About IRWM

About 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. This approach delivers higher value for investments by considering all interests, providing multiple benefits, and working across jurisdictional boundaries. Examples of multiple benefits include improved water quality, better flood management, restored and enhanced ecosystems, and more reliable surface and groundwater supplies.

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) has a variety of guidelines that cover the Integrated Regional Water Management Program and the preparation of IRWM Plans (IRWMP). These guidelines direct what DWR requires in each document and also what the contents of a funding application for projects must include. For more information on the DWR  IRWM Program refer to: https://water.ca.gov/Programs/Integrated-Regional-Water-Management

The Yuba IRWM is contained entirely within the boundaries of Yuba County. To learn more about the Yuba IRWM please see the Yuba IRWM Plan page (The Plan). This page will be updated each time the Yuba IRWMP is updated. The Yuba IRWM process has united stakeholders within Yuba County to work together to develop their IRWM Plan and to develop projects to help meet the goals and objectives of the Plan.

See this short two page summary on the IRWM Program and the Yuba IRWM

What is an IRWM Plan?

An Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (IRMWP) is a comprehensive planning document that encourages development of voluntary regional strategies for management of water  resources.

An IRWMP investigates a broad spectrum of water resource management strategies, identifies the benefits of integrating water management strategies, and develops priorities for implementing projects and programs. An IRWMP is a comprehensive planning document that encourages regional strategies and cooperative solutions for issues of water quality, water quantity and watershed health. For information on the required Table of Contents for an IRWMP – View the DWR IRWM guidelines.

Please see the Yuba IRWM Plan page (The Plan) to read about the Yuba’s regional goals and objectives for water management and the strategies to help achieve those goals. This page will be updated each time the Yuba IRWMP is updated

Regional Acceptance

The Regional Acceptance Process (RAP) is a component of the Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) Program Guidelines and is used to evaluate and accept an IRWM region and its IRWM Plan into the IRWM grant program. The RAP is not a grant funding application; however, acceptance of the composition of an IRWM region into the IRWM grant program and inclusion of projects into an IRWM Plan  is required for DWR IRWM grant funding eligibility for those Projects.

In September 2008, SB1 was signed by Governor Schwarzenegger. SB1 contains the “Integrated Regional Water Management Planning Act”. The IRWM Planning Act provides a general definition of an IRWM plan, as well as guidance to DWR as to what IRWM program guidelines must contain.

CWC Sec 10541(f) states that the guidelines shall include standards for identifying a region for the purposes of developing or modifying an IRWM plan.

At a minimum, a region is defined as a contiguous geographic area encompassing the service areas of multiple local agencies; is defined to maximize the opportunities to integrate water management activities; and effectively integrates water management programs and projects within a hydrologic region defined in the California Water Plan, the Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) region, or subdivision or other region specifically identified by DWR (Public Resource Code Sec 75026.(b)(1)).

For more information about the RAP process, visit the DWR website

Getting involved in Yuba IRWM Planning

The Yuba IRWM program has a decision making body called the Regional Water Management Group (RWMG). This group of regional stakeholders meets routinely to discuss plan updates and projects for inclusion in the plan. Yuba IRWM/RWMG meetings are open to the public. If you would like to join the Yuba IRWM email list and receive updates on upcoming activities, meetings or announcements please email your interest to  jlessard@yubawater.org. Also please check back to this site often for Yuba IRWM updates.

The Yuba IRWM/RWMG has identified a process by which RWMG members who wish to sponsor a new project can submit their Projects for inclusion in the Yuba IRWMP in an on-going basis during the year. Projects must be submitted by Yuba IRWM/RWMG members via the Yuba Project Short form and must be consistent with at least one of the Yuba IRWMP goals and objectives.  The Yuba Water Agency, whose boundary is the same as the IRWM boundary, has adopted the Yuba IRWM project development and submittal process to support their internal grant program. This program provides targeted funding, cost share and planning grants to support Yuba IRWM/RWMG sponsored projects (that are in the IRWM Plan) to be more competitive for State and Federal Implementation funding. Refer to the Project page to view the list of Projects currently included in the Yuba IRWM Plan.