Send your OWOW IRWMP Plan comments to comments@sawpa.org by March 31, 2009.

SUBMIT PROJECT

DOCUMENTS

Complete Draft Report

2009 Santa Ana Integrated Watershed Plan (Large File 80MB)

Draft Report Chapters
   Cover
   Table of Contents
   Executive Summary
   Chapter 1: One Water One Watershed Program
   Chapter 2: Funding
   Chapter 3: Watershed Setting
   Chapter 4: Water Infrastructure
   Chapter 5: Institutional Setting and Current Collaborative Efforts
   Chapter 6: Current Resources and Management Strategies
       Chapter 6.1: Water Supply and Reliability
       Chapter 6.2: Water Quality Improvement
       Chapter 6.3: Water Recycling
     Chapter 6.4: Water Use Efficiency
       Chapter 6.5: Water and Land Use
       Chapter 6.6: Flood Risk Management
       Chapter 6.7: Environmental Enhancement and Habitat
       Chapter 6.8: Parks Recreation and Open Space
       Chapter 6.9: Climate Change
       Chapter 6.10: Environmental Justice
   Chapter 7: Regional Goals and Objectives
   Chapter 8: Benefits of Sustainable Solutions
   Chapter 9: Strategy Implementation
   Chapter 10: Data Management
   Chapter 11: Summary and Next Steps

Within the Santa Ana River Watershed, an expanding collaboration and new regional partnerships are being developed to deal with the increased threats posed by the “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” in reaching a sustainable Santa Ana Watershed for the future. The four major threats can be described as follows: 1) Climate Change resulting in reduced water supplies combined with increased water needs in the region, 2) Colorado River Continuing Drought resulting in reductions of imported supply due to upper basin entitlements and continued long-term drought, 3) San Joaquin Delta Vulnerability resulting in reductions or loss of supply due to catastrophic levee failure or changing management practices of the Delta, and 4) Population Growth and Development resulting in interruptions in hydrology and groundwater recharge while increasing water needs. To attain the long term Year 2030 vision for the Santa Ana watershed that is drought-proofed, salt-balanced, and supports economic and environmental viability, the next generation of integrated regional water management planning (IRWMP) must be implemented.
In responding to impending water challenges in the Santa Ana Watershed region, unique opportunities exist to build upon previous water resource planning work by numerous agencies throughout the watershed. By expanding the collaborative stakeholder planning process to include all that are dependent on water, it is possible to implement new solutions that address the water needs of all of the watershed’s constituencies. Integrating water resource management strategies can result in new multi-benefit projects that can be developed and implemented. It also is through this integration that scarce resources can be leveraged and more cost effective solutions can be found in addressing a multiplicity of water challenges to the region.
This IRWMP planning process has commenced among the stakeholders and major problem areas have been identified, that if addressed, could have a significant and immediate impact on the water supplies for the future. These are as follows: 1) The need for linking water use with land use planning through support of resource efficient and low impact land use described in the Ahwahnee Principles, 2) public landowner overuse of irrigation water and encouraging water audits of such practices, 3) support for smart irrigation controllers for large water users to improve water use efficiency, and 4) the need to cut residential irrigation water use by half through the use of more native landscape and appropriate watering application rates.
To move from planning into implementation to correct these problem areas, as well as addressing further water infrastructure demands, funding is needed. With the passage of State Water bonds in Nov. 2006, new funding soon will be appropriated to help address the previously described threats of the “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse”. Under State Proposition 84, Chapter 2, over $1B has been defined for regions across the State to provide funding support for new water supply and water quality improvement projects. Upon the adoption of the “One Water One Watershed” Plan, the watershed will be able to implement projects with this funding. Further, by utilizing a “platinum” broad based stakeholder-driven approach that develops innovative multi-beneficial projects, the Santa Ana region stands to be in an excellent position to compete for additional dollars of the recent State water bonds and future water bonds. However, these bond funds only will meet a fraction of the Santa Ana Watershed’s needs. Only through the development of new partnerships and creative, multi-benefit projects can we prepare the watershed for a sustainable future that makes this a desirable region to live and work.

Meet The Steering Committee!

