HomeMy WebLinkAbout98.07-24-2019 Steering Committee Item 4 Attachment 3 - The OC Plan Final March 2018 ONLINE.pdf
THE OC PLAN
Integrated Regional Water Management for
the North and Central Orange County
Watershed Management Areas
March 2018
Admin Draft
July 2017
March 2018
The OC Plan Contacts
County of Orange
Orange County Watersheds
Orange County Department of Public Works
2301 N. Glassell Street
Orange, California 92865
www.ocwatersheds.com
Orange County Water District
18700 Ward Street
Fountain Valley, California 92708
(714) 378-8248
www.ocwd.com
Orange County Sanitation District
10844 Ellis Avenue
Fountain Valley, California 92708
(714) 962-2411
www.ocsd.com
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County
March 2018 AC-1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................................................. TOC-1
LIST OF ACRONYMS ...................................................................................................................... AC-1
1 REGIONAL PLANNING, OUTREACH, GOVERNANCE AND COORDINATION........................................ 1-1
1.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 1-1
1.2 History of Integrated Regional Water Management Planning in the North and Central Orange
County Watershed Management Areas ...................................................................................... 1-5
1.3 IRWM Plan Development and Governance .................................................................................. 1-7
1.3.1 IRWM Plan Development................................................................................................. 1-9
1.3.1.1 IRWM Plan Development Process ........................................................................... 1-10
1.3.1.2 IRWM Plan Adoption ............................................................................................... 1-11
1.3.2 Regional Water Management Group ............................................................................. 1-11
1.3.3 Advisory Committee to the Regional Water Management Group ................................ 1-12
1.3.4 Planning Group .............................................................................................................. 1-13
1.3.5 Stakeholders Group ....................................................................................................... 1-14
1.3.6 Ad Hoc Working Groups ................................................................................................ 1-14
1.3.7 Roles and Responsibilities for Regional Water Management ....................................... 1-14
1.3.7.1 Jurisdictional Participants in the IRWM Region ...................................................... 1-14
1.3.7.2 Additional Organization Outreach and Participation in the IRWM Region ............. 1-15
1.3.8 Framework for Decision Making .................................................................................... 1-18
1.3.9 Appropriateness of Region and Geographic Boundaries ............................................... 1-18
1.3.10 Watershed Management Challenges ............................................................................ 1-19
1.3.11 Plan Focus ...................................................................................................................... 1-21
1.4 Outreach ..................................................................................................................................... 1-22
1.5 Coordination ............................................................................................................................... 1-22
1.6 Technical Analysis ....................................................................................................................... 1-25
2 REGION DESCRIPTION .................................................................................................................. 2-1
2.1 North and Central Orange County IRWM Region ......................................................................... 2-1
2.1.1 Watersheds, Adjoining IRWM Regions and Overlapping Efforts ..................................... 2-1
2.1.2 North Orange County Watershed Management Area ..................................................... 2-5
2.1.2.1 Anaheim Bay-Huntington Harbour Watershed ........................................................ 2-6
2.1.2.2 Lower San Gabriel River/Coyote Creek Watershed ................................................. 2-6
2.1.2.3 Santa Ana River Watershed ....................................................................................... 2-9
2.1.3 Central Orange County Watershed Management Area ................................................ 2-11
2.1.3.1 Newport Bay Watershed ......................................................................................... 2-14
2.1.3.2 Newport Coast Watershed ...................................................................................... 2-14
2.1.4 Integrated Watershed Management in Region ............................................................. 2-15
2.1.5 Social and Culture .......................................................................................................... 2-20
2.1.6 Economic Conditions ..................................................................................................... 2-21
2.2 Water Supplies of the Region ..................................................................................................... 2-22
2.2.1 Groundwater .................................................................................................................. 2-22
2.2.2 Imported Water ............................................................................................................. 2-29
2.2.3 Recycled Water .............................................................................................................. 2-31
2.2.4 Projected Water Supplies .............................................................................................. 2-35
2.2.5 Potential New Water Supplies ....................................................................................... 2-38
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March 2018 AC-2
2.2.6 Projected Water Demands............................................................................................. 2-40
2.3 Water Related Objectives and Conflicts ..................................................................................... 2-43
2.4 Water Quality of the Region ....................................................................................................... 2-45
2.5 Jurisdictional Boundaries ............................................................................................................ 2-65
2.6 Open Space and Land Use........................................................................................................... 2-71
2.7 Parks, Forests, Refuges, and Areas of Special Biological Significance ........................................ 2-73
2.8 Ecosystem Processes, Habitat and Vegetation ........................................................................... 2-77
2.8.1 Geology and Hydrology .................................................................................................. 2-78
2.8.2 Soils ................................................................................................................................ 2-84
2.8.3 Biological Resources ...................................................................................................... 2-86
2.8.4 Wildlife ........................................................................................................................... 2-88
2.9 Climate Change Impacts on the Region .................................................................................... 2-88
3 GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND STRATEGIES .......................................................................................... 3-1
3.1 Regional Vision, Mission and Goals .............................................................................................. 3-1
3.2 Methodology for Determining Goals and Objectives .................................................................. 3-2
3.3 Water Management Issues ......................................................................................................... 3-10
3.3.1 Water Supplies ............................................................................................................... 3-10
3.3.2 Water Quality ................................................................................................................. 3-10
3.3.3 Ecosystems and Native Habitat ..................................................................................... 3-11
3.3.4 Flood Management ........................................................................................................ 3-12
3.3.5 Quality of Life in Orange County .................................................................................... 3-13
3.3.6 Climate Change .............................................................................................................. 3-14
3.4 Regional Goals............................................................................................................................. 3-17
3.5 Objectives and Strategies ........................................................................................................... 3-19
3.6 Prioritization and Weighting of Objectives ................................................................................. 3-23
3.7 Benefits of Integration to Meet Objectives ................................................................................ 3-23
3.8 Potential Climate Change Impacts Considered in Objectives ..................................................... 3-26
4 REGIONAL WATER MANAGEMENT ................................................................................................ 4-1
4.1 Process to Consider Resource Management Strategies ............................................................... 4-1
4.2 Resource Management Strategies Applicable to the Region ...................................................... 4-5
4.3 Resource Management Strategies Not Applicable to the Region .............................................. 4-19
4.4 Regional Strategies ..................................................................................................................... 4-20
4.4.1 Provide Adequate and Reliable Water Supplies Strategies ........................................... 4-21
4.4.2 Protect and Enhance Water Quality Strategies ............................................................. 4-22
4.4.3 Restore Ecosystems and Improve Native Habitat Strategies ........................................ 4-23
4.4.4 Integrate Flood Management Strategies ....................................................................... 4-24
4.4.5 Improve the Quality of Life in Orange County Strategies .............................................. 4-25
4.4.6 Address Climate Change Strategies ............................................................................... 4-26
4.5 Impacts and Benefits .................................................................................................................. 4-28
4.5.1 Regional and Inter-Regional Benefits ............................................................................ 4-28
4.5.2 DAC/Environmental Justice Benefits ............................................................................. 4-28
4.5.3 Environmental Impacts and Benefits to Other Resources ............................................. 4-31
5 PROJECTS ..................................................................................................................................... 5-1
5.1 Project Solicitation and Prioritization Framework ........................................................................ 5-1
5.2 Ranking Criteria Development ...................................................................................................... 5-2
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5.2.1 Regional/Local Objectives Weighting .............................................................................. 5-4
5.3 Contribution to State Agency Priorities ........................................................................................ 5-5
5.3.1 The OC Plan and State Agency Priorities ......................................................................... 5-7
5.4 Project Integration ........................................................................................................................ 5-8
6 IMPLEMENTATION ....................................................................................................................... 6-1
6.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 6-1
6.2 Finance ......................................................................................................................................... 6-1
6.2.1 Funding ............................................................................................................................ 6-1
6.3 Data Management ........................................................................................................................ 6-3
6.3.1 Data Collection and Needs Within the Region ................................................................ 6-4
6.3.2 Data Gaps ......................................................................................................................... 6-5
6.3.3 Data Management System and Dissemination ................................................................ 6-6
6.3.4 State Data Management Programs ................................................................................. 6-9
6.4 Plan Performance and Monitoring ............................................................................................. 6-12
6.4.1 Plan Implementation and Performance Through Measurable Objectives .................... 6-14
6.4.2 Adaptive Management and Climate Change ................................................................. 6-15
TABLES
Table 1-1: Jurisdictional North and Central OC IRWM Region Members ................................................ 1-15
Table 2-1: OCWD Monitoring Programs for the Orange County Basin ................................................... 2-25
Table 2-2: Orange County Basin Water Budget – Future Projection – Average Rainfall ......................... 2-26
Table 2-3: North and Central OC Targeted New Water Supplies ............................................................ 2-35
Table 2-4: North and Central OC Local (Non-Imported) Potable Water Supply by Water Agency ......... 2-36
Table 2-5: North and Central OC Local Non-Potable (Recycled) Supply Projections .............................. 2-37
Table 2-6: North and Central OC Water Demand Projections by Basin Region ...................................... 2-42
Table 2-7: Beneficial Uses of Water Bodies in North and Central OC IRWM Region .............................. 2-48
Table 2-8: Definition of Beneficial Uses of Water ................................................................................... 2-51
Table 2-9: 2012 Clean Water Act Section 303(d) List of Water Quality Limited Segments Requiring
TMDLs in the North and Central OC IRWM Region by WMA ................................................. 2-54
Table 2-10: Untreated Groundwater Quality in OCWD Service Area 2015-2016 ................................... 2-60
Table 2-11: Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment: Prioritized Issues in the Region ........................ 2-93
Table 2-12: IRWM Plan Standards: Climate Change ................................................................................ 2-97
Table 2-13: Projected Effects of Climate Change on the Region by 2050 and 2100 ............................... 2-98
Table 3-1: Statewide Priorities .................................................................................................................. 3-3
Table 3-2: Statewide Priorities Relevant to North and Central OC IRWM Region .................................... 3-6
Table 3-3: Statewide Resource Management Strategies Relevant to North and Central OC Watershed
Management Areas .................................................................................................................. 3-8
Table 4-1: CWP Update 2013 Resource Management Strategies ............................................................. 4-2
Table 4-2: Relation of RMS to The OC Plan Regional Objectives ............................................................... 4-3
Table 5-1: Basis for Goals and Strategies Weighting and Scoring for Project Prioritization ..................... 5-5
FIGURES
Figure 1-1: North and Central OC Watershed Management Areas ........................................................... 1-2
Figure 1-2: The OC Plan Governance ......................................................................................................... 1-8
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for IRWM in North and Central Orange County
March 2018 AC-4
Figure 2-1: North and Central OC IRWM Region and Regional Location ................................................... 2-2
Figure 2-2: Watersheds in the IRWM Region ............................................................................................ 2-3
Figure 2-3: Primary Topographic Features ................................................................................................ 2-4
Figure 2-4: North OC Watershed Management Area Location ................................................................. 2-7
Figure 2-5: North OC Watersheds ............................................................................................................. 2-8
Figure 2-6: Santa Ana River Watershed ................................................................................................... 2-10
Figure 2-7: Central OC Watershed Management Area Location ............................................................. 2-12
Figure 2-8: Central OC Watersheds ......................................................................................................... 2-13
Figure 2-9: Surface Waterbodies ............................................................................................................. 2-16
Figure 2-10: Disadvantaged Community Census Tracts .......................................................................... 2-23
Figure 2-11: Basin 8-1 Boundary .............................................................................................................. 2-24
Figure 2-12: Basin 8-1 Management Areas ............................................................................................. 2-28
Figure 2-13: Major Water Systems Infrastructure ................................................................................... 2-30
Figure 2-14: Wastewater Boundaries and Transmission Lines ................................................................ 2-32
Figure 2-15: Regional Water Quality Control Boards .............................................................................. 2-47
Figure 2-16: Impaired Water Bodies ........................................................................................................ 2-57
