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File #: 26-49    Version: 1 Name:
Type: Informational Report Status: New Business
File created: 1/12/2026 In control: Sheriff
On agenda: 2/3/2026 Final action:
Title: Drought Resilience Plan and SB 552 Compliance
Attachments: 1. Staff Report, 2. Drought Resiliency Plan.docx
To: Board of Supervisors

From: Sheriff

Agenda Section: Departmental

Vote Requirement: Majority

SUBJECT:
title
Drought Resilience Plan and SB 552 Compliance
end

RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Receive the report, from the Humboldt County Drought Task Force Steering Committee, on the final draft of the Drought Resilience Plan, satisfying California Senate Bill 552, and brief update on current drought potential in Humboldt County.

Body
STRATEGIC PLAN:
This action supports the following areas of your Board's Strategic Plan.

Area of Focus: Safe & Healthy Communities
Strategic Plan Category: 1009 - Expand county infrastructure resilience

DISCUSSION:
The Humboldt County Drought Task Force was established on May 25, 2021, by the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors. The task force has been directed to explore and develop potential short, medium, and long-term actions for a coordinated, county-wide response as well as track local impacts resulting from drought. Since its creation, the Drought Task Force has met to discuss local impacts and response and mitigation strategies, providing updates to the Board of Supervisors and the community via formal reports and social and conventional media.

Though the drought in California has subsided, and significant amounts of rainfall have reduced Humboldt County's short-term risk of drought-related impacts, Senate Bill 552 (SB 552) was passed in September 2021 requiring, among other things, counties to maintain a standing drought task force, and development of a plan to facilitate drought and water shortage preparedness for state small water systems (serving 5 to 14 connections), domestic wells and other privately supplied homes within the county's jurisdiction. The plan must evaluate potential drought and water shortage risk and propose interim and long-term solutions for state small water systems and domestic wells within the county.

To achieve the goal of SB 552 complia...

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