Humboldt supervisors accept drought resilience plan, staff to refine local well data and storage options

Humboldt County supervisors on Feb. 3 accepted a draft county drought resilience plan prepared to meet state requirements under Senate Bill 552, while urging staff to incorporate more locally specific data and consider distributed on‑site water storage as a resilience tool.

"Based on current federal and state monitoring data, Humboldt County is not experiencing drought conditions at this time," Patrick Cash, hazard mitigation program coordinator with the county Office of Emergency Services, told the Board, citing the U.S. Drought Monitor and other statewide indicators. He and county staff, however, cautioned that below‑average Sierra Nevada snowpack could reduce spring and summer runoff and create future pressures.

Mario Carlson, director of Environmental Health and co‑chair of the county drought steering committee, said the plan satisfies SB 552’s requirements by focusing on risks to domestic wells and state small water systems and by combining physical‑vulnerability mapping, well density and social vulnerability to identify priority communities. ‘‘The draft plan is available on the OES website,’’ he said, and staff invited further public comment.

Supervisors pressed several implementation points. Supervisor Madrone asked that data the supervisor previously supplied be reflected in the plan. Supervisor Bushnell urged adding distributed storage — household or community tanks as local emergency supply — noting Trinidad’s recent storage loss and saying a 5,000‑gallon tank could provide significant backup. "If we implement distributed storage, then you've got backup," Bushnell said, and staff agreed reducing barriers to on‑site storage is included among long‑term strategies.

Staff cautioned that stored water must be treated and protected against backflow. "Check valves, backflow prevention, [and] treatment are important," Mario Carlson said, adding that improving permit applications to capture whether a new well replaces a dry well is a planned amendment that will help quantify local impacts.

Other issues raised during discussion included using local Sigma/Eel River Valley monitoring wells to inform the plan and the need to harmonize funding sources for implementation. The Board voted to accept the presentation; staff said the plan will remain a living document to be refined with further local data and community feedback.

The drought plan satisfies SB 552's minimum requirements but does not alter local permitting authority; staff said the document is not regulatory but will guide coordination, outreach, and funding efforts. The draft plan and comment links remain posted on the county Office of Emergency Services website.

What's next: supervisors directed staff to pursue amendments to well‑permit forms to capture when a well replacement follows a dry well, to continue outreach with local water managers and tribes, and to explore funding options for distributed storage and other mitigation measures.