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What is the IRWMP?

The Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (IRWMP) is the Santa Barbara Countywide integrated planning document prepared for the State Water Resource Control Board s Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) Grant Program. The intent of the locally generated planning document is to promote and practice integrated regional water management to ensure sustainable water uses, reliable water supplies, better water quality, environmental stewardship, efficient urban development, protection of agriculture, and a strong economy.

Proposition 50, Chapter 8 (Prop 50), provided approximately $380 million for two types of competitive grants for the IRWM Grant Program, planning and implementation. The Planning Grants fostered development or completion of IRWM Plans or components thereof, to enhance regional planning efforts, and to assist more applicants to become eligible for Implementation Grant funding. Implementation Grants funded projects that met one or more of the program objectives of protecting communities from drought, protecting and improving water quality, and improving local water security by reducing dependence on imported water.

The first Countywide IRWMP was generated over a space of years and included a series of public workshops, stakeholder meetings and generation of the IRWM Plan. The IRWM Plan was completed in 2007 and served as the foundation upon which the Santa Barbara Region was successfully awarded $25 million for a variety of water and wastewater projects, programs and infrastructure upgrades.

In September 2008, SB 1 (Perata, Stats. 2008, Ch. 1; eff. March 1, 2009) was signed by Governor Schwarzenegger. SB1 contains the Integrated Regional Water Management Planning Act , CWC §10530 et seq. 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 §10541(f) states that the guidelines shall include standards for identifying a region for the purposes of developing or modifying an IRWM plan.

Regional Acceptance Process (RAP) Application

Department of Water Resources' RAP page that links to all 46 Region's RAPs

NEW: Department of Water Resources' Comments on the SBIRWMP RAP

NEW: SBIRWMP Comment Letter to Department of Water Resources

RAP Appendix A: MOU 3/25/2009

RAP NEWS: DWR received 46 RAP applications. They posted their draft recommendation on Regions on Sept 1 at the following website: http://www.water.ca.gov/irwm/integregio_rap.cfm. The Santa Barbara IRWM Region was recommended for approval. Here are the State's summary comments on the Santa Barbara IRWM Region (please insert link to attached letter [the first letter attached]). The Santa Barbara IRWM Region submitted a comment letter to DWR (please insert link to our comment letter to DWR [second letter attached]).

The final submittal date for written comments is September 22, 2009 by 5:00 p.m. To submit comments on the draft recommendations you can send an e-mail to DWR_IRWM@water.ca.gov, or mail them to DWR, ATTN: Ralph Svetich, P.O. Box 942836, Sacramento, CA 94236-0002, or drop them off at the Lobby, 901 P Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, ATTN: Ralph Svetich

IRWMP Schedule: Steering Committee and Public Meeting Schedule, as well as the Major Milestones for the project

IRWMP Partnering Agencies

Meetings and Minutes:

Pre-2008: meeting agendas, notes, presentations, and more

Cooperating Partners, January 15, 2008: Meeting Minutes

Cooperating Partners, March 12, 2008: Agenda Meeting Minutes

Cooperating Partners, April 17, 2008: Agenda Meeting Minutes

Cooperating Partners, May 21, 2008: Meeting Minutes

Cooperating Partners, July 8, 2008: Agenda Meeting Minutes

Cooperating Partners, August 5, 2008: Agenda Meeting Minutes

Cooperating Partners, September 18, 2008: Agenda Meeting Minutes

Cooperating Partners, October 14, 2008: Agenda Meeting Minutes

Cooperating Partners, November 20, 2008: Agenda

Cooperating Partners, December 2, 2008: Agenda

Prop 50 Meeting, July 23, 2009: Agenda

Prop 50 Project Proponent Meeting, Sept 23, 2009:

Prop 50 Meeting, October 28:
(12:30 - 2:00pm, City Council Chambers
City of Buellton, 107 W Highway 246)

IRWMP Final Plan:

A paper copy or CD can be obtained by contacting:

Laurie Meza-Crossland
Santa Barbara County Public Works Department
123 E. Anapamu St, Suite 240
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 568-3440

Proposition 84

Proposition 84 Chapter 2 and Proposition 1E Article 4 Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) Grant Program, administered by DWR (Department of Water Resources), provides funding for projects that assists local public agencies to meet long term water needs of the state including the delivery of safe drinking water and the protection of water quality and the environment. DWR is currently in the initial phases of the funding implementation.