Figure 2-17: Production Wells with Arsenic and Perchlorate Concentrations Above the MCL .............. 2-63
Figure 2-18: Areas of Nitrate-N Above the MCL ...................................................................................... 2-64
Figure 2-19: Flood Control Infrastructure ................................................................................................ 2-68
Figure 2-20: City and Unincorporated Jurisdictional Boundaries ............................................................ 2-69
Figure 2-21: OCWD. OCSD and MWDOC Jurisdictional Boundaries ........................................................ 2-71
Figure 2-22: Water Agencies – Cities and Water Districts ....................................................................... 2-72
Figure 2-23: Land Use .............................................................................................................................. 2-74
Figure 2-24: Areas of Special Biological Significance ............................................................................... 2-77
Figure 2-25: Habitat and Vegetation ....................................................................................................... 2-78
Figure 2-26: Potential and Observed Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources in California ......... 2-89
Figure 3-1: The OC Plan Goals.................................................................................................................. 3-17
Figure 6-1: Data Management ................................................................................................................... 6-9
APPENDICES
Appendix A: Resolutions/Letters of IRWM Plan Adoption/Acceptance/Support and the Regional Water
Management Group Memorandum of Understanding
Appendix B: The OC Plan Technical Studies/Data Sets
Appendix C: Basin 8-1 Alternative (https://www.ocwd.com/media/4918/basin-8-1-alternative-final-
report-1.pdf)
Appendix D: Orange County Stormwater Resource Plan
(http://www.ocwatersheds.com/programs/ourws/oc_stormwater_resource_plan)
Appendix E: Federal, State, and Local Agencies with Jurisdiction in the IRWM Region
Appendix F: The OC Plan Project List
Appendix G: Weighting of Goals, Objectives, and Strategies
Appendix H: Project Solicitation Notice and Application Form
Appendix I: Ranking and Prioritization of Goals, Objectives, and Strategies with Project Impact
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for IRWM in North and Central Orange County
March 2018 AC-5
List of Acronyms
§ Subsection
AB Assembly Bill
ACOE Army Corps of Engineers
AF Acre Feet
AFY Acre Feet per Year
AMP Allen-McColloch Pipeline
ASBS Areas of Special Biological Significance
BMP Best Management Practice
BP Before Present
CalWEP California Water Efficiency Partnership
CARB California Air Resources Board
CASGEM California Statewide Groundwater Evaluation Monitoring
CAT Climate Action Team
CCA Critical Coastal Area
CCWMP Coyote Creek Watershed Management Plan
CDFG California Department of Fish and Game (now CDFW)
CDFW California Department of Fish and Wildlife
CEDEN California Environmental Data Exchange Network
CEQA California Environmental Quality Act
cfs Cubic Feet per Second
CRA Colorado River Aqueduct
CWA Clean Water Act
CWC California Water Code
CWP California Water Plan
DAC Disadvantaged Communities
DAMP Drainage Area Management Plan
DMM Demand Management Measures
DMS Data Management System
DRPP Demand, Runoff, and Pollution Prevention
DWR Department of Water Resources
EDA Economically Distressed Areas
EIR Environmental Impact Report
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EIS Environmental Impact Statement
EWMP Efficient Water Management Practices
EPA Environmental Protection Agency
ET Evapotranspiration
ETWD El Toro Water District
FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency
GAMA Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment
GIS Geographic Information System
GHG Greenhouse Gas
GMZ Groundwater Management Zone
GSP Groundwater Sustainability Plan
GSWC Golden State Water Company
GWRS Groundwater Replenishment System
HCP Habitat Conservation Plan
IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
IRP Integrated Water Resources Plan
IRWD Irvine Ranch Water District
IRWM Integrated Regional Water Management
LID Low-Impact Development
LIP Local Implementation Plan
LAWRP Los Alisos Water Reclamation Plant
LRP Local Resources Program
MAF Million Acre Feet
MEP Maximum Extent Practicable
MCAS Marine Corps Air Station
MCL Maximum Contaminant Level
MGD Million gallons per day
mg/L Milligrams Per Liter
MHI Median Household Income
MOU Memorandum of Understanding
MPA Marine Protected Area
MS4 Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System
MSAA Master Streambed Alteration Agreement
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March 2018 AC-7
MWDOC Municipal Water District of Orange County
MWRP Michelson Water Reclamation Plant
NCC Natural Communities Coalition
NCCP Natural Communities Conservation Plan
NEPA National Environmental Policy Act
NGO Non-Governmental Organization
NPDES National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
NRCS Natural Resource Conservation Service
NROC Nature Reserve of Orange County
O&M Operations and Maintenance
OC Orange County
OCFCD Orange County Flood Control District
OCSD Orange County Sanitation District
OCSP Orange County Stormwater Program
OCWD Orange County Water District
OCPW Orange County Public Works Department
OPR Office of Planning and Research
PBDE Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers
PCB Polychlorinated Biphenyls
POTW Publicly Owned Treatment Works
ppb Parts Per Billion
QA/QC Quality Assurance/Quality Control
RMS Resource Management Strategies
ROWD Report of Wastewater Discharge
RWMG Regional Watershed Management Group
RWQCB Regional Water Quality Control Board
SAMP Special Area Management Plan
SAR Santa Ana River
SAWPA Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority
SB Senate Bill
SCAG Southern California Association of Governments
SCCWRP Southern California Coastal Water Research Project
SCSC Southern California Salinity Coalition
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for IRWM in North and Central Orange County
March 2018 AC-8
SDP Seawater Desalination Program
SGMA Sustainable Groundwater Management Act
SFHA Special Flood Hazard Area
SMC Stormwater Monitoring Coalition
SNMP Salt and Nutrient Management Plan
SOCWA South Orange County Wastewater Authority
SRF State Revolving Fund
SWAMP Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program
SWRCB State Water Resources Quality Control Board
SWP State Water Project
SWRP Stormwater Resource Plan
TDS Total Dissolved Solids
TIN Total Inorganic Nitrogen
TMDL Total Maximum Daily Load
TMP Trash Management Plan
USACE United States Army Corps of Engineers (The Corps)
USBR United States Bureau of Reclamation
USDA United States Department of Agriculture
USGS United States Geological Survey
UWMP Urban Water Management Plan
VOC Volatile Organic Compound
WDL Water Data Library
WDR Waste Discharge Requirement
WIHMP Watershed Infiltration and Hydromodification Management Plan
WMA Watershed Management Area
WMP Watershed Management Plan
WQMP Water Quality Management Plan
WUE Water Use Efficiency
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for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Section 1
Regional Planning, Outreach,
Governance and Coordination
March 2018
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SECTION 1. REGIONAL PLANNING, OUTREACH, GOVERNANCE AND
COORDINATION
1.1 Introduction
The North and Central Orange County Watershed Management Area Integrated Regional Water
Management (IRWM) Plan (The OC Plan) was prepared to identify and implement water
management solutions on a regional scale. Agencies, organizations and stakeholders
collaborated to identify water resource needs, develop goals to improve water resource
management and to evaluate projects for increased regional self-reliance and improved quality
of life in Orange County. This plan has been developed from and coordinates with existing plans
and research documents.
The OC Plan updates and combines two existing IRWM plans that were prepared by the County
of Orange. The North Orange County Watershed Management Area Integrated Regional Water
Management Plan was completed in 2011 and the Integrated Regional Water Management Plan:
Central Orange County Management Area was completed in 2012. Preparation and
implementation of The OC Plan builds on collaborative watershed planning in Orange County that
began more than a decade ago.
The goals of The OC Plan are to increase water supply, protect water quality, enhance the
environment and habitat, provide flood risk management, improve the quality of life, and address
climate change. The OC Plan will accomplish these goals through an established process of
ranking projects to help further state and regional goals.
Integrated Regional Water Management for the Region
The OC Plan includes the Central Orange County (OC) Watershed Management Area (WMA) and
the North OC WMA (herein referred to as the Region), both of which are within the Santa Ana
Funding Area.1 Figure 1-1 shows the North and Central OC WMAs and their location within
Orange County, the surrounding counties, and the South OC IRWM Region.
1 Legislation for both Proposition 84 and Proposition 1 allocated IRWM funding for each hydrologic region of the
state, and the Mountain County Overlay area, as identified in the California Water Plan, with some additional
modifications, including three sub-regions for the South Coast Hydrologic Region. For IRWM grant program
purposes, these areas are referred to as “funding areas” to reflect that there are differences between the boundaries
of the California Water Plan hydrologic region and the IRWM funding area boundaries.
(DWR Proposition 1 Fact Sheet:
http://www.water.ca.gov/irwm/grants/docs/P1Index/IRWM_FundingAreaFactSheet121714.pdf)
The OC Plan
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Figure 1-1: North and Central OC Watershed Management Areas
The OC Plan
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Integrated planning is an appropriate approach for both WMAs and the Region for the following
reasons:
• The Region is integrally linked to sensitive regional and coastal habitat by dry-weather and
storm flows. Within the Central OC WMA, the entire Newport Bay Watershed drains to
Newport Bay, and the Newport Coast Watershed drains directly to the Pacific Ocean. The
lower portion of the Santa Ana River Watershed within Orange County, the Lower San
Gabriel River/Coyote Creek Watershed, and the Anaheim Bay-Huntington Harbour
Watershed are within the North OC WMA, which carries the runoff from approximately
one-third of Orange County. The Region’s watersheds provide riparian habitat for many
flora and fauna and include 35 miles of coastline and many of the remaining significant
estuary areas along Southern California. Beach closures, clean oceans and meeting total
maximum daily load (TMDL)/National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
requirements are regional challenges.
• Like the WMA concept, IRWM planning is an efficient and effective way to manage water
resources. It promotes regional prioritization of important watershed issues and consensus
regarding how to address these issues. Also, IRWM planning encourages the development
of holistic solutions to problems, addresses problems at the source, and integrates projects
and programs with overlapping jurisdiction throughout the Region. Ultimately, IRWM
planning promotes sustainable resource management.
• Urbanization of the Region impacts the ecosystems in these sensitive coastal areas. Water
quality can be improved by a variety of means, such as municipal land use planning, water
conservation, flood control improvements, and habitat restoration and enhancement.
Within the Central OC WMA, several cooperative agreements have been established for
agencies to share in the management, implementation, and cost of water quality projects
and programs related to the TMDLs, as well as water resource management, including
wastewater collection and treatment. Each year, significant public agency funding is
directed to stormwater and other water quality programs, including the protection of
coastal ecosystems.
• The OC Plan addresses statewide management strategies and enables agencies to leverage
financial resources through development of multi-benefit/multi-jurisdictional projects.
• The OC Plan will maximize the utilization of local water resources and efficient use of all
resources by providing for more effective collaboration through the application of multiple
water management strategies and implementation of multi-purpose projects that will fulfill
the needs of the Region.
• The communities within the Region place a high social and economic value on their coastal
resources in these areas and the protection of these resources.
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• Groundwater is a regional resource and an important source of drinking water. The Region
overlays the Coastal Plain of Orange County Groundwater Basin, identified by the California
Department of Water Resources as Basin 8-1. Management of the groundwater basin is
critical to protecting this local water supply. Issues related to groundwater quality, such as
naturally occurring selenium, toxic plumes from former military operations, and high
concentrations of nitrates and total dissolved solids (TDS) require regional solutions.
• The imported water system and water resources are shared regionally. The Region has wide
variations in rainfall. Approximately six out of 10 years have below average rainfall.
Agencies are continuing to work on programs to enhance local supplies and reduce water
demand. Regional programs are more cost-effective and provide greater benefit locally and
regionally.
Watershed Management in the Region
In June 2003, as directed by the County of Orange Board of Supervisors, the Orange County Public
Works (OC Public Works) Department (formerly the Resources and Development Management
Department) led a task force of city managers and special district general managers to develop a
countywide Water Quality Strategic Plan. This water quality strategic planning effort formalized
a partnership between Orange County, the Orange County Flood Control District (OCFCD), cities,
and water and wastewater agencies. As a result, the County created three WMAs - North, Central,
and South. Orange County serves as the regional program administrator.
This approach created a framework for municipalities, agencies, and stakeholders to work
collaboratively and find cost-effective solutions to Orange County’s water resources needs
through resource management and capital improvement planning.
Building on this approach, The OC Plan:
• Continues watershed planning at a manageable scale
• Is consistent with the approach of new and future stormwater permits
• Facilitates meaningful public and private stakeholder involvement
• Allows priority setting at a local level
• Is similar to an initiative in Orange County that generates funds for remediating
environmental impacts due to transportation projects and associated environmental
projects, referred to locally as Measure M
• Follows the successful model of the Newport Bay Watershed Executive Committee and
Newport Bay Watershed Management Committee
• Accommodates regional differences in managing water quality
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for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Section 1
Regional Planning, Outreach,
Governance and Coordination
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• Allows for local and regional water and sewer infrastructure planning to be coordinated
with flood control and storm drain systems
• Promotes partnership opportunities, especially between cities and districts
• Is consistent with the OC Drainage Area Management Plan (DAMP), Reports of
Wastewater Discharge (ROWD), and the OC Stormwater Resource Plan (SWRP)
• Allows for optimum use of existing and future funding sources
• Can be accomplished through interagency agreements
• Provides for regular meetings and engagement by stakeholders
The primary purpose of The OC Plan is to bridge current and future efforts related to watershed
planning, allowing agencies and stakeholders to leverage resources across jurisdictions. The OC
Plan describes the following:
• Central OC WMA and North OC WMA that make up the IRWM Region
• Issues related to and priorities for the IRWM region
• Combined goals and objectives for the IRWM region
• Strategies for meeting the identified goals and objectives
• Current efforts within the watersheds
• Ways to evaluate the IRWM plan and update it as necessary
1.2 History of Integrated Regional Water Management Planning in the North
and Central Orange County Watershed Management Areas
Central Orange County WMA. Phase 1 - The County of Orange led the first IRWM planning efforts
for the Central OC WMA with development of the Phase I Central Orange County Integrated
Regional and Coastal Watershed Management Plan (County of Orange, 2007). The Phase I Plan
reviewed each agency’s future plans and how they would work jointly across the watershed, with
a strong emphasis on the sensitive coastal resources, Areas of Special Biological Significance
(ASBS), and Critical Coastal Areas (CCAs) within the Central Orange County WMA. In January
2006, the City of Newport Beach was awarded a Proposition 40 planning grant by the State Water
Resources Control Board for preparation of an integrated regional coastal watershed
management plan to address issues related to ASBS and CCAs along the Newport Coast.
Phase 2 – In May 2006, the City of Newport Beach was awarded a Proposition 50 planning grant
by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) for the preparation of the Phase 2
Central Orange County IRWM Plan. The Phase 2 IRWM Plan includes data collection, analysis,
formulation of policy and guidelines, and a list of 147 potential water related projects (City of
Newport Beach, 2009).
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Phase 3 - The County of Orange led the effort to complete the Phase 3 Central Orange County
IRWM Plan (September 2012). The Phase 3 Plan is a compilation and revision of Phases 1 and 2
Plans and was developed to meet Proposition 84 guidelines.
North Orange County WMA. The Westminster Reconnaissance Study, conducted by the United
States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE, 2001), covered most of the North Orange County WMA,
and identified the challenges facing the highly-urbanized region. Because of this study, the
USACE, Los Angeles County, and Orange County entered into an agreement to develop a
watershed management plan for the Lower San Gabriel River/Coyote Creek Watershed, which is
a watershed within the North Orange County WMA. From 2005 to 2007, the County of Orange
led development of the Coyote Creek Watershed Management Plan (CCWMP, 2007).
Development of the CCWMP encouraged interjurisdictional projects and planning to promote
open lines of communication, cooperation and collaboration among agencies for improved
management of shared resources. The CCWMP provided a framework for improving watershed
management practices in the Coyote Creek region.
