State pours millions into Sonoma County for groundwater
Scientists and technicians will be keeping a close and detailed watch on something not easily seen from the surface—the amount of water beneath Sonoma County. That’s a critically important source with California’s fickle rainy season. Unlike other NorCal counties, none of the county’s water comes from snowmelt. It’s all dependent on rain filling up Its rivers…reservoirs: Lake Mendocino and Lake Sonoma…and seeping underground. On Monday state officials handed giant novelty checks clocking in just above $15 million to representatives of Sonoma county’s three groundwater basins. … Sonoma Valley basin is near the bay, so infiltration by sea water is a serious issue. Santa Rosa Plain comes through Sebastopol. It’s a little bit more urban, but it also has wells around it. Petaluma Valley contains some agricultural users, but it also butts up against the city and rural residents.
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