Geography Sonoma County, California

1 geography

1.1 climate
1.2 ocean, bays, rivers , streams

1.2.1 russian river
1.2.2 laguna de santa rosa
1.2.3 other water bodies


1.3 marine protected areas of sonoma county
1.4 threatened/endangered species
1.5 adjacent counties
1.6 national protected area

geography

hood mountain vineyards in foreground.

according u.s. census bureau, county has area of 1,768 square miles (4,580 km), of 1,576 square miles (4,080 km) land , 192 square miles (500 km) (10.9%) water.

the county lies in north coast ranges of northwestern california. ranges include mayacamas , sonoma mountains, southern peak of latter being prominent landform sears point. highest peak in mayacamas within county mt. saint helena. has uncommon occurrences of pygmy forest, dominated mendocino cypress. highest peak of sonoma mountains sonoma mountain itself, boasts 2 significant public access properties: jack london state historic park , fairfield osborn preserve.

the county includes city of sonoma , sonoma valley, in city of sonoma located. however, these not synonymous. city of sonoma merely 1 of several incorporated cities in county. sonoma valley makes southeastern portion of county, includes many other valleys , geographic zones. moreover, sonoma valley includes not city of sonoma, portion of city of santa rosa , unincorporated communities of kenwood, agua caliente, boyes hot springs, , fetters hot springs. other regions of county beyond sonoma valley include, among others, petaluma valley, santa rosa plains, russian river, alexander valley, , dry creek valley.

distinct habitat areas within county include oak woodland, redwood forest, northern coastal scrub, grassland, marshland, oak savanna , riparian woodland. california oak woodland in upper yulupa creek , spring creek watersheds in annadel state park relatively undisturbed ecosystem considerable biodiversity. these forested areas have been characterized of best examples of such woodlands. unusual characteristic of these forests high content of undisturbed prehistoric bunchgrass understory, testifying absence of historic grazing or other agriculture.

trees of oak woodland habitat include pacific madrone, douglas fir, coast live oak, garry oak , california laurel. common understory plants toyon, poison oak, and, @ fringes, coast silk-tassel.

climate

sonoma county s dry creek valley

sonoma county, case coastal counties in california, has great degree of climatic variation , numerous, different, microclimates. key determining factors local climate proximity ocean, elevation, , presence , elevation of hills or mountains east , west. in large part due fact that, throughout california, prevailing weather systems , wind come pacific ocean, blowing in west , southwest places closer ocean , on windward side of higher elevations tend receive more rain autumn through spring , more summer wind , fog. partly result of presence of high , low pressures in inland california, persistent high summer temperatures in central valley, in particular, leading low pressures, drawing in moist air pacific, cooling damp cool breezes , fog on cold coastal water. places further inland , particularly in lee of significant elevations tend receive less rain , less, in cases no, fog in summer.

the coast typically cool , moist throughout summer, foggy, fog blowing in during late afternoon , evening until clears in later morning sunny, before repeating. coastal summer highs typically in mid high 60s, warming low 70s further ocean.

certain inland areas, including petaluma area , santa rosa plain, prone normal fog pattern in general. however, tend receive fog later in evening, fog tends more short-lived, , mid-day temperatures higher on coast, typically in low 80s f. particularly true petaluma, cotati , rohnert park, and, less so, santa rosa, windsor, , sebastopol. in large part results lower elevations , prominent petaluma gap in hills between ocean west , petaluma valley , santa rosa plain east.

areas north of santa rosa , windsor, larger elevations west , further fog path, tend receive less fog , less summer marine influence. healdsburg north of windsor less foggy , warmer, summer highs typically in higher 80s 90 °f (32 °c). sonoma , sonoma valley, east of petaluma, similar, highs typically in high 70s f 80 °f (27 °c). in part due presence of sonoma mountains between petaluma , sonoma. cloverdale far north out of santa rosa plain, hotter other city in county, rare evening-morning fog , highs in 90s, reaching 100 °f (38 °c) more other cities. notably, however, temperature differences among different areas of county greatest highs during mid-day, diurnal lows more throughout entire county. lows closely tied evening-morning cooling marine influence, in addition elevation, bringing cool temperatures of region.