The CCWMP became a foundational element of the North Orange County WMA IRWM Plan
(September 2011). Like the Central Orange County Phase 1 Plan, the North Orange County WMA
IRWM Plan bridged existing and developing watershed planning efforts, resulting in effective
collaboration and leveraging agency resources across jurisdictions. The North Orange County
WMA IRWM Plan articulated: 1) issues and priorities; 2) goals and objectives; 3) current
watershed efforts; 4) strategies for meeting stated goals and objectives; and 5) plan evaluation
and update methods.
North and Central OC IRWM Plan (The OC Plan). Planning for the development of The OC Plan
began in 2016. While each WMA is recognized by its unique elements and issues, it is also
recognized that these two WMAs share many water resource management opportunities and
challenges and have come together to ensure that IRWM planning is effective. Coordination of
stakeholders and project proponents in a cohesive area is essential to develop a process for
defining watershed goals and identifying projects that cross jurisdictional boundaries and agency
mandates to achieve these goals. Regional issues can often be addressed effectively in a more
collective, coordinated manner to further the goal of water resource sustainability throughout
California.
The OC Plan is designed to help local agencies and governments manage their water, wastewater,
and ecological resources. The OC Plan identifies potential projects intended to improve water
quality and supply. The Regional Water Management Group (RWMG), described in Section 1.3.2,
guides the development of project feasibility, long-range water planning, priorities among
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proposed projects of agencies, and seeks potential funding. The OC Plan does not commit
resources to implement any project nor does it constitute a commitment to carry out any of the
proposed projects. Determinations to proceed with individual projects and required
environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) will be performed
by the individual project proponents prior to approval of funding. The collaborations formed
through implementation of The OC Plan extend beyond the pursuit of grant funds and will be a
transformative opportunity to establish relationships to achieve integrated and regional water
resource management.
In addition, the State of California has provided funding for IRWM planning through bond
measures, and numerous state funding programs now require a nexus for IRWM planning and
projects. Therefore, to be most competitive for funding, stakeholders within The OC Plan region
have combined to address regional watershed issues in a coordinated and integrated approach.
With a goal of implementing multi-beneficial projects and programs, the stakeholders expect to
achieve a suitable balance for addressing the Region’s challenges.
The OC Plan is a living document that will be updated periodically to reflect accomplishments as
well as changing water resource management issues.
1.3 IRWM Plan Development and Governance
The OC Plan is governed by the following: Regional Water Management Group (RWMG); Advisory
Committee (to the RWMG); Planning Group; Stakeholder Group; and Ad Hoc Working Groups as
shown in Figure 1-2.
The County of Orange serves as the administrator of The OC Plan. Plan implementation will be in
accordance with the priorities and schedule of the proposed projects, as periodically amended
by each project proponent. The County of Orange will provide routine updates to the Advisory
Committee, RWMG, and Stakeholder Group. The Advisory Committee will serve in a leadership
role to oversee policy issues related to The OC Plan, which shall meet at least twice annually to
monitor Plan implementation, including identification of any issues of concern. This approach
promotes partnership opportunities among cities, special districts, other stakeholders, and
funding agencies. This approach also facilitates ongoing and meaningful involvement of public
and private stakeholder and group participation and decision making, with one administering
agency for coordination and management.
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Figure 1-2: The OC Plan Governance
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As the administering agency, the County of Orange will be accountable to the Advisory
Committee and the RWMG, along with funding agencies that require regional applications and
agreements. The existing North and Central WMAs Stakeholder Group will continue to be
updated on The OC Plan, and serves as the public voice during development and implementation.
The OC Plan merges the existing North OC IRWM Plan and the Central OC IRWM Plan as a refined
watershed planning effort for the combined region. Modifications to the overall regional
priorities have been incorporated into this North and Central OC IRWM Plan.
1.3.1 IRWM Plan Development
The stakeholders of the North and Central OC WMAs have worked over the years to develop and
integrate regional strategies that address environmental issues, raise community awareness, and
coordinate numerous and varied projects to accomplish the following:
• Optimize watershed and coastal resources
• Improve water quality throughout the Region
• Safeguard restore/increase habitat
• Protect communities from drought
• Enhance the reliability of the local water supply and
system
• Ensure sufficient water supplies to meet demands
Examples of successful coordinated efforts in the IRWM Region
include:
• OCFCD and OCWD joint operation of flood control basins to
maximize groundwater recharge
• Construction of water quality treatment wetlands by Irvine Ranch
Water District (IRWD) and cities to improve water quality in San Diego Creek and the
Upper Newport Bay
• Nitrogen and Selenium Management Program, a cooperative effort of over 20 agencies,
cities, environmental groups, land managers, developers, and other stakeholders
• Groundwater Replenishment System, a water purification plant constructed and
operated by OCSD and OCWD that produces recycled water for groundwater recharge
The OC Plan builds on these efforts, incorporating the goals, objectives, and recommendations
of existing plans, research documents, and ongoing studies within the Region to establish its
mission: To improve water quality, increase water supply and reliability, integrate flood
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management, safeguard habitat, protect natural resources, and collaborate to ensure healthy
watersheds now and for generations.
Building on its mission, the articulation of clear goals and objectives facilitated a list of preferred
strategies in The OC Plan (Section 3) that are intended to guide the stakeholders to develop and
promote projects that are closely aligned with The OC Plan goals and objectives. In this way,
future projects will be more likely to benefit from the support of the stakeholders while avoiding
inefficiencies due to the dilution of community resources, confusion of purposes, or even
disputes and opposition to projects. To realize the vision and goals The OC Plan establishes a
prioritization methodology to investigate the feasibility of, and identify funding for, priority
projects. Individual projects are required to undergo the appropriate environmental review and
permitting process.
The OC Plan is an extension of valuable planning efforts such as those discussed in Section 1.6,
Section 2, and Appendix B.
1.3.1.1 IRWM Plan Development Process
The North and Central OC IRWM Advisory Committee, described in more detail in Section
1.3.3, initiated the process in early 2017 to update and combine the North and Central OC
WMA IRWM plans. The Advisory Committee recommended formation of a RWMG consisting
of the County of Orange, the Orange County Sanitation District and the Orange County Water
District. These three agencies cover the entire region and have statutory authority over water
supply or water management. The RWMG was charged with the responsibility to fund the
update of the plan and to oversee the process of stakeholder engagement. The Advisory
Committee also formed a Planning Group to oversee the day-to-day activities needed to
update the plan and conduct stakeholder meetings.
An initial stakeholder workshop was held on February 21, 2017 to apprise stakeholders of the
purpose of updating and combining the North and Central OC IRWM Plans, the preferred
process for development, and the schedule. In addition, the group reviewed the goals and
objectives and project ranking methodologies from the existing plans, considered current
conditions and evaluated new goals and objectives for the combined North and Central OC
IRWM Plan.
The Stakeholder Group formed an Ad Hoc Working Group to further review, discuss and
develop the goals, objectives and strategies to bring back to the Stakeholder Group. The Ad
Hoc Working Group’s seven participants represented five groups throughout the Region:
cities, wholesale water agency, groundwater management agency, the County of Orange, and
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a nonprofit agency. The Ad Hoc Working Group met nine times between March and June
2017. Six overarching goals, 14 objectives, and 49 strategies were confirmed for the North
and Central OC IRWM Region as detailed in Section 3.
A second Stakeholder Ad Hoc Working Group was formed to establish the Project Submission
and Selection process for The OC Plan. This Ad Hoc Working Group met on August 15 and 22,
2017.
Stakeholder meetings were held in 2017 on February 21, March 21, May 23, June 27, and
August 29 to provide updates on the IRWM Plan development and obtain stakeholder
approval on goals, objectives, and strategies, weighting/prioritization of strategies, project
prioritization for inclusion in The OC Plan.
1.3.1.2 IRWM Plan Adoption
The OC Plan was prepared to meet the Proposition 1 state guidelines and IRWM Plan
Standards. Each agency that has a project included in The OC Plan may approve a Resolution
of Adoption or Acceptance of The OC Plan. In addition, other agencies that are not members
of the IRWM Region but are cooperative agencies may support or adopt The OC Plan by
resolution or letter. As these agencies provide proof of plan adoption, acceptance or support
in the form of resolutions or letters, these documents will be appended to The OC Plan by
inclusion in Appendix A.
1.3.2 Regional Water Management Group
Per California Water Code, Section 10537, the regional water management group (RWMG)
consists of three or more local public agencies, at least two of which have statutory authority
over the water supply or water management, as well as those persons who may be necessary for
the development and implementation of an IRWM Plan that meets the requirements in Water
Code §10540 and §10541, and that participate by means of a written agreement that is approved
by the governing bodies of those local public agencies.
The OC Plan RWMG is represented by the following three agencies: Orange County Water District
(OCWD), Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD), the County of Orange (Orange County). The
RWMG provides oversight and leadership for The OC Plan. The RWMG is responsible for adoption
and implementation of The OC Plan.
Therefore, each of these three agencies adopted or accepted the IRWM Plan by resolution as
follows (refer to Appendix A): OCWD Board of Directors, OCSD Board of Directors, and Orange
County Board of Supervisors.
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To meet the Water Code requirement to “participate by means of a written agreement,” the
RWMG – OCWD, OCSD, and the County of Orange – entered into a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) (also included in Appendix A). The MOU provides a framework for
planning water management strategies for The OC Plan implementation and executing an
effective decision-making process. It establishes the responsibility to guide development,
adoption and execution of The OC Plan, including establishing priorities for water resource needs,
integrating water resource solutions across traditional bounds, and jointly advocating for policies
and funding that assist these goals. The RWMG will work in an open and transparent stakeholder-
driven process to implement the IRWM Plan and project selection.
1.3.3 Advisory Committee to the Regional Water Management Group
The Advisory Committee consists of members of the RWMG and representatives of the Newport
Bay Watershed Executive Committee. The Advisory Committee’s purpose is to provide leadership
and guidance to the RWMG on implementation of The OC Plan. The members of the Advisory
Committee may act to change the membership of the committee based on desire, need and
representation across the Region.
Newport Bay Watershed Executive Committee. The Newport Bay Watershed Executive
Committee plays a central role in development and updating of The OC Plan, and implementation
of relevant sections of the Plan in partnership with the other Advisory Committee members.
The Newport Bay Watershed Executive Committee provides a management framework for
cooperation on sediment management, water quality, and water resource, including the
following actions:
• Provide a forum to evaluate and assess progress toward implementing the Section 208
water quality plan prepared under the federal Clean Water Act, Section 208, Water
Quality Planning Program
• Formulate project implementation agreements for the elements of the Section 208 water
quality plan and evaluate the effectiveness of the various elements of the 208 plan
• Review opportunities and provide direction for pollutant trading or offset programs
• Review opportunities and provide direction for grant funding
• Provide oversight for the Central WMA and any updates of the IRWM Plan
• Formulate project implementation agreements for any cost-shared projects that address
water quality impairments, including sediment, nutrients, fecal indicator bacteria, and
toxicity.
The Upper Newport Bay Sediment Control Executive Committee was established under a
cooperative agreement in the early 1980s to assist the cities of Irvine, Newport Beach and Tustin;
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the County of Orange; California Department of Fish and Game (now California Department of
fish and Wildlife); and the Irvine Company in developing and implementing a comprehensive
program to manage sediment in the San Diego Creek Watershed and in Upper Newport Bay.
Numerous studies and projects were undertaken in Newport Bay in the late 1990s, which
resulted in water quality improvements in Newport Bay and its tributaries. Due to limited funding
and the desire to continue collaboration, the Upper Newport Bay Sediment Control Executive
Committee expanded its scope and was re-established as the Newport Bay Watershed Executive
Committee (Executive Committee)2 with an expanded scope of impairment of Newport Bay
caused by nutrients, toxic pollutants, and pathogens, as well as related environmental
improvements.
In addition, the Executive Committee increased membership by including the Orange County
Flood Control District (OCFCD); the cities of Costa Mesa, Lake Forest and Santa Ana; IRWD: and
Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Water Board). These agencies were
added based on their interest in the water quality of Newport Bay along with having the
resources available to support the initiatives. The Executive Committee forges voluntary
solutions for documented problems and pursues research and enhancement opportunities.
Members of the Executive Committee are elected, appointed, or executive level managers, with
one member from each of the signatories to the agreement. It typically meets four times a year;
meetings are governed by the Brown Act. Staff support is provided by the OC Public Works/OC
Environmental Resources. The Executive Committee provides strategic direction for
environmental enhancement programs in the watershed, advocacy of these programs to the
elected/appointed boards of the member organizations, and a forum for discussion of watershed
environmental issues.
1.3.4 Planning Group
The OC Plan Planning Group (Planning Group) was formed to lead development of The OC Plan.
The Planning Group consists of staff members of the Advisory Committee whose function is to
provide day-to-day support for the development and implementation of The OC Plan and to
manage stakeholder involvement. The Planning Group began work to formalize an update to and
combination of the North and Central OC IRWM Plans in 2016 and kicked off stakeholder planning
efforts in early 2017. The Planning Group will conclude its work of development of The OC Plan
upon its adoption and will continue to support the RWMG management functions, including
periodic updates to The OC Plan.
2 https://cms.ocgov.com/gov/pw/watersheds/programs/ourws/wmaareas/wmacentraloc/nbexeccomm.asp
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1.3.5 Stakeholders Group
The OC Plan Stakeholders Group is open to all interested stakeholders in the Region. Stakeholders
have been working together to bring forward projects that have multiple benefits and reflect the
goals of the integrated regional plan. Through an open, collaborative, consensus-based approach,
the group seeks to provide leadership in the watershed by working to achieve common goals for
the long-term management of the watershed.
The RWMG will be responsible for ongoing outreach to and involvement of stakeholders,
including disadvantaged communities and tribal representatives, throughout the Region, for an
opportunity to participate in meetings and workshops. Outreach may include communication of
information by email, newsletters, fact sheets, and the County’s ocwatersheds.com website.
