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BACKGROUND
The purpose of the Integrated Regional
Water Management Plan is to define a clear vision and direction for the sustainable
management of water and land resources in the Greater Los Angeles County region
over the next twenty years. The Plan, adopted in December 2006, presents basic information
regarding possible solutions, the costs and benefits of those solutions, quantified
goals and objectives, and a list of projects that can be implemented to achieve
the goals.
Regional collaboration can promote a more efficient, comprehensive, and effective
approach to water resource management while being responsive within a regional context
to the needs of individual communities and jurisdictions.
The Greater Los Angeles County Region IRWMP serves as the blueprint to facilitate
this type of regional cooperation. Today, local agencies, organizations, cities,
and county government are working together to implement its goals and objectives.
The IRWM process is inclusive, open, and collaborative.
The Region's IRWMP operates under the following governance framework:
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Each sub-region has a Steering Committee which serves as the sub-regional decision
making-body with input from a broad stakeholder group. Each Steering Committee elects
a Chair and Vice-Chair who serve on the Leadership Committee.
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A Leadership Committee provides overall guidance to the steering committees and
the region-wide planning effort.
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The
Leadership Committee
comprises sixteen members consisting of the Chair and Vice-Chair of each
Sub-regional Steering Committee (ten members) and a representative of each of the
five broad water management strategies. The sixteenth member is the Los Angeles
County Flood Control District, which acts as the Chair of the Leadership Committee.
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The overall Program Manager for the IRWMP planning effort is the Los Angles County
Flood Control District. The District is also the recipient of grants for the planning
effort and responsible for managing all aspects of the grants.
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The overall Program Manager for the IRWMP planning effort is the Los Angeles County
Flood Control District. The District is also the recipient of grants for the planning
effort and responsible for managing all aspects of the grants.
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West Basin Municipal Water District has the fiscal and accounting responsibilities
for the non-grant funds for the planning effort and for paying the consultant that
has been hired to facilitate the planning effort.
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The plan is funded by Proposition
50, Chapter 8 grants administered by the State Department of Water Resources, totaling
$1.5 million, and generous contributions from local governments and agencies.
The Council for Watershed Health is an active participant in the GLAC IRWMP. We have a seat
on three of the five sub-regional steering committees: Upper Los Angeles River,
Upper San Gabriel/Rio Hondo, and Lower Los Angeles/San Gabriel. In addition, Council for Watershed Health
Executive Director Nancy Steele was elected to serve as the Vice-Chair of
the Upper Los Angeles River steering committee and holds a seat on the Leadership
Committee. There is more information about the GLAC IRWMP on the website at
www.lawaterplan.org.
OBJECTIVES
Greater Los Angeles County Region
Objectives and Planning Targets for Year 2026:
Goal: To promote an integrated, multi-benefit, inter-regional approach to regional
water management and planning.
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Objectives
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Planning Targets
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Improve Water Supply
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Optimize local water resources to reduce the Region’s reliance on imported water.
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*Increase water supply reliability and quality by providing 800,000 acre-feet/year
of additional water supply and demand reduction through conservation. *Included
within the 800,000 acre-feet/year noted above, reuse or infiltrate 130,000 acre-feet/year
of reclaimed water (110 percent increase over existing reclaimed water use).
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Improve Water Quality
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Comply with water quality regulations (including TMDLs) by improving the quality
of urban runoff, stormwater, and wastewater.
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*Dry weather: Reduce and reuse 150,000 acre-feet/year (~40%) and capture and treat
an additional 170,000 acre-feet/year (~50%) *Wet Weather: Reduce and reuse 220,000
acre-feet/year of stormwater runoff from developed areas (~40%) and capture and
treat an additional 270,000 acre-feet/year (~50%).
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Protect and improve groundwater and drinking water quality
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*Treat 91,000 acre-feet/year of contaminated groundwater (1.83M acre0feet in 20
years)
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Enhance Habitat
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Protect, restore, and enhance natural processes and habitats
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*Restore 100+ linear miles of functional riparian habitat and associated buffer
habitat. *Restore 1,400 acres of functional wetland habitat.
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Enhance Open Space and Recreation
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Increase watershed-friendly recreational space for all communities.
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*Develop 30,000 acres of recreational open space, focused on under-served communities.
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Sustain Infrastructure for Local Communities
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Maintain and enhance public infrastructure related to flood protection, water resources,
and water quality.
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*Repair and/or replace 40% of the aging infrastructure.
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