Under the leadership of the County Water Agency, the 27 agencies, cities, water districts, sanitary districts, community services, districts and joint power authorities (AND LINK TO LIST) are cooperating as Cooperating Partners to prepare the document required for the RAP (Regional Acceptance Process).

The RAP is a component of the Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) Program Guidelines. It presents the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) Region Acceptance Process (RAP) that will be used to evaluate and accept an IRWM region into the IRWM grant program, California Water Code (CWC) §10541(f) (effective March 1, 2009). Acceptance and approval of the composition of an IRWM region into the IRWM grant program will be required before any region can submit an application for IRWM grant funds. RAP Applications will be sent to the State DWR for evaluation by April 27, 2009.

UPDATED TIMELINE FROM DWR FOR FUNDING UNDER PROPOSITIONS 84 and SBxx1

November/December 2009 - Release Draft Guidelines for: IRWM Plan Standards, SBxx1 and Planning PSPs

January/February 2010 - Open Public Comment Period on Draft Documents-DWR will also hold workshops

February 2010 - 2010 RAP Review of Regions that were Conditionally Approved, Not Approved or New Regions

March/April 2010 - Release Final Documents for Guidelines, Standards, PSP, and RAP Decisions

April 2010 - Hold Application Workshops (assuming that bond restrictions have been lifted)

May/June 2010 - Applications will be Due (assuming that bond restrictions have been lifted)

NEW: DRAFT Operating Guidelines

NEW: Key Points - Biennial Review

NEW: "Short Form"

Tri-County Collaboration Letter for Prop 84

Los Padres, Santa Barbara IRWM, WCVC Collaboration Letter

Memorandum of Understanding MOU

First Year Estimate Cost Table

Prop 84 Meeting, November 20, 2007: Agenda Meeting Minutes

Prop 84 Meeting, December 2, 2007: Agenda Meeting Minutes

Prop 84 Meeting, February 5, 2008: Agenda

Prop 84 Meeting, March 12, 2008: Agenda  Meeting Minutes

Prop 84 Meeting, April 14, 2009: Agenda

Prop 84 Meeting, April 16, 2009: Agenda

Prop 84 Meeting, May 11, 2009: Agenda  Meeting Minutes

Prop 84 Meeting, June 11, 2009: Agenda Meeting Minutes

Prop 84 Steering Committee Meeting, July 16, 2009: Agenda

Prop 84 Meeting, July 23, 2009: Agenda

Prop 84 Workshop, September 23, 2009: Agenda

Prop 84 Workshop, October 28, 2009:
                    2nd Workshop Notice: Project Selection Process

Prop 84 Meeting, November 12, 2009: POSTPONED

Proposition 50 IRWM Grant:

There are presently 14 projects that were successfully funded through Proposition 50

Click here for a pdf copy of the Proposition 50 IRWM Step 1 Grant Application, submitted on July 31, 2007.

Click here for a pdf copy of the Proposition 50 IRWM Step 2 Grant Application, submitted on January 28, 2008.

Meeting, July 23, 2009:
(3:00 to 4:00 in Buellton at Central Coast Water Authority building)

Contact:

Prop 50 Questions: Contact Len Fleckenstein with the County Water Agency, 805-568-3545.

Prop 84: Contact Matt Naftaly with the County Water Agency, 805-568-3542.

If you have comments on a public meeting, please download a public comment form by clicking here, and email it as an attachment to Len Fleckenstein.

Prop 84: DWR Comments on SBIRWM RAP

Meetings and Minutes:

Related Documents:

Contact: