Frequently Asked Questions

The Bay Area Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (Bay Area IRWMP) is a multi-stakeholder, nine-county effort to coordinate a strategic approach to regional water resources management. The Plan will build on water resources needs and planning strategies identified throughout the Bay Area, leveraging regional cooperation to more effectively address the needs identified.

Click here to view the Bay Area IRWMP Region.

What constitutes an IRWMP?

Proposition 50 states that IRWMPs should include a description of the region and participants, regional objectives and priorities, water management strategies, implementation, impacts and benefits, data management, financing, stakeholder involvement, relationship to local planning, and state and federal coordination. The four functional areas that will be integrated into the Bay Area IRWMP include water supply and water quality, flood protection and stormwater management, wastewater and recycled water, and watershed management and habitat protection and restoration.

Proposition 50 was passed by California voters in November 2002, authorizing $3.4 billion general obligation bonds to fund a variety of specified water and wetlands projects. It set aside $380 million for IRWMP related grants. Prop 50 is jointly administered by the California Department of Water Resources and the State Water Resources Control Board.

Prop 50 seeks to fund projects that utilize multiple strategies resulting in multiple benefits. Prop 50 guidelines highlight improved water supply reliability, long-term attainment and maintenance of water quality standards, eliminated or reduced pollution in impaired water and sensitive habitat areas, planning and implementation of multipurpose flood control programs, and drinking water and water quality projects that serve disadvantaged communities.

Integrated planning involves local agencies and interest groups working together to coordinate planning activities across jurisdictional boundaries. In this regional approach, individual agencies’ efforts are combined in order to leverage resources and meet multiple water resource needs at the same time. For instance, water supply, water quality, and habitat projects might be combined with a flood control project in a manner that benefits a much larger area than the original jurisdiction. The result is a multi-objective approach that multiplies the benefits of any individual agency’s single project. 

Benefits of the Bay Area IRWMP

Managing our vital water resources is most efficient and effective when performed cooperatively, rather than individually. In addition, as state funding is becoming more oriented toward regional planning, it is in the Bay region’s best interests in order to successfully compete for future funding opportunities. The Bay Area IRWMP will serve as the blueprint to facilitate this type of regional cooperation.

Collaboration strengthens regional clout, reduces conflict, increases benefits across the region and may reduce costs for individual agencies. 

How does regional cooperation benefit individual organizations and agencies?

Regional collaboration can promote a more efficient, comprehensive and effective approach to water resources management, while being responsive within a regional context to the needs of individual communities and jurisdictions. The partners developing the Bay Area IRWMP envision individual needs as the foundation upon which the plan will be built. Additionally, funding under Prop 50, Chapter 8 requires participation in an IRWMP and it is likely that future grant programs for water management will have similar requirements.

Bay Area IRWMP Specifics

 Who is involved in the Bay Area IRWMP?

Development of the Bay Area IRWMP involves a diverse group of water supply, water quality, wastewater, stormwater, flood management, watershed and habitat agencies, local governments, environmental groups, business groups and other interested parties. Many of these agencies have collaborated on other regional efforts in the past, but the Bay Area IRWMP is the first effort of this magnitude. A “Letter of Mutual Understandings (LOMU) to Develop a Bay Area IRWMP” has been established among many of these agencies and groups to guide the development of the Bay Area IRWMP. The LOMU partners value the contributions of the other interested parties, however, and encourage their participation in the process. 

The Bay Area IRWMP will inform future water resource planning by creating a roadmap that will help to enhance water supply reliability, protect water quality, manage flood protection, maintain public health standards, improve habitat conditions, and enhance the overall health of San Francisco Bay. 

The Bay Area has received two planning grants funded by Prop 50 to develop the Bay Area IRWMP totaling $838,230. Contracts are in place with technical and planning consultants, and work is proceeding. The four functional area documents started in 2005 (water supply and water quality, flood protection and stormwater management, wastewater and recycled water, and watershed management and habitat protection and restoration) are nearing completion and will provide the foundation for developing the Bay Area IRWMP. Several implementation grant proposals have been submitted, allowing for a quick start for projects ready to proceed in the areas of water conservation and water recycling. The first public meeting is set for February 27, 2006 to discuss the proposed approach to development of the Bay Area IRWMP, as well as early work on defining the region, and regional objectives. The meeting will occur at the San Francisco Public Library Main Branch from 12:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. (presentation starts at 1:00 p.m.). The Plan must be formally adopted by January 1, 2007. 

