Rivers and pollutionGuide
Only rain down the storm drain
Storm drains carry water straight to the nearest creek. It is not treated. Only rain should go down them.
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Where the water goes
Permit Sonoma says all outside drains are part of the storm drain system, which carries flows directly to the nearest creek. Anything on the ground or street can be picked up and carried in.
What the county names as pollution
- Sediment from grading.
- Concrete by-products from construction.
- Paint, chemicals and solvents.
- Fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides.
- Dirty or soapy water from car washing.
- Cigarette butts and other litter.
Lawn care is a big one. See natural lawn care that keeps chemicals out of the creek.
The county's Stormwater Ordinance prohibits releasing polluted stormwater into the storm drain system.
Report a spill or dumping
Sonoma Water has an online form for reporting spills and dumping on its stormwater page. Its listed contacts are the administration office at (707) 547-1900 and a 24 hour operations desk at (707) 523-1070.
A countywide campaign
In 2019 cities, special districts and the county ran a campaign to connect street storm drains to creeks that flow to the Russian River.
Phone numbers are the ones those agencies list. Call to ask if you are unsure which one handles your case.
Sources
- Permit Sonoma, Pollution Prevention
- Sonoma Water, Stormwater
- Water Education Foundation, Russian River watershed protection campaign (reposted Press Democrat, Aug 26, 2019)
Checked 2026-10-11. Rules and programs change. If something here is out of date, the source above wins. Spot an error? See our corrections policy.
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