Native American Tribal representatives will be invited to participate at the level of input most
appropriate for their tribes in IRWM Plan implementation elements.
1.3.6 Ad Hoc Working Groups
Ad Hoc Working Groups were formed by the Stakeholder Group to perform specific tasks.
Participation in an Ad Hoc Working Group was open to all stakeholders dedicated to completing
specific work products assigned by the Stakeholder Group. During preparation of The OC Plan,
one Ad Hoc Working Group was formed to draft goals, objectives, and strategies for
consideration by the Stakeholder Group. The Stakeholder Group formed another Ad Hoc Working
Group to develop a proposed project prioritization process that was also reviewed and adopted
by the larger Stakeholder Group. The Stakeholder Group may form Ad Hoc Working Groups in
the future as the need arises.
1.3.7 Roles and Responsibilities for Regional Water Management
The Region members have various levels of responsibility for regional water management. The
following lists the agencies that have responsibilities within the IRWM Region, followed by an
overview of other organizations involved in The OC Plan implementation through various support
roles.
1.3.7.1 Jurisdictional Participants in the IRWM Region
Table 1-1 lists the jurisdictional members in the IRWM Region, which are referred to in
Section 2 and described in Appendix E.
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Table 1-1
Jurisdictional North and Central OC IRWM Region Members
Cities Special Districts County Agencies State and Federal
Agencies
Divided Boundaries in North
and Central OC WMAs
Divided Boundaries in North
and Central OC WMAs County State
Costa Mesa Costa Mesa Sanitary District County of Orange California State Coastal
Conservancy Orange East Orange County Water
District
Orange County Flood
Control District Santa Ana California Department of
Fish and Wildlife North OC WMA Irvine Ranch Water District Orange County Council of
Governments Anaheim Mesa Water District California Department of
Parks and Recreation Brea Municipal Water District of
Orange County
Orange County
Transportation Authority Buena Park California Department of
Transportation Cypress Midway City Sanitary
District
Orange County Department
of Education Fountain Valley State Water Resources
Control Board – Santa Ana
Region
Fullerton Orange County Water
District
Orange County Health Care
Agency Garden Grove
Huntington Beach Orange County Sanitation
District
Orange County Vector
Control
Southern California Coastal
Water Research Project La Habra
La Palma North OC WMA Federal
Placentia Serrano Water District U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service Seal Beach Yorba Linda Water District
Stanton Golden State Water
Company – West Orange
System
U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, Los Angeles
District
Villa Park
Westminster
Central OC WMA Central OC WMA U.S. Department of
Irvine Golden State Water
Company – Cowan Heights
Agriculture (USDA), Forest
Service, Cleveland National
Forest
Newport Beach
Tustin Divided Boundaries in
Central and South OC WMA
Divided Boundaries
Central and South OC WMA
USDA, Natural Resources
Conservation Service El Toro Water District
Laguna Hills U.S. National Park Service
Laguna Woods
Lake Forest
1.3.7.2 Additional Organization Outreach and Participation in the IRWM
Region
In addition to the IRWM member jurisdictions, agencies and special districts described above,
additional organizations have been identified to participate in the Region’s IRWM activities.
These organizations are an important part of the IRWM framework. To date, some have
participated and provided valuable input on The OC Plan and projects, IRWM planning and
regional priorities. The organizations listed below represent those identified as important to
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the Region and/or have participated in the IRWM process, either in past planning, project
implementation and/or outreach efforts, or are currently actively engaged in IRWM
processes and activities.
Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority. The Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority
(SAWPA) was formed in 1968 as a planning agency and reformed in 1972 with a mission to
develop and maintain regional plans, programs, and projects that will protect the Santa Ana
River Basin water resources. The current configuration as a joint powers authority went into
effect in 1975. SAWPA’s member agencies include San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water
District, Inland Empire Utilities Agency, Western Municipal Water District, Eastern Municipal
Water District, and OCWD. OCWD actively participates in several SAWPA-led task forces and
work groups organized to address Santa Ana River water quality issues. In addition, SAWPA
applied for and was accepted by DWR as the official IRWM region in the Santa Ana Funding
Area, which includes North and Central Orange County. This is the only DWR-recognized
region in the Funding Area.
Earth Resource Foundation.3 Earth Resource Foundation is an environmental educational
non-profit organization developed to empower the public with the resources needed to make
environmentally sustainable choices and changes. Its mission statement is to preserve,
conserve, and restore the Earth to a healthy and sustainable state by redirecting available
human, technological, monetary, and academic resources. Its headquarters is in Santa Ana,
CA.
Latino Health Access.4 Headquartered in Santa Ana, California, Latino Health Access works to
assist in improving the quality of life and health of uninsured, under-served people through
quality preventive services and educational programs, emphasizing responsibility and full
participation in decisions affecting health.
Natural Communities Coalition.5 Natural Communities Coalition is an Irvine-based non-profit
organization that participates in and benefits from the Natural Community Conservation
Plan/Habitat Conservation Plan (NCCP/HCP) for the Central and Coastal Subregion of Orange
County. The main purpose of Natural Communities Coalition is to coordinate the land
management, monitoring and research with its partners across the nearly 38,000-acre
Reserve System. The Reserve System is a permanently protected open space which is
managed for the benefit of plants and wildlife that define the character, uniqueness and
natural diversity of Orange County.
3 http://www.earthresource.org/
4 http://www.latinohealthaccess.org/
5 https://occonservation.org/
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Orange County Coastkeeper (OC Coastkeeper).6 OC Coastkeeper's goal is to protect and
preserve all Orange County water bodies and restore them to healthy, fully functioning
systems that will protect recreational uses and aquatic life. In pursuit of this goal, Coastkeeper
balances education, advocacy, restoration, research, and enforcement to increase awareness
of environmental issues and reduce pollution of Orange County watersheds and coastal
waters. OC Coastkeeper is located in Costa Mesa, California.
Orange County Farm Bureau.7 The Orange County Farm Bureau is a non-profit organization
supported by more than 1,000 dues-paying members. It was established in 1917 "…to
represent Orange County agriculture through public relations, education and public policy
advocacy in order to promote the economic viability of agriculture balanced with appropriate
management of natural resources." The Farm Bureau works with elected officials,
government agencies, educators, the public and the media.
Although agriculture is not a high-profile industry, it contributes more than $200 million to
the local Orange County economy. In addition to the economic value, the farmers of Orange
County maintain tracts of open space, plant trees and crops that help improve air quality,
provide a sumptuous harvest of locally grown products, and help protect the ambience of old
Orange County.
Surfrider Foundation – Newport Beach Chapter.8 Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit
environmental organization working to protect the ocean, waves and beaches. Its network is
made up of local chapter members combining their skills and passions to fulfill the Surfrider
mission locally and support local programs and projects. The Surfrider Foundation Newport
Beach Chapter was founded in 1990 with a focus on water quality education and activism.
Trails for All.9 Trails for All is a non-profit organization dedicated to the creation, restoration
and preservation of trails and open space throughout Southern California, including the more
than 700 miles of natural surface, shared-use recreational trails in Orange County. Expanding
from its original focus of trail-work day planning and organization now offering a number of
services and programs including the youth-education program, Partnerships4Trails and the
largest non-coastal cleanup event in California - the Inner-Coastal & Watershed Cleanup.
Today, the organization is a coalition of more than 30 trail-user groups that have completed
over 800 trail projects. Its 34,000 volunteers have cleared more than one million pounds of
trash and recyclables from the environment and trained approximately 200 people in trail
creation and management.
6 https://www.coastkeeper.org/
7 https://www.ocfarmbureau.org/
8 https://newportbeach.surfrider.org/
9 http://www.trails4all.org/
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1.3.8 Framework for Decision Making
As presented earlier in this Plan, per California Water Code, Section 10537, the RWMG includes
OCWD, OCSD, and the County of Orange, operating under a MOU. The MOU provides a
framework for cooperating in development and management of The OC Plan and executing an
effective decision-making process. It establishes the mechanism for adoption and execution of
the Plan, including establishing priorities for water resource needs, integrating water resource
solutions, advocating for policies and funding that assist these goals, engaging stakeholders,
seeking funding for Plan implementation, and guiding future updates to the Plan.
The Advisory Committee provides oversight and leadership for The OC Plan, and is advisory to
the RWMG. The Advisory Committee is periodically updated on IRWM Region planning and
implementation and offers guidance on any IRWM matter.
The Stakeholders Group provides input and collective decision-making on IRWM matters,
including development and implementation of goals, objectives and strategies; integration of
IRWM programs and projects; project application and selection process for inclusion in the IRWM
plan and for grant funding; and other IRWM activities.
1.3.9 Appropriateness of Region and Geographic Boundaries
The water supply, water quality, flood control, and ecological issues in the North and Central OC
WMAs pose complex challenges that are intimately connected with the economic and
environmental well-being of the watersheds. Shared issues regarding water resources and water
quality throughout the Region include groundwater, surface water, recycled water, and imported
water. Groundwater recharge basins in the cities of Anaheim and Orange recharge the
groundwater basin that underlies the entire Region. Groundwater supplies are supplemented by
imported water and recycled water. Factors such as sewer spills, aging infrastructure, and
flooding also impact the management of water resources in the Region. Preliminary studies show
an explicit link between pollutant discharges from Newport Bay to the downcoast ASBS along the
Newport Coast Watershed. With potential costs running into the hundreds of millions of dollars
for remediation projects to protect shared water resources, sensitive marine life areas, and the
coastal ecosystem as a whole, the North and Central OC WMAs, as defined herein, is an
appropriate region for integrated water resource and coastal watershed planning.
The Region’s stakeholders work cooperatively to provide constructive management of the
Region’s water and natural resources, including addressing water quality issues. The associated
costs for the planning and TMDL compliance and capital improvements to regional water and
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wastewater system infrastructure are the responsibility of agencies within the Region, which may
include the County of Orange; water and wastewater special districts; cities, state and federal
agencies; a flood control district; non-profit groups; and private parties.
The Region is within the Santa Ana River Watershed, which includes parts of Riverside, San
Bernardino and Orange counties, and a small portion of Los Angeles County. The portion of
Orange County within The OC Plan region is within the Santa Ana IRWM Funding Area and is
represented in the SAWPA IRWM Plan development and implementation by Orange County
elected officials and OCWD.
The appropriateness of the Region for integrated water resource and coastal watershed planning
is demonstrated by the following regional attributes:
• The drainage patterns in the North and Central OC WMAs and impacts on receiving waters
are attributable to upstream land uses.
• Potential high costs for remediation projects to protect shared water resources, sensitive
marine life areas, and the coastal ecosystem as a whole.
• The boundaries of the Regional Water Board jurisdiction encompass the North and
Central OC WMAs.
• Stakeholders within this Region have a long-term commitment to achieving
environmentally sound management of the Region’s hydrologic and ecologic resources.
1.3.10 Watershed Management Challenges
The OC Plan is consistent with the resource management strategies outlined in the California
Water Plan and identifies integrated projects that address multiple strategies and promotes
future collaboration within and across watershed boundaries to find solutions to water resource
challenges.
The complex and difficult issues that stakeholders face in the Newport Bay and Newport Coast
watersheds are different from those in adjacent watersheds that have no TMDL requirements or
no issues related to discharge to sensitive marine life areas.
Within The OC Plan Region, the nexus between land use decisions, water resource management,
and coastal zone impacts has been firmly established through numerous studies and ongoing
monitoring programs. The reality of human impacts can hardly be a surprise in a 537-square-
mile region10 with a total 2017 population of approximately 3,010,232, with 65 percent
10 Central OC WMA 160 square miles and North OC WMA 376.81 square miles
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(1,956,651) residing in the North OC WMA and 35 percent (1,053,581) residing in the Central OC
WMA. Orange County is the third-most populous county in California.
In addition to the rapid transition of this region from open space to agriculture and then to urban
land use, challenges include the diversity of geography, jurisdictions and demographics in such
a compact area, and the multiplicity of connected issues. The Region comprises significant
ecological resources and valuable tracts of open space, while at the same time including densely
populated urban areas. Orange County's four largest cities, Anaheim, Santa Ana, Irvine, and
Huntington Beach, are all within the IRWM Region and the first three each having a population
exceeding 200,000 and Huntington Beach with just over 195,000.
The CCAs and ASBS are directly affected by urban activities within the WMAs, including
freshwater drainage that carries pollutants of concern from the upper watersheds and coastal
canyons, creek bed erosion due to the increase in impervious surfaces, legacy pesticides from
former agricultural operations, boat maintenance in Newport Harbor, and high concentrations
of selenium and nitrogen in the groundwater that may rise to the surface and move
downstream. These fragile coastal ecosystems are further affected by heavy recreational use
within the coastal zone. Newport Harbor has approximately 10,000 registered yachts and boats,
and Corona del Mar State Beach is very popular due to easy access, sandy beaches, and the
nearby rocky tide pools.
As is the case with much of Southern California, The OC Plan Region faces many water resources
management challenges. Among these are the following:
• Adequate, reliable water supply: Although this region has significant groundwater
resources, it still receives approximately one-third of its water from imported sources.
Environmental constraints such as drought and Delta pumping restrictions attributed to
importing water into the Region are affecting the reliability of imported water supply.
Therefore, one objective for the Region is to meet the projected increase in water
demands with consideration of cost-effective strategies, such as increasing local water
supplies, sustainably managing groundwater resources, and maximize water use
efficiency.
• Growth, economic sustainability, recreation: The Region is continually growing which
means that there is a greater demand for potable water, a greater amount of wastewater
generated, and greater need for recreational resources. Economic stability relies on
implementing cost-effective solutions to these growth-related issues.
• Water quality standards: Water quality standards for urban runoff that stem from the
Clean Water Act are becoming increasingly stringent. Local agencies in the Region are
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challenged to meet the regulatory water quality standards in a cost-effective manner to
maintain lasting results.
