Calaveras County Water District

423 East St. Charles Street, Post Office Box 846
San Andreas, California 95249
Ph. # (209) 754-3543, Cust. Serv. Fax # (209) 754-0270, Admin. Fax # (209) 754-1069

Mokelumne / Amador / Calaveras

Integrated Regional Water Management Plan

	Mokelumne / Amador / Calaveras Integrated Regional Water Management Plan - September, 2008 Update
	June 2008 Presentation of the M/A/C IRWMP
	The November 2006 Final Executive Summary IRWMP Plan (882K)
	The November 2006 Final IRWMP Plan (6.8MB)

(Please be aware that the November 2006 Final Plan is large, and if you are using a dial-up connection, it is very slow to load. You may be better off right-clicking and saving the file to your computer, and then opening it from there.)
Background

In 2002, the voters of the State of California recognized and codified the need for integrated regional planning for the management of water resources with the passage of Proposition 50 (Prop 50), the Water Security, Clean Drinking Water, Coastal and Beach Protection Act. Central to Prop 50 is the preparation of Integrated Regional Water Management Plans (IRWMPs). IRWMPs define the region and identify the strategies that allow for regional management of water resources in at least four main areas: water supply, groundwater management, ecosystem restoration, and water quality.

The IRWMP is a living plan, intended to be updated regularly, which summarizes regional goals and objectives and identifies strategies, projects, and programs intended to fulfill those goals and objectives.

Projects and programs included in the IRWMP are designed to integrate multiple strategies and projects to provide multiple benefits locally and regionally. Some of these benefits are to:

• Support and improve local and regional water supply reliability;

• Contribute to the long-term attainment and maintenance of water quality standards;

• Eliminate or significantly reduce pollution in impaired waters and sensitive habitat areas;

• Implement safe drinking water and water quality projects that serve disadvantaged communities; and

• Implement groundwater management and recharge projects.

The IRWMP developed for a region may also contribute to the achievement of Statewide Priorities. As identified in the Integrated Regional Water Management Grant Program Guidelines (November 2004), these Priorities include:

• Reduce conflict between water users or resolve water rights disputes, including interregional water rights issues;

• Implement Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) that are established or under development;

• Implement Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) Watershed Management Initiative Chapters, plans, and policies;

• Implement the State Water Resources Control Board’s (SWRCB’s) Non-point Source (NPS) Pollution Plan;

• Assist in meeting Delta Water Quality Objectives;

• Implement recommendations of the floodplain management task force, desalination task force, recycling task force, or state species recovery plan;

• Address environmental justice concerns; and

• Assist in achieving one or more goals of the CALFED Bay-Delta Program.

Recognizing that all the State’s IRWMP priorities may not be reflected in local goals and objectives for regional water management (nor that it is reasonable to expect that all the regional water management needs can or should be reflected in statewide objectives), the State recommends that all projects should meet one or more of the objectives of protecting communities from drought, protecting and improving water quality, and improving local water security by reducing dependence on imported water. Examples of projects that may meet the State’s recommended criteria include:

• Programs for water supply reliability, water conservation, and water use efficiency;

• Storm water capture, storage, treatment, and management;

• Removal of invasive non-native plants, the creation and enhancement of wetlands, and the acquisition, protection, and restoration of open space and watershed lands;

• NPS pollution reduction, management, and monitoring;

• Groundwater recharge and management projects;

• Contaminant and salt removal through reclamation, desalting, and other treatment technologies;

• Water banking, water exchange, water reclamation, and improvement of water quality;

• Planning and implementation of multipurpose flood control programs that protect property; and improve water quality, storm water capture and percolation; and protect or improve wildlife habitat; and

• Watershed management planning and implementation.

This IRWMP has been prepared for the Mokelumne, Amador & Calaveras (M/A/C) region for watermanagement. It is consistent with State guidelines, priorities and objectives for regional planning, and reflects the local resources and environment as contained in California Water Code (CWC) §79570 et seq., but also serves as a basis for a longer-term process that exceeds the minimum requirements of that section.

The Mokelumne / Amador / Calaveras Integrated Regional Water Management Plan is a non-binding planning document that offers multiple potential solutions to local and regional water management issues and is not a substitute for the environmental review required of projects. As such, future water needs in Calaveras County will be determined by the General Plan and no project described in the IRWMP will be pursued which is inconsistent with the General Plan. The Program Advisory Committee (PAC) that developed the Mokelumne / Amador / Calaveras IRWMP has adopted a consensus based approach for plan implementation that will include ongoing plan review, development of new strategies, project reprioritization, and plan updates inviting any and all interested stakeholders to participate in plan implementation efforts as PAC members.

Please submit any comments by mail, fax, or e-mail to:

Edwin Pattison

Calaveras County Water District

423 E. St. Charles Street

PO Box 846

San Andreas, CA 95249

W: 209/754.3543 X29

F: 209/754.9620

E-Mail: edwinp@ccwd.org

Revised: 10/6/2008 {Home} {Questions or Comments?}