notice of Availability of Final Supplemental Watershed Plan No. 1- Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact Central Sonoma Watershed-Matanzas Creek Dam Rehabilitation Project
Project Information
The United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Sonoma County Water Agency (Sonoma Water) as the project sponsor are proposing alterations to the Matanzas Creek Dam to comply with current NRCS and Division of Safety of Dams design criteria. Matanzas Creek Dam was designed and constructed under the Central Sonoma Watershed Work Plan that was approved by Congress in 1958 and provides critical flood protection for the City of Santa Rosa and surrounding communities.
Sonoma Water proposes to rehabilitate the dam, including raising the dam crest by 7.4 feet, raising the auxiliary spillway crest by 11.4 feet, and removing accumulated sediment from the inundation area. The project would re-establish the original design flood storage capacity and size the flood detention facility such that the auxiliary spillway meets NRCS design criteria. The proposed alterations will require a supplement to the 1958 Plan and may be funded through the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act of 1954 (Public Law 83-566 [PL-566]).
Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the Natural Resources Conservation Service Regulations (7 Code of Federal Regulations Part 1b), NRCS gives notice that an environmental impact statement is not being prepared for the Central Sonoma Watershed Matanzas Creek Dam Rehabilitation Project.
Final Watershed Plan-Environmental Assessment
NRCS has completed a Final Watershed Plan-Environmental Assessment (Final Plan-EA) for the project which will supplement the 1958 Plan. The Final Watershed Plan-EA, Notice of Availability, and FONSI will be available for 30 days, from October 15, 2026 to November 14, 2026 on the project’s website https://matanzascreekdamrehab.com, and at the Sonoma County Water Agency’s website https://www.sonomawater.org/environmental-documents. These documents are also available in hard copy form at the NRCS Petaluma Service Center, 5401 Old Redwood Highway, Suite 100, Petaluma, CA, 94954 and the Sonoma County Water Agency at 404 Aviation Blvd., Santa Rosa CA, 95403.
The Final Plan-EA of this federally assisted action indicates that the project will not cause significant local, regional, or national impacts on the environment. As a result of these findings, the State Conservationist, Carlos Suarez, has determined that the preparation and review of an environmental impact statement is not needed for this Project.
For further information regarding this notice, you can email commentsCAwatersheds@usda.gov or contact Richard Rivas, at Natural Resources Conservation Service, 430 G Street Davis, CA, 95616, by telephone and leave a voicemail at (530) 792-5510 (Attn: Small Watershed Program, Central Sonoma Watershed Matanzas Creek Dam Rehabilitation Project).
August 2026 Temporary Urgency Change Petitions
On August 28, 2026, Sonoma Water filed temporary urgency change petitions (TUCPs) with the State Water Resources Control Board Division of Water Rights. These petitions were submitted for Permits 12947A, 12949, 12950 and 16596 to temporarily modify the permit terms that: (1) set minimum instream flow requirements in the upper and lower reaches of the Russian River under a Normal water supply condition for a period from May 1, 2027 until October 15, 2027; and (2) replace the hydrologic index that establishes the watershed water supply condition for setting the minimum instream flow requirements. These petitioned requests are as specified in the 2025 Russian River Biological Opinion (RRBO).
The requested hydrologic index is based on storage thresholds in Lake Mendocino evaluated from October 1 through June 1 that establishes Normal, Dry or Critical water supply conditions. These designations set the minimum instream flow requirements specified in Decision 1610, except for the requested summertime reductions in minimum flows under a Normal water supply condition. To protect listed salmonids under the Endangered Species Act, the RRBO calls for the reduction in the minimum instream flow requirements over the summer. Due to recent operational changes of PG&E's Potter Valley Project, the proposed change in the hydrologic index ensures alignment of the hydrologic index designations with actual conditions in the Russian River watershed.
August 2026 Flood Protection Zone 2A Advisory Committee Meeting
Public Meeting Notice: The next meeting of the Flood Protection Zone 2A Advisory Committee (Committee) will be held on Thursday, August 27, 2026 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. The meeting is open to the public and will be held in-person.
Meeting Location: City of Petaluma Office, 202 North McDowell Boulevard, Petaluma, CA 94954.
The Committee is meeting to discuss flood protection, stream maintenance, and storm water management within the Petaluma River Watershed, including the Penngrove and Petaluma areas. For more information and the meeting agenda, visit: https://www.sonomawater.org/zone-advisory-committees
Final Public Notice Bank Stabilization and Protection Project
DATE OF NOTICE: 5/19/2026
FEMA proposes to provide Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funding to the Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District for a bank stabilization and protection project at Kohler Creek and Sonoma Creek in Sonoma County, California (HMGP-4683-1158-068R). The project would reduce flood hazards and protect exposed sanitary sewer infrastructure in FEMA-designated floodplain areas.
Additional information about the Proposed Action may be requested by writing to the FEMA Region 9 Environmental Officer at FEMA, 1111 Broadway, Suite 1200, Oakland, California 94607, or FEMA-R9-EHP@FEMA.DHS.GOV. All requests should be received no later than 15 days after publication of this notice. No action will be taken before this date.
View the Final Public Notice for the Bank Stabilization and Protection Project
March 2026 Temporary Urgency Change Petitions
On March 19, 2026, Sonoma Water filed temporary urgency change petitions (TUCPs) with the State Water Resources Control Board Division of Water Rights. These petitions were submitted for Permits 12947A, 12949, 12950 and 16596 to temporarily modify the permit terms that: (1) set minimum instream flow requirements in the upper and lower reaches of the Russian River under a Normal water supply condition for a period from May 1, 2026 until October 15, 2026; and (2) establish the hydrologic conditions for setting the minimum instream flow requirements. The petitions requested reductions in the minimum instream flow requirements over the summer to protect listed salmonids under the Endangered Species Act as specified in the Russian River Biological Opinion if the hydrologic index establishes a Normal water supply condition. Otherwise, the hydrologic index requested sets the minimum instream flows specified by Decision 1610 in 1986. In response to changed watershed conditions due to recent operational changes of PG&E's Potter Valley Project, the proposed modifications in these petitions are necessary to ensure alignment of the hydrologic index designations with actual watershed conditions.
Petition for Temporary Urgency Change
Order Approving Temporary Urgency Change Petitions
October 2025 Temporary Urgency Change Petitions
On October 3, 2025, Sonoma Water filed temporary urgency change petitions (TUCPs) with the State Water Resources Control Board Division of Water Rights. These petitions were submitted to temporarily modify the permit terms that establish the hydrologic conditions for setting the minimum instream flow requirements. The hydrologic index for the Russian River for Permits 12947A, 12949, 12950 and 16596 was established under Decision 1610 in 1986. In response to changed watershed conditions due to recent operational changes of PG&E's Potter Valley Project, the proposed modifications in these petitions are necessary to ensure alignment of the hydrologic index designations with actual watershed conditions. The petitions request an alternative hydrologic index based on Lake Mendocino storage thresholds to be used for 180 days starting from December 24, 2025.
Petition for Temporary Urgency Change
Public Notice (October 23, 2025)
Notice of Temporary Urgency Change Petitions (October 15, 2025)
April 2025 Temporary Urgency Change Petitions
On April 10, 2025 Sonoma Water filed temporary urgency change petitions (TUCPs) with the State Water Resources Control Board Division of Water Rights. These petitions were submitted to temporarily modify the permit terms that establish the hydrologic conditions for setting the minimum instream flow requirements. The hydrologic index for the Russian River was established by Decision 1610 in 1986 for Permits 12947A, 12949, 12950 and 16596. In response to changed watershed conditions due to recent operational changes of PG&E's Potter Valley Project, these modifications are necessary to ensure alignment of the hydrologic index designations with actual watershed conditions. As required by the 2008 Russian River Biological Opinion, the petitions also request the minimum instream flow requirements be reduced to protect listed salmonids under the Endangered Species Act if the requested changes to determining the hydrologic index result in a Normal water supply condition. The current TUCP expires on April 30, 2025.
Petition for Temporary Urgency Change
Transmittal Letter for Temporary Urgency Change Petitions (April 21, 2025)
Notice of Temporary Urgency Change Petition (April 21, 2025)
February 2025 Temporary Urgency Change Petitions
On February 19, 2025, Sonoma Water filed a temporary urgency change petition (TUCP) with the State Water Resources Control Board Division of Water Rights. The TUCP requests a change to Permit 16596 (Application 19351) to authorize a new point of rediversion associated with Sonoma Water’s Sebastopol Road Well Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) Pilot Study. If approved, Sonoma Water would be authorized to recharge water diverted from the Russian River into the Santa Rosa Plain Groundwater Subbasin at the Sebastopol Road Well site from June 1, 2025, through November 27, 2025. The pilot study would operate in recharge/recovery cycles at a maximum recharge rate of 1.2 cubic feet per second. The total recharge and recovery amount would be limited to 50 acre-feet. The reconstruction of the Sebastopol Road Well and its conversion to an ASR well is a component of Sonoma Water’s Water Supply Resiliency Program.