• Ecosystem impacts: Urbanization is often accompanied by storm water and polluted
urban runoff, wastewater spills, invasive species, and erosion, all of which impact
ecosystems in the Region. Functioning ecosystems offer a wide range of benefits for water
supply, water quality and habitat. Therefore, healthy ecosystems provide great value
when rehabilitated and preserved for the future.
• Habitat: Habitat areas in the Region include Bolsa Chica Wetlands, Seal Beach National
Wildlife Refuge, Coyote Creek, Carbon Creek, Brea Creek, Fullerton Creek, Huntington
Beach State Park, Peters Canyon Regional Park and Wetlands, associated beach and
coastal shoreline habitat, Santiago Creek parks, Upper Newport Bay and the Santa Ana
River.
• Aging Infrastructure: Outdated and deteriorating wastewater and water conveyance
systems can cause leaks, sewage spills and have inadequate capacity to handle increased
flows resulting in impacts to surface, groundwater and ocean water quality. Multipurpose
projects that include the rehabilitation of water and wastewater infrastructure are
important for improving water quality standards.
• Climate change: Climate change will influence water resources, water supply availability
and habitat. Addressing these issues now will help the Region prepare for current and
future impacts.
1.3.11 Plan Focus
The conditions within The OC Plan Region present both challenges and opportunities for water
resource agencies and nongovernmental organizations with an interest in or responsibility for
water quality and habitat protection and enhancement, particularly in the coastal zone.
The stakeholders within The OC Plan Region have a long history of working collaboratively on
studies, programs, and projects to address water quality, ecosystem restoration, and water
supply. As a result, there is an extensive library of technical information about the watersheds
that has been created through numerous studies and project planning efforts. These efforts
continue, and this region is leading scientific studies to analyze impacts on coastal water quality
and to identify effective solutions. Not only do the unique ecological resources in this region
provide the impetus for integrated water resource planning, but the history of collaboration and
the availability of technical information make effective planning, analysis, and project
implementation possible.
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The planning approach and framework of The OC Plan is to ensure that the Region is clearly
described and understood, solution-oriented projects are coordinated and integrated within the
Region and interregionally, where possible, and funding and project benefits are leveraged to the
greatest extent possible.
1.4 Outreach
The OC Plan RWMG will continue outreach to stakeholders, including disadvantaged
communities and tribal representatives, throughout the Region, for an opportunity to participate
in meetings and workshops. Outreach includes communication of information by email,
newsletters, fact sheets, and the County’s ocwatersheds.com website. Native American Tribal
representatives will be invited to participate at the level of input most appropriate for their tribes
in IRWM Plan implementation elements. It should be noted that the Region’s disadvantaged
communities are defined by their economic status while having full access to clean, reliable
water. Additionally, there are no tribal lands within the Region; however, tribal members live
throughout the Region and are invited to participate in IRWM planning.
For development of The OC Plan, all stakeholders were invited to all IRWM Plan development
meetings, to participate on the Ad Hoc Working Groups, to provide input in development of the
Plan’s goals, objectives, and strategies, and to review and comment on the Pubic Review Draft
IRWM Plan. Stakeholders were also invited to submit project applications for inclusion of projects
in The OC Plan and for future funding consideration.
The OC Plan implementation aims to expand communication not only among stakeholders, but
also among agencies and agency departments, to achieve more comprehensive and cohesive
planning, and result in the implementation of projects that are more cost effective and that
produce more widespread results.
1.5 Coordination
The OC Plan Region is located within
the Santa Ana Funding Area (see
footnote 1). The Funding Area includes
the upper Santa Ana River Watershed
to the east, Greater Los Angeles County
IRWM Region to the north, and the
South OC WMA IRWM Region to the
south. The Region also borders the
Gateway IRWM Region to the north.
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The OC Plan region shares watersheds, groundwater basins, and cities with these adjacent
regions and lies at the southern edge of the Santa Ana River Watershed, which originates in the
San Bernardino Mountains and extends westward to the Pacific Ocean. The Central OC WMA
includes a focus on improving and protecting coastal water quality, habitat and other coastal
resources, while all three WMAs in Orange County are integrally linked to the Region’s fragile
coastal ecosystem. The North and Central OC WMAs share groundwater resources and the
imported water system with other adjacent regions. The North OC WMA shares the South OC
WMA boundary in the foothills and mountains of eastern Orange County, while the Central OC
WMA also shares the South OC WMA boundary from the foothills to the coastline.
Many issues are similar for these WMAs, with the County of Orange as lead agency for all three
WMAs across the county – North OC, Central OC, and South OC. Coordinating the IRWM planning
for these regions is essential in creating integrated and consistent planning documents.
The OC Plan stakeholders and agencies engage in collaborative efforts on an ongoing basis,
including development of the “One Water, One Watershed” (OWOW) 2.0 IRWM Plan, and
involvement on the Water Advisory Committee of Orange County, the Southern California Water
Committee, the Southern California Water Dialogue, and various other water resource forums.
Communication and collaboration about water resource planning is regularly conducted with all
adjacent IRWM regions. Region representatives also participate in various workshops across
IRWM regions, including climate change workshops working closely with the U.S. Bureau of
Reclamation, and state and federal agencies. These workshops have been extremely beneficial,
particularly as each IRWM region develops its respective climate change adaptation plans under
the IRWM planning.
One Water One Watershed (OWOW) Plan. The Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority (SAWPA)
developed its first IRWM Plan, the Santa Ana Integrated Watershed Plan, in 2002, updating the
plan in 2005 and adopting the ‘One Water, One Watershed 1.0’ IRWM Plan in November 2010,
and in February 2014 as One Water, One Watershed 2.0. The focus of the OWOW Plan is to
coordinate all functions across the watershed to result in sustainable watershed-wide solutions
for water resources and the ecologic health of the Santa Ana River Watershed. The Santa Ana
River Watershed includes parts of Riverside, San Bernardino and Orange counties, and a small
portion of Los Angeles County. Some North and Central OC IRWM Region stakeholders have
participated in development of the SAWPA IRWM plan updates and continue to participate in its
stakeholder committee and planning meetings, including Propositions 84 and 1 IRWM grant
programs.
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South Orange County IRWM Plan. The South OC IRWM Plan encompasses the Laguna Coastal
Streams, Aliso Creek, Dana Point Coastal Streams, San Juan Creek, San Clemente Coastal Streams,
San Mateo Creek Watersheds, and a portion of the Newport Coast Watershed. The County of
Orange is also the South OC IRWM Plan administrator. Coordinating IRWM planning across the
three WMAs in Orange County is essential in creating integrated solutions in the watersheds.
Greater Los Angeles County IRWM Plan. The Los Angeles County IRWM Plan is a regional
planning effort that covers portions of Ventura, Orange, and Los Angeles Counties. The Los
Angeles County IRWM Plan creates a blueprint for achieving quantifiable targets for improving
water quality and water supply, enhancing habitat and open space/recreation, and sustaining
infrastructure for local communities in the Greater Los Angeles County Region. Development of
their IRWM Plan has resulted in communication and collaboration among over 80 regional and
local entities, including non-profit organizations, addressing integrated solutions for the region.
Most of the projects supported by the IRWM Plan provide multiple benefits in line with the plan’s
goal to “implement multiple-objective planning and projects.” The North OC WMA has been
engaged in the Los Angeles County IRWM process, working to coordinate activities, programs
and solutions that impact both the collective regions and watersheds.
Local Planning Efforts. Many cities and counties are in the process of updating their General
Plans. Funding opportunities and greater collaboration between water agencies, non-
governmental organizations, and local land use authorities are facilitating beneficial projects such
as conservation, open space, restoration, enhancement, connectivity, and multi-benefit
approaches. In this way, planners are finding themselves in a new place, one of noting the quality
of these projects and how to get them through the regulatory planning process with more
agreement and greater speed. State law is helpful in this process because conservation, safety,
open space, and land use elements are required elements of every general plan in the State of
California. These elements provide essential components of good watershed plans. In addition,
newly proposed Fire Hazard Planning, as well as the more traditional floodplain management
guidelines for preparation of General Plans include helpful explanations and instructions for
planners trying to make sense of how watershed planning can be and should be integrated into
general plan Updates.
In developing regional plans and prioritizing multi-benefit projects, it is important to not only
coordinate efforts with other planning agencies within the Region, but it is equally important to
coordinate across regional boundaries. During the preparation of The OC Plan, information from
cities and agencies within the Region and information from adjoining IRWM regions was
considered and used where appropriate.
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Roundtable of Regions. The Roundtable of Regions, a coalition of IRWM leaders and
representatives across the state, allows all the IRWM regions to voice and discuss common issues
and concerns and work closely with DWR. Roundtable of Regions conducts information
workgroup meetings and surveys, leads collaborative workshops, summits, and conferences; and
provides important input to DWR on IRWM grant guidelines, applications and legislative issues
affecting IRWMs. A recent Roundtable of Regions summit in January 2017 included presentations
by Roundtable members, DWR staff, and SWRCB staff. The Roundtable of Regions facilitated
subsequent meetings with DWR regarding Proposition 1 funding on June 30, 2017 and September
21, 2017. The OC Plan RWMG and other region representatives participated in these DWR
meetings, as well as other Roundtable of Regions workgroup meetings, DWR workshops and
summits, and events.
1.6 Technical Analysis
The stakeholders within the North and Central OC IRWM Region have a long history of working
collaboratively on studies, programs, and projects to address water quality, ecosystem
restoration, and water supply. As a result, there is an extensive library of data and technical
analysis information about the watersheds, the region, and the jurisdictions within the Region
that has been created through numerous studies and project planning efforts. Science-based
studies continue to be developed to analyze coastal water quality impacts and identify effective
solutions. Not only do the unique ecological resources in the Region provide the impetus for
integrated water resource planning, but the history of collaboration and availability of the
technical information make effective planning, analysis, and project implementation possible.
The planning approach and framework of The OC Plan ensures that solution-oriented projects
are coordinated within the Region and that funding and project benefits are leveraged to the
greatest extent possible. IRWM Plan performance and monitoring is discussed in Section 6.4.
Technical information and data sets are obtained from the extensive planning and technical
studies that have been conducted for the watersheds with the Region. Appendix B and Section
2.1.4 provide detail of the some of the plans and technical studies that have been used to develop
The OC Plan. The following represents of some of the most significant plans and studies in the
Region:
Drainage Area Management Plan (DAMP). The 2003 DAMP (Orange County) addresses the
requirements of the countywide National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
stormwater permit.
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Total Maximum Daily Loads11 (TMDL). Adopted TMDLs – metals, nutrients, sediments, and
bacteria, and technical TMDLs12.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Newport Bay/San Diego Creek Watershed Study. A 2005 study
focused on broad watershed ecosystem planning issues, resulting in a list of multipurpose
watershed-scale ecosystem restoration projects, in which the USACE had a federal interest,
as well as a watershed management plan that focused on management issues within the
watershed.
Watershed Management Plans: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Special Area Management
Plan for San Diego Creek Watershed; the Newport Coast Watershed Management Plan; and
Newport Harbor Area Management Plan, Upper Newport Bay Watershed Management Plan
and San Diego Creek Strategic Watershed Plan.
Serrano Creek Collaborative Use Plan. The Serrano Creek Collaborative Use Plan, which was
prepared for the City of Lake Forest, addresses erosion and flood control, recreation and
landscaping improvements, biological resource enhancement, and funding for improvements
along Serrano Creek (City of Lake Forest 1999).
Natural Treatment System Plan. In 2005, the Irvine Ranch Water District (IRWD), in
cooperation with Orange County and the cities of Irvine, Lake Forest, Newport Beach, Orange,
Santa Ana, and Tustin, developed a natural treatment system plan, an ecosystem-based
network of constructed water quality treatment wetlands for improving water quality in San
Diego Creek and the upper Newport Bay.
Orange County Great Park Comprehensive Master Plan. The Great Park Comprehensive
Master Plan for the 2,300-acre Great Park incorporates natural treatment systems, recycled
water use, a wildlife corridor, and other sustainable features (City of Irvine 2002). The wildlife
corridor is part of an important linkage between the Cleveland National Forest and coastal
open space in this area. The Agua Chinon channel, part of the backbone infrastructure for the
site, serves dual functions as a wetlands mitigation area and flood control facility and is being
designed as a naturalized channel.
Urban Water Management Plans. Each water supplier within the Region has prepared and
adopted an urban water management plan (UWMP) in accordance with the Urban Water
Management Planning Act (California Water Code, Section 10610 et seq.). In ongoing urban
water management planning, the water agencies in the Region are addressing matters of
11 A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) is a regulatory term in the U.S. Clean Water Act, describing a plan for
restoring impaired waters that identifies the maximum amount of a pollutant that a body of water can receive while
still meeting water quality standards.
12 “Technical” TMDLs are TMDLs without implementation plans. Regional Board staff are developing the State
required Basin Plan amendments, including implementation plans.
https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/santaana/water_issues/programs/tmdl/
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regional interconnection, groundwater basin stewardship, water use efficiency, recycling,
desalination, and rainfall harvesting as an outcome of implementing low-impact
development strategies.
Orange County Reliability Study. The Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC)
completed the Orange County Reliability Study in December 2016.
Groundwater Management Plan. The Orange County Water District (OCWD) adopted its fifth
update to its Groundwater Management Plan in 2015.
Basin 8-1 Alternative Plan (January 2017). Produced collaboratively by OCWD, the City of La
Habra and IRWD to comply with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act
(SGMA)(2014, as amended in 2015).
Orange County Stormwater Resources Plan (OC SWRP). A functionally equivalent plan, the
OC SWRP, was prepared by OC Environmental Resources (March 2017) and approved by the
State Water Resources Control Board (April 2017) to meet the requirements of SB 985 and to
provide watershed-based planning for stormwater projects in Orange County.
