About SB 552

In September 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Senate Bill (SB) 552 (Hertzberg), which requires state and local governments to share responsibility in planning and responding to water shortage events, particularly for state small water systems and rural communities supplied by domestic wells. Through SB 552, the California State Legislature identifies counties as the best-suited government entity to provide the needed leadership to improve water resilience for state small water systems and domestic wells.

Under SB 552, all counties in California are required to prepare a County Drought Resilience Plan (County DRP) to achieve meaningful and long-term improvements in water resilience for their residents. In addition to the development of a County DRP, SB 552 directs counties to establish a long-standing County Drought and Water Shortage Task Force (Task Force) to cultivate the continued practices of drought planning and improving long-term water resilience.

County Compliance

The County and its Water Agency (MCWA) have been effectively complying with SB 552 since 2021 and throughout the recent historic drought period by holding frequent Task Force meetings, currently held under the General Government Standing Committee (GGSC). In May 2024, the County was awarded a grant from the Department of Water Resources (DWR) to facilitate the development of its County DRP, which began in June 2024 under the management and administration of the MCWA. MCWA hired a consultant that specializes in water resources planning, EKI Environment and Water, Inc. (EKI), to lead the technical development of the County DRP. MCWA and EKI are closely collaborating with relevant County Departments, University of California Cooperative Extension-Mendocino County (UCCE), stakeholders, and decision-makers to develop a comprehensive plan that complies with the requirements of SB-552 through a transparent public process.

DRP Development

The DRP development workflow consists of four main steps: data collection, vulnerability/risk assessment, development of short-term response actions and long-term mitigation strategies, and plan implementation. These steps will be conducted with effective public education and engagement, in collaboration with water suppliers and managers throughout the County.

The MCWA and UCCE plan to hold two public workshops in the third quarter of 2024 and the first quarter of 2025 to discuss the DRP development process and its results. Each step of the plan will be discussed at a GGSC meeting. The MCWA currently plans to have DRP agenda items at GGSC meetings in September 2024, as well as January, March, and May 2025.

To receive updates and further information about the DRP process, please Sign up for updates. If you are a domestic well owner or state small water system willing to provide information, please fill out this form.

Join Us!

We invite you to the first Mendocino County Drought Resilience Plan Development Drought Task Force Meeting (Mendocino County General Government Standing Committee) on September 25th, 2024, where the overall approach to the development of the DRP will be presented to receive community feedback and improve public awareness. Your participation and your support in announcing this meeting and encouraging community stakeholders to attend would contribute significantly to the effectiveness of the plan and be greatly appreciated. The meeting information is provided below:

Mendocino County General Government Committee

Date: September 25th, 2024

Time: Starting at 9:00 AM

Location: Board Chambers, Room 1070, County Administration Center

Agenda and Remote Meeting information: https://mendocino.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx

(Meeting will be broadcast on Mendocino County YouTube Channel)

Drought Resilience Plan Information Factsheet (English)

Drought Resilience Plan Informational Factsheet (Español)

Thank you to those of you who attended the public workshop hosted by UCCE on September 5, 2024.  Your input is appreciated and valuable to the DRP process!  Below you can find the Powerpoint presentation from the workshop.