Over the past decade, Sonoma County has experienced dramatic swings in weather—from historic drought to severe storms, floods, and wildfires. In this episode, Supervisor James Gore sits down with Brad Sherwood to discuss what these changes mean for our water supply today and how we’re preparing for the future.

Together, they explore the lessons learned from recent droughts, the innovative projects underway to strengthen long-term water reliability, and how Sonoma Water manages the region’s changing water cycles. The conversation also covers water quality, flood management, habitat protection, and the partnerships that help safeguard our communities, environment, and economy.

This episode offers a clear look at how local agencies are working to ensure safe, reliable water for the years ahead—and why water planning today matters for the next generation.

Welcome to the pilot episode of Explore with Gore. In this podcast series, Sonoma County Supervisor James Gore will sit down with community leaders, county department directors, and other partners to discuss the issues, projects, and people shaping District 4 and the greater Sonoma County community. For this first episode — essentially a practice run — the tables are turned as Gore’s staff member Harry Hubbell takes the host seat and interviews Gore about his path into public service, lessons from more than a decade as Supervisor, leading through fires and the pandemic, conservation and Russian River stewardship, representing unincorporated communities, and his thoughts on leadership, teamwork, and passing the baton to the next generation of leaders.