The County of Sonoma’s flow of well permits has run dry, as local officials last week suspended issuing the permits in compliance with a Sonoma County Superior Court order. The order, which was served to the County on Dec. 17, stems from the lawsuit Russian Riverkeeper and California Coastkeeper vs. County of Sonoma. It requires the county to “suspend all non-emergency water well permitting” based on concerns that the county has not complied with the Public Trust Doctrine. The lawsuit contends Sonoma County’s 2023 Well Ordinance doesn’t do enough to safeguard county waterways from excessive pumping. In Sonoma County, many agricultural operations have for decades or more relied on historic water rights to irrigate their farms, which grant them a priority in accessing the water for “beneficial use.” However, the court ruled such historic rights don’t take precedence over the need to protect the sustainability of public resources.