these weather patterns contribute high diurnal temperature fluctuations in of county. in summer, daily lows , highs typically 30-40 °f apart in land, highs petaluma, cotati, rohnert park, santa rosa, windsor, , sebastopol typically being in low 80s f , lows @ or near 50 °f (10 °c). healdsburg , sonoma, similar lows, have greater diurnal fluctuations due warmer highs. on other hand, coast, strong marine influence, tends have low diurnal temperature fluctuation, summer highs cooler inland towns, typically 65-75 °f, yet lows in high 40s low 50s f, comparable inland towns.

these microclimates evident during rainy seasons well, great variation in amount of rainfall throughout county. generally, of sonoma county receives fair amount of rain, of county receiving between 25 in (640 mm), comparable areas such sonoma , petaluma, , 30 in (760 mm) normal santa rosa. however, areas, particularly in north-west portion of county around russian river, receive more rainfall. guerneville area, example, typically receives 50 in (1,300 mm) of rain year, annual rain going high 70 in (1,800 mm). nearby cazadero typically receives 72 in (1,800 mm) of rain year, many times has reached on 100 in (2,500 mm) year, , on 120 in (3,000 mm) of rain year. cazadero region second wettest place in california after gasquet.

snow exceedingly rare in sonoma county except in higher elevations on , around mayacamas mountains, particularly mount saint helena, , cobb mountain peak across line of lake county.

ocean, bays, rivers , streams

goat rock beach viewed jenner cliffs looking south, showing mouth of russian river @ pacific ocean.

sonoma county bounded on west pacific ocean, , has 76 miles (122 km) of coastline. major coastal hydrographic features bodega bay, mouth of russian river, , mouth of gualala river, @ border mendocino county. of county s beaches listed cleanest in state in 2010.

six of county s 9 cities, healdsburg south through santa rosa rohnert park , cotati, in santa rosa plain. northern plain drains russian river, or tributary; southern plain drains russian river via laguna de santa rosa.

russian river

much of central , northern sonoma county in watershed of russian river , tributaries. river rises in coastal mountains of mendocino county, north of city of ukiah, , flows lake mendocino, major flood control reservoir. russian flows south lake through mendocino sonoma county, paralleled highway 101. turns west @ healdsburg, receiving water lake sonoma via dry creek, , empties pacific ocean @ jenner.

laguna de santa rosa

the laguna de santa rosa largest tributary of russian river. 14 miles (23 km) long, running north cotati russian river near forestville. flood plain more 7,500 acres (30 km). drains 254-square-mile (660 km) watershed, including of santa rosa plain.

the laguna de santa rosa foundation says:

the laguna de santa rosa sonoma county s richest area of wildlife habitat, , biologically diverse region of sonoma county (itself second-most biologically diverse county in california)... unique ecological system covering more 30,000 acres (120 km) , comprisedof mosaic of creeks, open water, perennial marshes, seasonal wetlands, riparian forests, oak woodlands , grasslands... receiving water of watershed of county s human population lives, landscape feature of critical importance sonoma county s water quality, flood control, , biodiversity.

the laguna s largest tributary santa rosa creek, runs through santa rosa. major tributaries brush creek, mark west creek, matanzas creek, spring creek , piner creek. matanzas creek shown polluted in sonoma county first flush results.

other water bodies

the boundary marin county runs mouth of estero americano @ bodega bay, americano creek, overland san antonio creek , down petaluma river mouth @ northwest corner of san pablo bay, adjoins san francisco bay. southern edge of sonoma county comprises northern shore of san pablo bay between marin county border @ petaluma river , border solano county @ sonoma creek. sonoma county has no incorporated communities directly on shore of san pablo bay. @ present there private marina related facilities called port sonoma near mouth of petaluma river. however, petaluma river flows san pablo bay, navigable city of petaluma.