Bill Campbell, Orange County Supervisor, was elected Chairman of the Board of Supervisors in January 2005, and in 2006. He formerly served as an Assembly Member from 1992 to1996, as well as Assembly Minority Leader and Vice Chair of the Committee on Appropriations. Among the many boards he serves are the Orange County Local Agency Formation Commission, the Santa Ana River Trail and Parkway Advisory Group, the Orange County Transportation Authority, the Orange County Council of Governments, and the South Coast Air Quality Management District Board.

Marion Ashley serves as the Fifth District Supervisor for Riverside County. His top priorities include the improvement of public safety, transportation, and water issues in California. He has had wide-ranging experience in business, local and regional government, education, and community service. Supervisor Ashley’s numerous Board assignments include implementation of the Riverside County Integrated Project, past Chair of the Riverside County Transportation Commission, Chair of the March Joint Powers Commission, the Riverside County Transit Agency, and Chair of the Flood Control and Water Conservation District.

Josie Gonzales serves as the Fifth District Supervisor for San Bernardino County. Her top priorities include the improvement of public safety, health, and economic development. Her goal is to help provide the citizens with a better quality of life by helping to create local jobs, providing clean drinking water, improving air quality, and developing smart growth communities. She serves on various boards, committees and commissions, and works hard to find the common threads among services and programs that will help achieve a healthier, more enriching quality of life for her constituents.

Beth Krom is the Mayor of the City of Irvine. She is an advocate for balanced communities and is focused on ensuring a sustainable future for the City. Among the significant initiatives she has worked to advance is Irvine’s long-term housing strategy to ensure a full spectrum of housing opportunities in the City. Mayor Krom has led the effort to create a residential and commercial Green-building Ordinance, the first of its kind in Orange County. She also is part of a national Coalition of Mayors for Climate Protection, to ensure that activities at the local level support the health of people and the planet.

Ron Loveridge has served as the Mayor of Riverside since 1994. Prior to that, he was elected to the City Council from 1979 to 1994. He currently is the Immediate Past President for the League of California Cities. Among many local efforts, Mayor Loveridge has been deeply committed to his community’s youth. He has been a professor at University of California, Riverside since 1965, teaching courses in American Politics, Public Opinion, and Local Leadership in California. He also introduced college students to government through internship projects and field work.

Patrick Morris is the Mayor of San Bernardino. His vast experience in the legal profession includes serving three terms as Superior Court Presiding Judge. Concerned about the future of the City of San Bernardino where he has lived for 40 years, he ran for Mayor in 2005, campaigning on a platform of aggressive crime fighting, economic revitalization, and ethical governance. Among his many successful efforts in his first six months of office, was the development of Operation Phoenix, a comprehensive anti-crime collaboration created with the assistance of the County and State, the schools, and the private sector.

Ron Sullivan has been a board member of Eastern Municipal Water District since 2003, serving on the Committees of Operations and Engineering, Planning, and Real Estate. He has an extensive service record with city and county organizations, including Chair of both the Riverside County and the Hemet County Planning Commissions. Mr. Sullivan also currently serves as a Director on the Western Riverside Water and Wastewater Financing Authority, and as Chair for the Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority. He is a licensed general contractor with wide-ranging experience in real estate planning, design, development, and construction.

Wyatt Troxel has served on the Board of Directors of the Inland Empire Utilities Agency since 1992, and chairs the Board’s Engineering and Operations Committee. He has over 36 years of experience in the municipal water and wastewater activities in both the public and private sectors, and is an independent consultant in the field of wastewater treatment. He holds the highest certifications in wastewater treatment plant operations in both California and Hawaii, as well as a lifetime teaching credential from the California Board of Education.

Ali Sahabi is President of SE Corporation, a privately held, California-based land planning, entitlement, and development firm. He also is the Managing Member and the Principal of Temescal Canyon Properties-8, LLC (TCP), the developer of Dos Lagos in South Corona. Mr. Sahabi has directed a number of development projects across Southern California including industrial, multi-family residential and commercial retail projects. He is a dedicated member of numerous industry and civic organizations including the Urban Land Institute, and the American Planning Association.

Garry Brown is the Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Orange County Coastkeeper. He has extensive knowledge of marine and water runoff issues, as well as water supply issues. He formerly served as an Assistant City Manager, an advocate and executive director of trade associations in the real estate and building industries, and twice as president of the Chamber of Commerce. In 2001, he founded the Orange County League of Conservation Voters. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of numerous State and local environmental organizations.