Lake Sonoma Watershed Soil Moisture Monitoring
Summary
SCH Number
2025050044
Public Agency
Sonoma County Water Agency
Document Title
Lake Sonoma Watershed Soil Moisture Monitoring
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
5/1/2025
Document Description
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with Sonoma County Water Agency (Sonoma Water) has initiated an effort to install soil moisture monitoring stations at Lake Sonoma Watershed to support establishing Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO).
Soil moisture plays an important role in drought and flood forecasting, water supply management, and other natural resource activities. Soil moisture observations can forewarn of impending drought or flood conditions before other more standard indicators are triggered. Changes in soil moisture, characterized by infiltration and evapotranspiration, are impacting watersheds and the quantity and quality of water for downstream communities.
The proposed project would help further the development of FIRO by the installation of two soil moisture monitoring stations. Each monitoring station has five sensors that detect the amount of water in the soil profile to a depth of approximately three feet. The remote stations are solar powered and transmit the data via satellite, allowing the data to be monitored in real time. Incorporating soil moisture into statistical and hydrologic simulation models can improve streamflow and seasonal forecasts over using precipitation and snowpack measurements alone.
Contact Information
Name
Connie Barton
Agency Name
Sonoma County Water Agency
Job Title
Senior Environmental Specialist
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency / Project Applicant / Parties Undertaking Project
Phone
Location
Cities
unincorporated area
Counties
Sonoma
Regions
Northern California, Unincorporated
Other Location Info
Locations are within the Lake Sonoma Watershed, Sonoma County, CA, Lake Sonoma is located at 3333 Skaggs Springs Road, Geyserville CA. 95441
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
CEQA Guidelines 15306: Information Collection
Reasons for Exemption
The project consists of data collection, research, and resource evaluation activities which do not result in a serious or major disturbance to an environmental, historical, or archaeological resource. The project is part of a study that may result in a future project, which has not yet been approved, funded, or adopted.
County Clerk
Sonoma
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
Disclaimer: The Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) accepts no responsibility for the content or accessibility of these documents. To obtain an attachment in a different format, please contact the lead agency at the contact information listed above. For more information, please visit LCI’s Accessibility Site.