the petaluma river, tolay creek, , sonoma creek enter bay @ county s southernmost tip. intertidal zone join bay vast napa sonoma marsh.

americano creek, petaluma river, tolay creek, , sonoma creek principal streams draining southern portion of county. sonoma valley drained sonoma creek, major tributaries yulupa creek, graham creek, calabazas creek, schell creek , carriger creek; arroyo seco creek tributary schell creek. other creeks include foss, felta, , mill creeks.

lakes , reservoirs in county include lake sonoma, tolay lake, lake ilsanjo, santa rosa creek reservoir, lake ralphine, , fountaingrove lake.

marine protected areas of sonoma county

like underwater parks, these marine protected areas conserve ocean wildlife , marine ecosystems.

del mar landing state marine reserve
stewarts point state marine reserve & stewarts point state marine conservation area
salt point state marine conservation area
gerstle cove state marine reserve
russian river state marine reserve , russian river state marine conservation area
bodega head state marine reserve & bodega head state marine conservation area
estero americano state marine recreational management area

threatened/endangered species

a number of endangered plants , animals found in sonoma county including california clapper rail (rallus longirostris obsoletus), salt marsh harvest mouse (reithrodontomys raviventris), northern red-legged frog (rana aurora), sacramento splittail (pogonichthys macrolepidotus), california freshwater shrimp (syncaris pacifica), showy indian clover (trifolium amoenum) , hickman s potentilla (potentilla hickmanii).

species of special local concern include california tiger salamander (ambystoma californiense) , endangered plants, including burke s goldfields (lasthenia burkei), sebastopol meadowfoam (limnanthes vinculans), , sonoma sunshine or baker s stickyseed (blennosperma bakeri).

endangered species endemic sonoma county include sebastopol meadowfoam, sonoma sunshine, , pitkin marsh lily (lilium pardalinum subsp. pitkinense).

the sonoma county water agency has had fisheries enhancement program since 1996. website says:

primary focus of fep enhance habitat 3 salmonids: steelhead, chinook salmon, , coho salmon. these 3 species listed threatened under u.s. endangered species act. california department of fish , game considers coho salmon endangered.

adjacent counties

mendocino county, california - north
lake county, california - northeast
napa county, california - east
solano county, california - southeast
marin county, california - south
contra costa county, california - south-southeast

national protected area

san pablo bay national wildlife refuge (part)




^ gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, , 1990 . united states census bureau. 2011-02-12. retrieved 2011-04-23. 
^ annadel state park . parks , recreation in sonoma county. archived original on october 11, 1997. 
^ sonoma county climatic zones (pdf). university of california cooperative extension. archived (pdf) original on august 12, 2007. retrieved 2007-11-30. 
^ forrey, rip. climate data various locations in sonoma, napa, mendocino, lake , marin counties, california (pdf). university of california cooperative extension sonoma county. archived original (pdf) on june 30, 2007. retrieved 2007-11-30. 
^ freedman, wayne (2006-04-05). rainiest town in bay area sale . kgo-tv news. retrieved 2007-12-13. 
^ subsection m261be konocti flows . u.s. forest service. archived original on 2011-09-22. retrieved 2014-02-22. 
^ carolyn jones (may 27, 2010). bay area beaches grade safe swimming . san francisco chronicle. 
^ ecology of laguna de santa rosa . lagunafoundation.org. laguna de santa rosa foundation. retrieved july 17, 2014. 
^ ecology . lagunadesantarosa.org. laguna de santa rosa foundation. archived original on february 6, 2007. 
^ fisheries enhancement program . sonoma county water agency. archived original on october 2, 2009. 
^ marin, solono, sonoma , contra costa counties borders come common point approx. 6 miles san francisco bay. thus, contra costa county adjacent county. hittell, theodore henry (1876). codes , statutes of state of california. a. l. bancroft. p. 515. retrieved august 20, 2012. 
^ california codes, government codes, section 23149 . retrieved august 20, 2012.