Upper Santa Clara River Watershed
Integrated Regional Water Management Plan

 

Integrated Regional Water Management Plan


The Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (IRWMP) is a document that identifies and plans for the current and future water resource-related needs of the Upper Santa Clara River (USCR) Watershed. The Watershed, or Region, consists of approximately 1,634 square miles and contains the upper reaches of the Santa Clara River; the largest natural river remaining in Southern California. The purpose of the IRWMP is to integrate planning and implementation efforts and facilitate regional cooperation, with the goals of reducing water demands, increasing water supply, improving water quality, promoting resource stewardship, addressing flooding, adapting to climate change, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions over the long term. A collaborative stakeholder-driven process has been used since 2006 to develop, update, and implement the IRWMP. The IRWMP effort was funded entirely by local participating agencies and state grant funding. To date, the State’s IRWM Grant Program has helped to bring in over $41 million for important water-resource related projects in this IRWM Region.

The Regional Water Management Group (RWMG) for the USCR IRWM Region amended the adopted 2014 IRWM Plan in 2018 to meet the new standards provided in the Proposition 1 2016 IRWM Guidelines. Click here for guidance on how to read the Amendments.

2014 IRWMP Update: 2014 IRWMP Update: The IRWMP was updated in 2014 to conform to the Proposition 84 IRWM guidelines, which also includes a climate change technical study. The 2014 Update of the IRWMP can be viewed by clicking here.

SNMP: The RWMG for the USCR IRWM Region formed a cooperative to prepare a Salt Nutrient Management Plan (SNMP) for the Santa Clara River Valley East Ground Water Subbasin to comply with the State's Recycled Water Policy. The SNMP was prepared using guidance set forth by the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board and presents an evaluation of the salt and nutrients, and current and proposed water resource management practices in the Santa Clarita Valley. The document was adopted by the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board on December 8, 2016. On May 16, 2017, the State Water Resources Control Board approved the amendment and resolution to incorporate salt and nutrient measures into the Los Angeles Basin Plan. A copy of the SNMP and Appendices can be found here. For more information please contact Rick Vasilopulos at (661) 705-7912.

Disadvantaged Community Involvement Program: The USCR RWMG is engaging with the Greater LA and Watershed's Coalition of Ventura County Regional Water Management Groups to implement a Disadvantaged Community Involvement Program throughout their jurisdictions with the help of $9.8 million in grant funding from the Proposition 1 IRWM Grant Program. This group is known as the Disadvantaged Community Involvement Program Task Force (DACIP Task Force) and consists of members from the three IRWMs. The DACIP Task Force meets monthly, or as needed. Participation by interested parties is highly encouraged.

If you have any questions about USCR related efforts in the Disadvantaged Community Involvement Program, please contact the USCR DACIP Task Force members: Heather Merenda at the City of Santa Clarita or Rick Vasilopulos at Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency. Heather Merenda can be reached by email at: hmerenda@santa-clarita.com or by phone at (661) 284-1413, and Rick Vasilopulos can be reached by email at: rvasilopulos@scvwa.org or by phone at (661) 705-7912.

More information about the activities can be found at the DACIP Website.

Santa Clara River Watershed
The Santa Clara River is the largest river system in southern California that remains in a relatively natural state. The river originates in the northern slopes of the San Gabriel Mountains in north Los Angeles County, traverses in a westerly direction into Ventura County and discharges into the Pacific Ocean. The river runs approximately 100 miles from its headwater near Acton, California to its outlet, the ocean, and drains an area approximately 1,634 square miles. Approximately forty percent of the watershed is contained in Los Angeles County and 60 percent in Ventura County.