Natural Community Conservation Plan/Habitat Conservation Plan (NCCP/HCP) for Central
and Coastal Subregion. A NCCP/HCP was developed to protect and manage habitat
supporting a broad range of plant and animal populations that are now found within the
Central and Coastal subregion.
In addition, numerous technical studies support projects included in The OC Plan Project List
(Appendix F).
Overview of Plans and Studies Utilized by The OC Plan
The OC Plan incorporates adopted master plans for water, wastewater, and recycled water
systems in the Region, each of which includes a detailed engineering analysis of current system
conditions, future service demands, and system improvements. The OC Plan has considered
extensive local planning and technical analyses in development of goals, objectives, priorities and
projects. Utilizing existing planning to develop The OC Plan and projects has further provided
opportunities for an informed stakeholder process. Because of this collaborative process,
watershed management issues and conflicts have been clearly identified, the objectives directly
respond to those issues, and implementation of the strategies and projects has been based on
the findings and recommendations of those studies.
Planning Studies
Planning studies identify opportunities and constraints for projects in the Region. The IRWM
stakeholders consider planning studies for project development associated with meeting goals
and objectives of The OC Plan.
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Technical Studies
Technical studies are scientifically-based and measure watershed conditions to assure regulatory
compliance, as well as project prioritization and development. These studies contribute
considerable information to The OC Plan, including (but not limited to): dry and wet weather flow
analysis; trends in constituents of concern; BMP effectiveness assessments; bioaccumulation
studies; identification of sources and contribution to water quality degradation; effects of
hydromodification in creek channels; and degree of toxicity impacts within the Region.
In addition, annual monitoring reports are prepared for each TMDL. These reports summarize
water quality results relative to the methods and effluent limitations specified in the TMDL orders
issued by the Regional Water Board. A monitoring report is also prepared annually for the
County’s NPDES permit, which summarizes all monitoring results and data collection activities for
the reporting year. Every 5 years, and as mandated by Title 23 of the California Code of
Regulations and Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations, a Report of Waste Discharge (ROWD)
is prepared for issuance of a new MS4 permit. This ROWD, summarized in greater detail within
Section 2.2.5, addresses stormwater data and accomplishments over the past five years.
Finally, studies conducted by the USACE include a reconnaissance report that documents
baseline conditions. These studies are made available to stakeholders for the purpose of project
planning, permitting, and post-project comparisons. Each of these studies and regular reports
has been used in the development of The OC Plan as they identify where specific actions are
needed and offer science-based recommendations for strategies.
Such Plans and studies listed in Appendix B that were used in the development of The OC Plan
and regional planning:
Technical Analyses and Methods
Many of the Region’s monitoring programs and activities13 provide data that are useful to IRWM
planning and management in the Region. This section provides an overview and description of
efforts of particular importance to integrated, regional planning, but is not intended as a
comprehensive survey of all programs and activities. Refer to Section 6 for a more
comprehensive discussion of Data Management throughout the Region.
Surface Water Quality Monitoring
13 Monitoring is intermittent surveillance carried out to ascertain compliance with a standard or deviation from an
expected norm to: Determine compliance with standards; construct, adjust and verify predictive models; provide
information to evaluate abatement measures and identify progress against control objectives; and provide early
warning of future problems.
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Numerous federal, state, and local agencies and organizations have conducted surface water
quality monitoring in the Region over the past several decades. Watershed management area
and site-specific surface water quality monitoring efforts include the following:
Core Monitoring
Routine, ongoing water quality monitoring within the regulatory framework of the NPDES and
TMDL monitoring programs comprises the core monitoring programs referenced in The OC Plan.
This type of monitoring addresses clearly defined questions related to point, non-point and
targeted pollutant levels with a commitment to improving our understanding of County-specific
environmental issues.
Unified Program Effectiveness Assessments are prepared by the County of Orange as the
Principle MS4 Permittee in collaboration with the cities (Permittees) on an annual basis to comply
with NPDES Permit requirements; data presented summarized core monitoring associated with
NPDES and applicable TMDL compliance programs.14
Regional Monitoring
Stakeholder Group agencies also participate in and partner on regional monitoring programs,
representing periodic, collaborative, and larger-scale multi-agency surveys. Examples include:
Southern California Bight Studies, Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition, and
SAWPA Emerging Constituents Task Force.
Groundwater Monitoring
Groundwater monitoring data are collected and/or stored through a variety of monitoring
efforts/organizations in the Region. OCWD performs 13 water resource monitoring programs for
groundwater, surface water, recycled water, and imported water in relation to the Orange
County Groundwater Basin. The monitoring programs are summarized in Table 2-1.
Waste Discharge Compliance Monitoring - NPDES permits contain monitoring requirements to
verify compliance with applicable conditions. For example, the Regional Water Board has
established monitoring programs for recycled water and wastewater operations that discharge
to groundwater.
Underground Storage Tank Monitoring - The Regional Water Board and the County
Environmental Health Division require groundwater monitoring as part of regulating compliance
with underground tank regulations. Monitoring associated with UST is normally limited to the
immediate vicinity of the underground tank (to check for tank leaks). At documented remediation
14 Annual Unified Program Effectiveness Assessments can be found in the County Document Database by year
(http://prg.ocpublicworks.com/DocmgmtInternet/Search.aspx). Additional information on annual reporting can be
found on the Water Quality Monitoring page of the County website, including access to the Monitoring Data Portal
and direct access to monitoring data sets
(http://www.ocwatersheds.com/rainrecords/waterqualitydata/water_quality_monitoring_data).
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sites where leaks have been detected, however, extensive groundwater monitoring is required
to document site remediation and recovery.
Special Studies and Projects - Groundwater quality data are also periodically collected or
compiled as part of special studies, including CEQA evaluations, groundwater supply
investigations, scientific studies conducted by government or research organizations.
Geotracker (GAMA) Groundwater Information System – This is a data management system
created in response to the Groundwater Quality Monitoring Act of 2001. It integrates and
geographically displays groundwater information collected from multiple sources. It offers
analytical tools and reporting features to assess groundwater quality and water level information
to identify potential groundwater issues.
Habitat and Natural Resource Monitoring
A significant variety of habitat data has been collected within the Region. Data have been
collected as part of site-specific or project specific investigations (e.g. CEQA analyses),
educational or scientific investigations, volunteer organizations, and habitat conservation
programs. The most significant ongoing habitat monitoring programs are conducted as part of
the NCCP efforts. The NCCP identifies and provides for the regional or area-wide protection of
plants, animals, and their habitats, while allowing compatible and appropriate economic activity.
Additional Monitoring Efforts
Special Studies/Research – OC Watersheds along with cities, governmental agencies, NGOs and/
or universities has a strong commitment to advancements in water quality science through
focused special studies to answer specific issues of concern related to Orange County. For
updates on special studies, where applicable, reference annual reports and the Transitional
Monitoring Program.
Watershed Sanitary Surveys - Per the California Surface Water Treatment Rule (Title 22 of the
California Code of Regulations), every public water system using surface water is required to
conduct a comprehensive sanitary survey of its watersheds every five years. For the Region,
Metropolitan satisfies this requirement. The purpose of the Watershed Sanitary Survey is to
identify actual or potential sources of contamination or any other watershed-related factor which
might adversely affect the quality of water used for domestic drinking water. Every five years,
Metropolitan is required to prepare and submit a Watershed Sanitary Survey, which examines
possible sources of drinking water contamination in its State Water Project and Colorado River
source waters.
Southern California Coastal Water Research Project (SCCWRP) – A joint powers agency focusing
on marine environmental research for the Southern California Bight. SCCWRP gathers scientific
information so that member agencies can effectively and cost-efficiently protect the Southern
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California marine environment. Although SCCWRP initially focused on wastewater discharges
from Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTWs), SCCWRP has developed and refined urban
runoff and surface water quality monitoring programs over the past decade. The North and
Central OC IRWM Region uses scientific data and information from SCCWRP to analyze watershed
conditions within the WMAs.
Water Supply Monitoring
OCWD performs monitoring on behalf of operators of public water systems for all production
wells to ensure that water supplies comply with Safe Drinking Water Act standards. Results are
reported to the SWRCB Division of Drinking Water. Monitoring broadly encompasses several
categories of constituents, discussed in Section 2.
Sampling is conducted by water suppliers at treatment plants and within distribution systems,
and monitoring results are evaluated to ensure that applicable drinking water quality standards
are met. For regulated constituents, results are compared to Primary and Secondary MCLs, and
unregulated contaminants are evaluated against DHS Detection Limits for Purposes of Reporting
(e.g., color, corrosivity, and odor).
Monitoring for constituents for water suppliers is conducted based on a prescribed schedule,
typically quarterly, annually, or once every three, six or nine years depending on the constituent.
Water suppliers publish annual water quality reports (often provided as both hard copy mailers
and electronically on their websites) to provide water users within their service areas information
on the quality of their water, if it meets all drinking water standards, and other information the
U.S. EPA recommends.
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SECTION 2. REGION DESCRIPTION
2.1 North and Central Orange County IRWM Region
The North and Central OC IRWM Region (Region/IRWM Region) is comprised of the North OC
Watershed Management Area (WMA) and the Central OC WMA. This IRWM Plan (The OC Plan)
discusses the entire region for management, implementation and collaboration, and individual
WMAs for planning within the watersheds.
The Region exemplifies the significant issues that Southern California faces. The Region
experienced a relatively rapid transition during the 20th century from open space to agriculture
and then to urban land uses. The urban land uses included residential communities, commercial,
industrial and major military installations. The resource management strategies that prevailed
during this century of transition focused first on drainage, followed by water supply, flood
management, erosion control, and water quality, leading up the 21st century and the era of
integration and multifunctionality.
The long-term average rainfall in Orange County is 14 inches per year. The Mediterranean
climate in Orange County is characterized by brief, intense storms between October and March.
It is not unusual for a majority of the annual precipitation to fall during a few storms within a
short period of time. The higher elevation portions of the watershed (usually the headwater
areas) typically receive significantly greater precipitation, due to orographic effects. In addition,
rainfall patterns are subject to extreme variations from year to year and longer-term wet and
dry cycles. The combination of steep topography, brief intense storms, and extreme temporal
variability in rainfall result in “flashy” systems where stream discharge can vary by several orders
of magnitude over very short periods of time.
2.1.1 Watersheds, Adjoining IRWM Regions, and Overlapping Efforts
Establishing the IRWM Region to encompass both the North OC WMA and the Central OC WMA
provides the opportunity to bridge existing and developing watershed planning efforts, allowing
for more effective collaboration and greater opportunity to leverage agency resources across
jurisdictions within and outside of the watershed management areas. Commonalities within the
Region, including hydrology, water supplies, water quality, agencies, and services, make this
IRWM Region ideal for the development of partnerships.
Figure 2-1 shows the North and Central OC IRWM Region and its location in relation to the state,
surrounding counties, and the South OC IRWM Region. Figure 2-2 shows the watersheds within
the IRWM Region. Figure 2-3 shows the primary topographic features.
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Figure 2-1: North and Central OC IRWM Region and Regional Location
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Figure 2-2: Watersheds in the IRWM Region
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Figure 2-3: Primary Topographic Features
Appropriate IRWM Region
The OC Plan’s RWMG determined that the North and Central OC WMAs are an appropriate
region for integrated water planning because of the congruence with natural hydrogeologic
boundaries, its inclusion within the Regional Water Board boundaries (see Figure 2-15), a shared
groundwater basin (see Figure 2-6), and similar climate effects, all generating similar water
planning within each WMA. Additionally, the Region includes all the coastal areas in Orange
County within the Regional Water Board jurisdiction.
The OC Plan brings together short-term and long-term management strategies that will protect
and enhance water resources in the Region. Water management strategies are integrated to
provide a reliable water supply, protect and improve water quality, and achieve other objectives.
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The OC Plan is designed to help local agencies and governments manage their water,
wastewater, and ecological resources of the watersheds in an integrated manner. The OC Plan
defines the Region, identifies potential projects intended to improve water quality and supply
within the Region, investigates project feasibility, engages in long-range water planning, and
establishes project priorities of the member agencies. It is also a goal of the Region to set a
strategy to obtain funding to implement projects as funding is available. The OC Plan does not,
however, specifically create a commitment to implement projects or the resources to do so.
In the Region, integration is achieved across regional boundaries by the County, OCWD, OCSD,
MWDOC, and their member agencies. The Orange County Public Works (OC Public Works)
Department is the principal NPDES Permittee, TMDL program coordinator, and flood control
infrastructure owner and operator of countywide regional and subregional flood control
facilities. Environmental stewardship is integrated across adjacent regions through the Natural
Communities Coalition (NCC) as administrator of NCCP/HCP; environmental coalitions such as
the Orange County Coastkeeper; Friends of Harbors, Beaches, and Parks; Orange County Green
Vision; and the oversight and planning of regulatory agencies such as the California Department
of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). The OC Plan Region and the South OC WMA share County of Orange
staff.
2.1.2 North Orange County Watershed Management Area
The North OC WMA encompasses the Santa Ana River Watershed, the Lower San Gabriel
River/Coyote Creek Watershed, and the Anaheim Bay-Huntington Harbour Watershed. These
watersheds have approximately 1.8 million residents1 and provide employment for almost 1
million people. These watersheds carry the runoff for approximately one-third of Orange
County’s area, provide the riparian habitat for many flora and fauna, and include 35 miles of
ocean coastline and many of the remaining significant estuary areas along the Southern
California coastline. Four relatively flat elevated areas, known as mesas, occur along the coastal
boundary of the basin. The mesas were formed by ground surface uplift along the Newport
Inglewood Fault Zone. Ancient meandering of the Santa Ana River carved notches through the
uplifted area and left behind sand- and gravel-filled deposits beneath the lowland areas
between the mesas, known as gaps (Poland et al., 19562). Groundwater in the shallow aquifers
within the gaps, known as the Talbert and Alamitos gaps, is susceptible to seawater intrusion.
