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A regional approach

What is Integrated Regional Water Management?

From the California Department of Water Resources:

What is IRWM?

Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) is a collaborative effort to identify and implement water management solutions on a regional scale that increase regional self-reliance, reduce conflict, and manage water to concurrently achieve social, environmental, and economic objectives.

IRWM is the application of Integrated Water Management (IWM) principles on a regional scale.

To learn more about IRWM, please view the IRWM-related publications available through our Publications page.

How does IRWM support water management in California?

IRWM enables self-identified regions to integrate and implement water management solutions for their region, which is a foundation of Action 2 in the California Water Action Plan. The fundamental principle of IRWM is that regional water managers, who are organized into regional water management groups (RWMGs), are best suited and best positioned to manage water resources to meet regional needs. While large inter-regional water management systems, such as the State Water Project, Central Valley Project, and flood management systems, are important, the majority of California’s water resource management investments are made at the local and regional level. IRWM has been critical in helping meet California’s water management challenges, including the 2014 drought.