As currently envisioned, the Bay Area IRWMP will be adopted by the LOMU signatories. These are the agencies and organizations that have taken the lead in funding and preparing the Bay Area IRWMP. The partner agencies developing the Bay Area IRWMP envision it to be an evolving plan, recognizing that as projects, information and understanding progress, so too should the Bay Area IRWMP. State agencies such as the State Water Control Board and the Department of Water Resources are also being apprised of the planning process as it proceeds, and will receive the plan once complete. 

Although implementation will be discussed as part of plan development, as currently envisioned, LOMU partners will only be responsible for those parts of the plan for which they have jurisdictional responsibility. Adopting the plan does not usurp agency authority or commit agency resources.

There are two cycles of IRWMP implementation grants. Cycle 1 is currently underway. Cycle 2 will probably occur in 2008. As projects are identified, a more concrete schedule will be made available. A region must have an approved IRWMP to receive funding for implementation projects.

Of the $380 million set aside for all IRWMP related grants, $160 million is designated for the first cycle, and $220 is designated for the second cycle. Of the first cycle funding, $12 million is set aside for planning and $148 million is set aside for implementation of projects.

Not all projects will be able to be funded in the Cycle 1 funding cycle. However, there will be the opportunity for additional projects to be funded as a part of Cycle 2, as well as other anticipated bond initiatives and federal funding that will be oriented toward regional planning where the same IRWMP could be the qualifying plan.

Prioritization is one of the activities to be undertaken during development of the Bay Area IRWMP. A future public workshop will address this topic. After input is received on prioritization, the TCC will decide on a methodology and apply it to the projects. A a draft Bay Area IRWMP with prioritized projects will be presented in late summer 2006 for public review.

Depending on the grant requirements of other funding sources, particularly those seeking integrated approaches, it is conceivable that there may be other related opportunities. The Bay Area IRWMP certainly provides a foundation for pursuing such opportunities.

The Bay Area IRWMP will describe issues that relate to water resources management, including for example planned growth, sustainability and land use. 

Management of the Project

The LOMU signatories have established a Technical Coordinating Committee (TCC), comprised of representatives of participating agencies of the four functional areas, to manage the development of the Bay Area IRWMP. Technical consultants (RMC, Jones & Stokes, and others) have been hired to actually prepare the IRWMP.

The Zone 7 Water Agency and the California State Coastal Conservancy, the two planning grant applicants, are contracting with the Department of Water Resources to administer the planning grants, working closely with the TCC and remaining LOMU agencies.

How To Get Involved

For a regional effort to be comprehensive, effective and sustainable, the participation of all key agencies, jurisdictions and interest groups is essential for developing and implementing the plan. Participation is also critical to ensuring that all major issues and interests are addressed in the plan. 

Numerous possibilities exist. Consider sponsoring forums to discuss the Bay Area IRWMP. Distribute information about the Bay Area IRWMP to your constituencies or membership. Provide input and other information that might be valuable to the development of the plan. And help build support for the concept of a regional approach as well as for adoption of the plan. In addition, there will be four public meetings, one at each key milestone of plan development, providing opportunities for information sharing and public comment.

If an agency has not been involved to date, they should contact Zone 7 Water Agency (water supply and water quality, and wastewater and recycled water projects) or the State Coastal Conservancy (flood protection and stormwater management, and watershed management and habitat protection and restoration projects) to discuss any potential future opportunities. Projects identified for implementation will need to respond to the needs of region as well as established criteria for project selection.

Currently, if your organization is a LOMU partner, you may participate in the TCC. If not, the Chair of the TCC (Stan Williams, Santa Clara Valley Water Agency, swilliams@valleywater.org) should be contacted for additional information about how to participate. 

Public Involvement

Ensuring an open, transparent process is essential to developing a Bay Area IRWMP that is sustainable and implementable. Ongoing public participation at every stage of the Plan development process will help ensure all the key issues are addressed and build the foundation for broad-based support of the Plan. 

Public meetings have been planned at key milestones throughout the process, including:

An all-inclusive public involvement approach will provide a forum for environmental justice and disadvantaged communities to directly and meaningfully participate in Bay Area IRWMP development. These communities will be involved early in the Bay Area IRWMP planning process, ensuring that their comments are considered and appropriately included in decisions.