1 Population estimates in Table 2-9.
2 Poland, J. F. et al., 1956, Ground Water Geology of the Coastal Zone Long Beach-Santa Ana Area, California, USGS
Water Supply Paper 1109.
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The Talbert and Alamitos Seawater Intrusion Barriers were constructed in the 1960s to address
this problem.
Maintaining beach water quality, clean ocean water and meeting total maximum daily
load/National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (TMDL/NPDES) requirements are critical
components as are using water resources in an efficient manner. Figure 2-4 shows the location
of the North OC WMA and Figure 2-5 shows the North OC watersheds.
2.1.2.1 Anaheim Bay-Huntington Harbour Watershed
The Anaheim Bay-Huntington Harbour Watershed covers 80.35 square miles and includes
portions of the cities of Anaheim, Cypress, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Huntington
Beach, Los Alamitos, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Stanton, and Westminster.
Surface water systems provide drainage within this watershed, which includes the Bolsa
Chica Channel that provides drainage to the Anaheim Bay-Huntington Harbour, and the East
Garden Grove-Wintersburg Channel that carries flow to Bolsa Bay and ultimately to
Huntington Harbour. Westminster Channel connects to the Bolsa Chica Channel and Sunset
Channel.
Huntington Lake and Talbert Lake are also located in this watershed within Huntington
Central Park. Huntington Lake is a man-made 12-acre lake with water year-round. Talbert
Lake is 16 acres and typically dries up when groundwater levels drop during summer months.
2.1.2.2 Lower San Gabriel River/Coyote Creek Watershed
The Lower San Gabriel River/Coyote Creek Watershed covers an area of 85.49 square miles
located within the northwest corner of Orange County, which includes the Carbon Creek
Watershed. The watershed includes portions of the cities of Anaheim, Brea, Buena Park,
Cypress, Fullerton, La Habra, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Placentia, and Seal Beach.
The primary surface water body within the watershed is the Coyote Creek, which flows from
Los Angeles County to the San Gabriel River. Carbon Creek flows from the foothills to the San
Gabriel River and has six retarding basins. Other creeks and channels include Brea Creek,
Moody Creek, Fullerton Creek, and Los Alamitos Channel.
Brea Dam was constructed in 1942 primarily for flood control purposes. It is in the City of
Fullerton on Brea Creek and is owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).3
Recreation facilities, managed by City of Fullerton Community Services, have been built near
3 http://www.spl.usace.army.mil/Media/Fact-Sheets/Article/477346/dam-safety-program/
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the 87-foot high dam location and covers more than 241 acres. Normal dry-weather storage
is about 1 acre-foot, while the flood control capacity of the reservoir is 4,000 acre-feet. The
drainage area is 21.6 square miles from Brea Creek and its tributaries.
Figure 2-4: North OC Watershed Management Area Location
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Figure 2-5: North OC Watersheds
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Fullerton Dam, also located in the City of Fullerton, was constructed in 1941 for flood control
purposes and is owned by the USACE and managed by the County of Orange. Recreation
facilities have been built near the 46-foot high dam location. Normal dry weather storage
behind the dam is 1 acre-foot, while the flood control capacity of the Fullerton Reservoir is
1,342 AF with a maximum discharge of 3,640 cubic feet per second (cfs). The drainage area is
5 square miles.
Carbon Canyon Dam, located in the City of Brea within the Carbon Creek Watershed, was
constructed in 1961 for flood control purposes and is owned by the USACE and managed by
Orange County. Recreation facilities have been built near the 99-foot high dam location.
Normal dry weather storage behind the dam is 1 acre-foot, while the capacity of the
Fullerton Reservoir is 7,033 acre-feet.4 The drainage area is 19.3 square miles.
2.1.2.3 Santa Ana River Watershed
The Santa Ana River Watershed is home to over 6 million people and includes the major
population centers of parts of Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties, as well as a
sliver of Los Angeles County. Figure 2-6 shows the entire Santa Ana River Watershed.
The Santa Ana River flows over 100 miles and drains the largest coastal stream system in
Southern California. It discharges into the Pacific Ocean at the City of Huntington Beach. The
total length of the Santa Ana River and its major tributaries is about 700 miles. Forty percent
of the land area in the Region is hydrologically connected to the Santa Ana River.
The portion of the watershed within Orange County (referred to here as the “watershed”) is
located primarily in the northeast part of the county with a small portion that follows the
Santa Ana River to the ocean. The watershed includes portions of the cities of Anaheim,
Brea, Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Orange, Placentia,
Santa Ana, Villa Park, and Yorba Linda.
The primary surface waters in the watershed are the Santa Ana River and Santiago Creek,
which is the Santa Ana River’s main tributary within Orange County. The Talbert and
Huntington Beach Channels drain the western side of the watershed, carrying flow to the
Talbert Marsh along the coast. The Greenville-Banning Channel drains the eastern side of the
watershed and carries flow to the Santa Ana River.
4 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_Canyon_Dam
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Figure 2-6: Santa Ana River Watershed
The Santa Ana River Watershed
includes Santiago Dam, located at
Irvine Lake, and Villa Park Dam.
Irvine Lake (also known as the
Santiago Reservoir) captures flows
from Santiago Creek and provides
water supplies to the Serrano
Water District and the Irvine Ranch
Water District (IRWD). While IRWD
is a partial owner of the lake,
Serrano Water District runs its
operations. Irvine Lake has a
normal storage of 25,000 acre feet
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(AF) of water at 791 feet elevation. Maximum storage is 28,000 AF in the event of a flood.
The reservoir is the largest man-made lake in Orange County and is the largest body of
freshwater entirely within the county, which is contained by the 810-foot-high Santiago
Dam, and drains an area of 64 square miles. In normal weather years, less water is stored
than the maximum level. Maximum levels are only reached during wet years. After
construction in 1931, the lake served the agricultural and farming communities surrounding
Irvine Lake. Today, it is well known for fishing and recreation.
2.1.3 Central Orange County Watershed Management Area
The Central OC WMA encompasses the Newport Bay Watershed and the northern portion of the
Newport Coast Watershed. These watersheds are within the jurisdiction of the Santa Ana
Regional Board and are highly urbanized areas with challenging issues related to water quality
and protection of coastal resources and habitat. Supporting nearly 1 million people, these two
adjoining subregional watersheds lie at the southern edge of the broader Santa Ana River
Watershed. The Central OC planning area shares groundwater resources and an imported water
system with other areas in the Santa Ana region while the watershed management issues within
this area are distinct and integrally linked to the Region’s fragile coastal ecosystem. The
headwaters originate in the local foothills, and the entire area drains to the ocean, making this a
distinct planning area for water quality and ecosystem processes. Figure 2-7 shows the location
of the Central OC WMA and Figure 2-8 shows the Central OC watersheds.
This WMA, located approximately 40 miles south of Los Angeles and 70 miles north of San Diego,
includes three Critical Coastal Areas (CCA)5, two Areas of Special Biological Significance (ASBS)6,
nine miles of coastline, and a functioning estuary designated as a state ecological reserve. Areas
of Special Biological Significance are further described in Section 2.7.
5 The Critical Coastal Areas (CCA) Program is an innovative program to foster collaboration among stakeholders and
government agencies, to better coordinate resources and focus efforts on coastal watersheds in critical need of
protection from polluted runoff. An initial list of 101 CCAs https://www.coastal.ca.gov/nps/Web/cca_project.htm
6 These are 34 ocean areas monitored and maintained for water quality by the State Water Resources Control
Board. ASBS cover much of the length of California's coastal waters. They support an unusual variety of aquatic life,
and often host unique individual species. ASBS are basic building blocks for a sustainable, resilient coastal
environment and economy.
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Figure 2-7: Central OC Watershed Management Area Location
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Figure 2-8: Central OC Watersheds
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2.1.3.1 Newport Bay Watershed
The Newport Bay Watershed encompasses an area of approximately 154 square miles with
overland flows draining toward the Pacific Coast into Newport Bay. The watershed is
bounded in the northeast by the Loma Ridge Foothills and the Santa Ana Mountains. The
southern edge is bounded by the San Joaquin Hills. Between the Santa Ana Mountains and
the San Joaquin Hills lies the flat,
alluvial Tustin Plain. The lowest
area of this plain is the historical
location of the “Swamp of the
Frogs”. Runoff originating in the
northern hills now flows south
through flood control channels,
into the San Diego Creek Channel,
through the Tustin Plain, and then
into Upper Newport Bay. On the
other side of the San Joaquin Hills
is the Newport Coast Watershed,
which consists of a series of
coastal canyons that drain directly
to the ocean.
Changes in land use and the location of the former military bases within the Newport Bay
Watershed have resulted in the discharge of toxic substances, including metals and
pesticides, into San Diego Creek and Upper Newport Bay. Legacy agricultural operations have
also resulted in water quality degradation within the Region due to the use of pesticide and
fertilizers.
Lower Newport Bay, which includes Newport Harbor, has additional water quality issues
associated with metals used in boat paints. The Rhine Channel, located at the western end of
Lower Newport Bay, has been surrounded by industrial uses such as canneries, metal plating
companies, and shipyards since the 1920s. The Rhine Channel is a dead-end channel in which
toxic pollutants have accumulated in the sediment. Sediment accumulation in the bay due to
erosion from San Diego Creek and its tributaries has resulted in adverse effects on habitat in
the bay and on the use of the Lower Newport Bay channels for navigation.
2.1.3.2 Newport Coast Watershed
Before 1940, most of the Newport Coast Watershed was undeveloped and largely covered
by coastal sage scrub habitat. Some cattle grazing did occur, which disturbed the native
vegetation and caused a net increase in sediment loads in runoff and sedimentation of the
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canyon creek beds. Development of the Newport Coast Watershed began to increase in the
1940s and 1950s. Grading operations for the Shorecliff, Corona Highlands, Cameo Shores,
and Corona Highland communities, as well as transportation corridors like Highway 1,
intruded into the canyon areas along Buck Gully and Morning Canyon. One offshoot of
Morning Canyon (Surrey Canyon) was filled entirely. Since 1990, the Newport Coast
Watershed has been developed extensively, primarily for residential use.
The Newport Coast Watershed covers approximately 11 square miles and is located between
the cities of Corona Del Mar and Laguna Beach. The boundary between the Santa Ana and
San Diego Regional Water Boards falls between Muddy Canyon and Moro Canyon and
divides the Newport Coast Watershed in two.
The Newport Coast Watershed consists of eight small coastal channels (listed from north to
south): Buck Gully Creek, the Morning Canyon Channel, Pelican Point Creek, Pelican Point
Middle Creek, Pelican Point Waterfall Creek, Los Trancos Creek, Moro Canyon and Muddy
Canyon. All surface water in this coastal watershed drains to the Pacific Ocean via overland
flow and storm drain systems. The Newport Coast Watershed is bordered on the north and
northeast by the Newport Bay Watershed and contoured on the east and south by the
Laguna Coastal Streams Watershed.
Two CCAs and two ASBSs are located in the Newport Coast Watershed: 1) Newport Beach
(Robert E. Badham) Marine Life Refuge (ASBS No. 32/CCA No. 70); and 2) Irvine Coast Marine
Life Refuge (ASBS No. 33/CCA No. 71).
Figure 2-9 shows the surface water bodies in the Region. Figure 2-11, shown later, includes
the Orange County Basin Boundary (Coastal Plains of Orange County Basin).
2.1.4 Integrated Watershed Management in the Region
Agencies and stakeholders within the Region place a strong emphasis on watershed planning
and integration. Over the past decade, the County, cities, water and wastewater agencies, and
public stakeholders have participated in watershed-level planning to assess and develop projects
to enhance the overall health of the Region’s watersheds.
The overall goal of the monitoring, assessment, and research efforts is to track progress toward
solving existing problems, identify emerging issues that could become problems in the future,
and support research and development that improves our understanding of key processes and
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advances the efficiency and effectiveness of monitoring methods. The approach is detailed in
the State of the Environment Report, Santa Ana Region7 prepared in 2013.
Figure 2-9: Surface Waterbodies
Integrated planning has occurred within the watershed management areas naturally,
progressively, and due to regulatory requirements. These efforts include, but are not limited to:
• Watershed Management Plans. As presented in Section 1.1, in Orange County, there are
11 watersheds grouped into three watershed management areas. As each Watershed
Management Area (WMA) is a collaborative framework for municipalities and special
purpose agencies to work jointly and find synergies across water resource disciplines,
7 http://www.ocwatersheds.com/documents/state_of_the_environment_reports
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IRWM Plans were developed for each of the three WMAs. 8 The North and Central OC
WMAs, which include five watersheds, are included in The OC Plan for IRWM planning.
Watershed management plans that have been developed include the following:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Special Area Management Plan for San Diego Creek
Watershed. The final 2009 Special Area Management Plan (SAMP) (USACE and CDFG
2009), prepared, in conjunction with the California Department of Fish and Game’s (now
California Department of Fish and Wildlife [CDFW]) Master Streambed Alteration
Agreement (MSAA), is a cohesive, watershed-specific plan that addresses anticipated
permitting needs and compensatory mitigation, including long-term management of
aquatic resources within the watershed.
Newport Coast Watershed Management Plan. The Newport Coast comprises several
small coastal drainages southeast of Newport Bay. The City of Newport Beach developed
a watershed management plan specific to the Newport Coast (City of Newport Beach,
2007). The watershed management plan includes an analysis of the critical issues and
recommends programs and projects to reduce impacts on the critical coastal areas
(CCAs) and two areas of special biological significance (ASBS) that border the coastline.
Newport Harbor Area Management Plan, Upper Newport Bay Watershed Management
Plan and San Diego Creek Strategic Watershed Plan. The City of Newport Beach
developed a watershed management plan for Newport Harbor within Lower Newport
Bay, Upper Newport Bay, and the San Diego Creek subwatersheds. These integrated
plans will be based on an adaptive management process.
