Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) is a statewide collaborative effort led by the Department of Water Resources (DWR) to identify and implement water management solutions on a regional scale that increase regional self-reliance, reduce conflict, and build water and climate resilience, while concurrently achieving social, environmental, and economic objectives. This approach delivers higher value for investments by considering all interests, providing multiple benefits, and working across jurisdictional boundaries, often on a watershed scale. DWR’s IRWM grant program funds planning and implementation projects along with a Disadvantaged Community and Tribal Involvement Grant Program.
The IRWM story began in 2002 when the Regional Water Management Planning Act (SB 1672) was passed by the Legislature. Since then, California voters have approved more than $2 billion in bond funds (Propositions 1E, 50, 84, and 1) to plan and implement over 1,450 integrated, multi-benefit regional projects across the state that foster climate resilience by mitigating drought impacts, improving water supply reliability, reducing flood and fire risk, increasing surface and groundwater storage, restoring and enhancing ecosystems, and improving water quality. On average, the local communities receiving state grants have generously matched the state funding with local and/or federal resources, on the order of 2.5 to 1. Cities, counties, water agencies, special districts, non-governmental organizations, community/environmental groups, underrepresented/disadvantage communities, Tribes and others across the State have worked collaboratively to organize and establish 48 regional water management groups, covering over 87 percent of the State’s area and 99 percent of its population.
About the Bay Area IRWM Plan
The San Francisco Bay Area Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (IRWMP or Plan), last updated in 2019, represents a significant accomplishment in regional water resources planning. The collective vision presented in this Plan aims to address the major challenges and opportunities related to managing water and associated natural resources within the Bay Area IRWM region (Region). It outlines the Region’s water resources management needs and objectives, and presents innovative strategies and important actions to help achieve these objectives.
The Plan is not intended to duplicate existing and ongoing plans, but to better integrate these efforts, and utilize the results and findings of existing plans to put forward the projects needed to address IRWMP goals and objectives. This Plan provides a framework to improve collective understanding and to take actions to collaboratively address the many major water related challenges, needs and conflicts within the Region through the 20-year planning horizon (2013-2033). The array of goals, objectives, selected resource management strategies, and prioritized projects of this Plan represents a collective view of how to improve integrated water resources management throughout the Region. As regional goals, objectives, and priorities evolve over time, this IRWMP will be adapted to meet the changing needs of the region.
The Plan complies with the 2012 Integrated Regional Water Management Guidelines for Proposition 84 and 1E (DWR Guidelines) published by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) in November 2012. Financial assistance from DWR and contributions from the participating Bay Area groups and entities funded the development of the Plan. Proposition 84 identified 11 funding areas throughout the state, including the Bay Area Region. Each Funding Area is allocated, based on population, a portion of the $1 billion approved by the voters under Proposition 84 in 2006 and the $510 million approved by voters under Proposition 1. Predecessor bonds, including Propositions 13 and 50, also provided incentives for development of IRWM Plans. DWR designed the IRWM planning process to be consistent with the California Water Plan, a statewide water resources planning document which is updated periodically, and intends that IRWM Plans and future updates of the California Water Plan, be integrated further in the future.
IRWM Benefits Identified by Stakeholders