Petition for Temporary Urgency Change
For more information visit https://www.sonomawater.org/tucp
Notice Of Adoption Of Resolution Of Intent To Sell
DATE OF NOTICE: 2/28/2025
Sonoma County Water Agency Property Located At
330 Hewett Street, Santa Rosa, California
(Assessor Parcel No. 010-700-015)
NOTICE IS GIVEN that the Board of Directors (“Board”) of the Sonoma County Water Agency, State of California, did, on the 14th day of January 2025, adopt Resolution No. 25-0027 (“Resolution of Intent”), by not less than a four-fifths vote of all of its members, declaring the Board’s intention to sell the following real property on the terms, conditions and requirements stated in the Resolution of Intent:
The Sonoma County Water Agency (“Sonoma Water”) is the fee title owner of real property located at 330 Hewett Street in the City of Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California, identified as Assessor Parcel Number 010-700-015, containing approximately 29,209 square feet, (“Property”).
The complete terms, conditions and procedures for sale of the Property are set forth in the Resolution of Intent, copies of which are available to be obtained from the County Clerk’s Office, 575 Administration Drive, Room 100 A, Santa Rosa, CA 95403.
NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that Sonoma Water shall publish the Property for sale online through Sonoma Water’s website with a minimum bid price of $500,000 and shall supply a sealed bid submittal form available for potential offerors to download prior to the auction at www.sonomawater.org/projects.
SEALED BIDS WILL BE ACCEPTED BY MAIL OR IN-PERSON PRIOR TO AUCTION, beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, Sonoma Water will begin accepting sealed bids to purchase the Property. Bids must be received by mail or hand delivered to the office of Sonoma Water to the reception desk during business hours only; in order to be considered, bids must be received prior to 4:00 p.m. on April 8, 2025.
Sonoma Water
ATTN: Sealed Bid Surplus Sale
404 Aviation Blvd.
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
SEALED BIDS WILL BE ACCEPTED AT THE AUCTION ON APRIL 9, 2025, in-person only beginning at 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday April 9, 2025, at the office of Sonoma Water. Bid opening for all validly submitted sealed bids will commence approximately at 1:00 p.m. and shortly thereafter the highest bid will be announced. Further pursuant to CA Government Code 25530, a call for oral bids will be made, which must exceed the highest bid by at least 5 percent, and after the closing of oral bidding all oral bids will be promptly evaluated, and the final and highest bid offer will be declared.
Clerk of the Board of Supervisors
For more information visit https://www.sonomawater.org/projects
August 2024 Temporary Urgency Change Petitions
On March 12, 2025, Sonoma Water filed temporary urgency change petitions (TUCPs) with the State Water Resources Control Board Division of Water Rights. These petitions were submitted to temporarily modify the permit terms that establish the hydrologic conditions for setting the minimum instream flow requirements. The hydrologic index for the Russian River was established by Decision 1610 in 1986 for Permits 12947A, 12949, 12950 and 16596. In response to changed watershed conditions due to recent operational changes of PG&E's Potter Valley Project, these modifications are necessary to ensure alignment of the hydrologic index designations with actual watershed conditions.
Public Notice (August 28, 2024)
For more information visit https://www.sonomawater.org/tucp
April 2024 Temporary Urgency Change Petition
DATE OF NOTICE: April 23, 2024
Notice of Temporary Urgency Change Petition
Objections filed in response to this notice should be submitted by 4:30 p.m. on May 23, 2024.
Learn more https://www.sonomawater.org/tucp
Stream Maintenance Program
As part of our comprehensive Stream Maintenance Program (SMP), each summer and fall Sonoma Water works in and around streams throughout Sonoma County to provide flood protection and improve water quality. For more information regarding the SMP, and the list of streams we plan to maintain in, view the SMP webpage:
SonomaWater.org/stream-maintenance-program
Public Comments at Board of Director Meetings
On days when the Board of Directors meet.
Public comment on matters not listed on the agenda but within the subject matter jurisdiction of the board and on board member reports (Comments are restricted to matters within the Board’s jurisdiction. The Board will hear public comments at this time for up to thirty minutes. Each person is usually granted time at the discretion of the Chair. Any additional public comments will be heard at the conclusion of the meeting. While members of the public are welcome to address the Board, under the Brown Act, Board members may not deliberate or take action on items not on the agenda.)
General Comments or Questions
If you have a question about a Sonoma Water project or issue, please use our Contact Form