Laguna Watershed Knowledgebase

Preparing our watersheds for climate change (in terms of water supply, water quality, flooding, and habitat) requires estimating potential changes to climate, hydrology, and ecosystems based on the best science available at the watershed scale. This information is a critical starting point for understanding potential impacts to many sectors, including biodiversity, agriculture and transportation infrastructure. While Sonoma County leads the nation's local governments in the development of a coordinated greenhouse gas mitigation strategy (reducing greenhouse gases known to cause climate change), we need a parallel County coordination effort focused on climate adaptation (preventative measures aimed at reducing the eventual cumulative impact of climate change on resources of concern). This presentation will review new initiatives by the North Bay Watershed Association and The Sonoma County Water Agency to generate future climate scenarios by partnering with scientists working on cutting-edge climate change assessments. With these results, Sonoma County’s community of resource managers can begin to collaborate on climate adaptation strategies tailored to protect the hydrology, habitats, and local communities of Sonoma County watersheds.