• Comprehensive Water Quality Analyses for the Watersheds. The Environmental
Monitoring Division of OC Public Works/Environmental Resources implements
monitoring programs to comply with municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4)
permit requirements on behalf of the County, the Orange County Flood Control District,
and the 34 cities of Orange County (Orange County Stormwater Program).9
The MS4 Permit Monitoring Plan for the Santa Ana Region of Orange County10
fulfills the requirements of NPDES Permit No. CAS618030, Order No. R8 -2009-0030
(amended by Order No. R8-2010-0062). The County developed a Model Water Quality
Management Plan (2011 WQMP) to assist with project development and development
project proponents with addressing post-construction urban runoff and stormwater
pollution from new development and significant redevelopment projects.
8 http://www.ocwatersheds.com/gov/pw/watersheds/programs/ourws/
9 http://www.ocwatersheds.com/rainrecords/waterqualitydata
10 http://www.ocwatersheds.com/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=9808
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• Water Quality Studies. Orange County is participating in the following efforts to
examine emerging water quality issues and environmental concerns for Southern
California at the regional scale:
o SAWPA Emerging Constituents Task Force11 – The Task Force was formed by a
Cooperative Agreement to conduct periodic emerging constituents sampling, data
management and communication in the Santa Ana River Watershed in
cooperation with the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board.
o Southern California Bight Studies12 – The Bight studies, coordinated by the
Southern California Coastal Water Research Project (SCCWRP), utilize
standardized sampling and analytical methods to produce a wide range of data
from both impacted and reference areas.
o Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC)13 – The goal of the
SMC is to develop the technical information necessary to better understand
stormwater mechanisms and impacts, and then develop the tools that will
effectively and efficiently improve stormwater decision-making. The SMC
develops and funds cooperative projects to improve the knowledge of
stormwater quality management and reports on the progress of those projects on
an annual basis.
• Orange County Reliability Study (December 2016). The Municipal Water District of
Orange County (MWDOC) completed the Orange County Reliability Study in December
2016, demonstrating the Region’s progressive approach to water management and
ongoing committed to water supply reliability. The study included estimating supply and
system gaps between forecasted water demands and existing/planned water supplies
and evaluating portfolios of supply projects that could be implemented by Metropolitan
and its member agencies. Preparation of this study involved over 25 meetings with a
workgroup represented by managers from MWDOC, MWDOC member agencies, OCWD,
and the cities of Anaheim, Fullerton and Santa Ana.
• Orange County Water District (OCWD) Groundwater Management Plan 2015 Update
(June 2015). OCWD manages the OC Groundwater Basin for the benefit of the Region’s
water suppliers. The first Groundwater Management Plan was published in 1989; the
2015 Update is the fifth update prepared in compliance with the Groundwater
Management Act and California Water Code, Section 10753.7.14 The Groundwater
Management Plan sets forth basin management goals and objectives, describes
accomplishments, explains changes in basin management, and provides information
11 http://www.sawpa.org/collaboration/projects/emerging-constituents-workgroup/
12 http://www.sccwrp.org/ResearchAreas/RegionalMonitoring/Bight13RegionalMonitoring.aspx
13 http://socalsmc.org/
14 https://www.ocwd.com/what-we-do/groundwater-management/groundwater-management-plan/
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about projects completed by OCWD in order to protect and manage the Orange County
Groundwater Basin for long-term sustainability.
• Basin 8-1 Alternative Plan (January 2017). Pursuant to the California Sustainable
Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) (2014, as amended in 2015) OCWD, the City of La
Habra and Irvine Ranch Water District completed the Basin 8-1 Alternative. SGMA
provides authority for agencies to develop and implement Groundwater Sustainability
Plans (GSP) or alternative plans. The Basin 8-1 Alternative Plan presents an analysis of
basin conditions that demonstrates that the basin has operated within its sustainable
yield over a period of at least 10 years. In addition, the Alternative Plan establishes
objectives and criteria for management that would be addressed in a GSP and is designed
to be “functionally equivalent” to a GSP. The Basin 8-1 Alternative Plan is included as
Appendix C.
• Orange County Stormwater Resources Plan (OC SWRP). A functionally equivalent plan,
the OC SWRP, prepared by OC Environmental Resources (March 2017) to meet the
requirements of SB 985 and to provide watershed-based planning for stormwater
projects in Orange County. The OC SWRP15 is included as Appendix D. The OC SWRP
aligns with The OC Plan in watershed planning, identification and prioritization of
projects and establishing watershed-based priorities inclusive of water quality, water
supply, natural resources, and flood management. The OC SWRP was also incorporated
into the Santa Ana River Watershed IRWM Plan, locally known as the One Water One
Watershed (OWOW) Plan. Four primary significant planning efforts referenced
throughout the OC SWRP are used for functional equivalency to meet the SWRP
guidelines. These include: 1) 2013/2014 Reports of Waste Discharge; 2) existing IRWM
Plans for North, Central and South Orange County; 3) Watershed Infiltration and
Hydromodification Management Plan (WIHMP) mapping tools; and 4) South OC Water
Quality Improvement Plan.
• Watershed Infiltration Hydromodification Management Plan (WIHMP) mapping tools.
Developed in 2014-15, the WIHMP mapping effort provides an initial geographic
information systems (GIS) screening tool for infiltration BMP site suitability at a
watershed and sub-watershed level. Analysis considered land use, soils, slope,
ownership, channel morphology and drainage.16
• Trash Management Plan. The Newport Bay Watershed Draft Trash Management Plan
(TMP) Framework17 was prepared as a planning level document to serve as a model for
15 Information about the Orange County Water Stormwater Resource Plan:
http://www.ocwatersheds.com/programs/ourws/oc_stormwater_resource_plan
16 WIHMP mapping data available at OC Environmental Resources GIS Portal
17 https://ocgov.app.box.com/v/north-oc-wmp-clearinghouse/folder/30327715862
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implementation throughout Orange County. The objective of the TMP Framework is to
help MS4s Permittees within the Newport Bay Watershed comply with the State of
California’s Trash Amendments to the Water Quality Control Plan for Ocean Waters of
California and Part 1 Trash Provisions of the Water Quality Control Plan for Inland Surface
Waters, Enclosed Bays, and Estuaries of California (Trash Amendments) (SWRCB 2015).
• Natural Community Conservation Plan/Habitat Conservation Plan for Central and
Coastal Subregion. A NCCP/HCP was developed to protect and manage habitat
supporting a broad range of plant and animal populations that are now found within the
Central and Coastal subregion. The Central and Coastal subregion is an extensive area
that includes the Central OC WMA. It consists of an approximately 325-square-mile area
that covers the area of central Orange County from the coast inland to Riverside County.
Along the coast, it extends from the mouth of the Santa Ana River to the mouth of San
Juan Creek; inland its boundaries follow State Route 91 along the west and El Toro Road
and Interstate 5 (I-5) to San Juan Creek to the east. To accomplish its goal, the NCCP/HCP
created a subregional habitat reserve system and implemented a coordinated program
to manage biological resources within the habitat reserve (County of Orange July 1996).
2.1.5 Social and Culture
As of the 2010 census, Orange County is the third-most populous county in California, the sixth-
most populous in the United States, and more populous than 21 states. Within the coastal zone,
population density far exceeds the nation as a whole, and this trend will continue into the
future. Protecting coastal ecosystems while managing population growth is a constant challenge.
Orange County is said to have been named for the citrus fruit in an attempt to promote
immigration by suggesting a semi-tropical paradise–a place where anything could grow. Its
county seat is Santa Ana, located in The OC Plan region. The County's four largest cities,
Anaheim, Santa Ana, Irvine, and Huntington Beach, are all within The OC Plan region, and each
have populations of approximately 200,000 or greater.
Orange County is part of the Tech Coast18 - the coastal regions of five counties: Santa Barbara,
Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego Counties. The term Tech Coast is used to
emphasize the presence of many information technology companies in this area. The area hosts
several important universities, including the University of California, Irvine.
The OC Plan region is also well known for tourism with attractions like Disneyland and Knott's
Berry Farm, and 10 beaches along its 42 miles of coastline within three cities – Seal Beach,
Huntington Beach, and Newport Beach. All this making Orange County’s cultural makeup a
18 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tech_Coast
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unique mix of surf and sand lifestyle, mariners, authentic Mexican/Hispanic culture, educational
excellence, prominent tourism, and a progressive business industry.
Human Rights to Water
In 2013, California became the first state to enact into law a State policy that “every human
being has the right to safe, clean, affordable and accessible water adequate for human,
consumption, cooking, and sanitary purposes.” (Water Code Div 1 Ch 1 Section 106.3). The Code
further states that it does not expand any obligation of the State to provide water or to require
the expenditure of additional resources to develop water infrastructure beyond the obligations
that State agencies shall consider this policy when revising, adopting, or establishing policies,
regulations, and grant criteria when those policies, regulations, and criteria are pertinent to the
uses of water described above. These requirements do not apply to water supplies for new
development and shall not infringe on the rights or responsibilities of any public water system.
In 2016, the State Water Board adopted a resolution identifying the human right to water as a
top priority and core value of the State Water Board and Regional Water Quality Control Boards
(collectively the Water Boards). The resolution stated the Water Boards will work “to preserve,
enhance, and restore the quality of California’s water resources and drinking water for the
protection of the environment, public health, and all beneficial uses, and to ensure proper water
resource allocation and efficient use, for the benefit of present and future generations.”
Water resource management in the IRWM Region considers actions and projects that will meet
the human right to safe, clean, affordable, and accessible water to support basic human needs.
2.1.6 Economic Conditions
Within the Region, there are several areas determined to be a Disadvantaged Community (DAC),
which is defined as “a community with a median household income (MHI) less than 80 percent
of the statewide average”19. Of the approximately 2.706 million residents in North and Central
OC, it is estimated that 13.8 percent20 of the population live at or below the poverty level.
Further, GIS population data from the boundaries shown in Figure 2-10 represents 21 percent
(572,485 persons) of the North and Central OC population are considered DACs. There are also
Economically Disadvantaged Areas (EDA) that generally include DACs that have a state MHI
between 80 and 85 percent of the statewide annual MHI along with other factors such as
financial hardship, unemployment and population density.
19 US Census American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Data: 2010-2014 (with a median household income [MHI] of
$61,489 and hence calculated DAC and Severely DAC thresholds of $49,191 and $36,893, respectively). A DAC is
defined as households with less than 80 percent of state annual median household income.
20 See Appendix E.
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The DWR DAC Mapping Tool21, using Census block group and Census tract data, was used to help
identify DAC and Severely DAC areas within the Region. Areas meeting this criterion were found
within nearly all cities within the Region. Figure 2-10 shows the areas of disadvantaged
communities in the Region.
2.2 Water Supplies of the Region
Water supplies for The OC Plan region include groundwater, recycled water, and imported
water. The Region has major infrastructure systems for groundwater production, drinking water
treatment, imported water delivery, wastewater collection and treatment, and recycled water
delivery, all of which provide regional benefits. The beneficial uses of surface waters include
groundwater recharge, drinking water, habitat, and recreation.
2.2.1 Groundwater
The Coastal Plain of Orange County Groundwater Basin (Basin 8-1) underlies the land area in
the Region. The basin is designated as Basin 8-1 in the Department of Water Resources
Bulletin 118 and is shown in Figure 2-11.
Approximately 90 percent of the area within Basin 8-1 is managed by the Orange County
Water District. Under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), OCWD is the
exclusive local agency within its jurisdictional boundaries with powers to comply with the
act. Historically, the approximately 10 percent of the basin outside of the jurisdiction of
OCWD has not been formally managed.
In 2016, the City of La Habra was established as the Groundwater Sustainability Agency for
the La Habra Basin and is preparing a Groundwater Sustainability Plan, as required by SGMA.
The two basins are described below.
Orange County Groundwater Basin. Water produced from the Orange County Groundwater
Basin is the primary water supply for approximately 2.4 million residents living within the
service area boundaries. The basin, managed by OCWD, contains an estimated 66 million-
acre feet (MAF) when full. OCWD manages the basin within an established operating range
of up to 500,000 AF below full condition. This operating range was established to designate
the levels of groundwater storage within which the basin that can be maintained without
causing adverse impacts. The groundwater basin is not operated on an annual safe-yield
basis. The net change in storage in any given year may be positive or negative; however, over
a period of several years, the basin is maintained in an approximate balance.
21 http://www.water.ca.gov/irwm/grants/resources_dac.cfm
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Source: DWR DAC Mapping Tool, http://www.water.ca.gov/irwm/grants/resources_dac.cfm
Figure 2-10: Disadvantaged Community Census Tracts
Recharge water sources include water from
the Santa Ana River and tributaries, imported
water, and recycled water supplied by the
Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS)
as well as incidental recharge from
precipitation and subsurface inflow. OCWD’s
conjunctive use program includes over 1,500
acres of land on which there are 1,067 wetted
acres of recharge facilities. This network of 25
facilities recharges over 250,000 afy, on
average.
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Figure 2-11: Basin 8-1 Boundary
Water resource monitoring programs for groundwater, surface water, recycled water, and
imported water are summarized in Table 2-1.
OCWD has projected the future water budget for groundwater recharge and production
under average hydrologic conditions,22 shown in Table 2-2. The future projection accounts
for new water supplies, such as increase in availability of recycled water, as an increase in
total inflow to the basin. The projected amount of groundwater production is increased
resulting in a slight positive change in storage. In the case where one or more of the new
water supplies is not available in the future, the amount of groundwater production would
be reduced to create a balanced water budget.
22 Basin 8-1 Alternative, Orange County Water District, 1/1/17
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Table 2-1
OCWD Monitoring Programs for the Orange County Groundwater Basin
Monitoring Program Purpose
Groundwater Production Manage basin storage; collect revenues based on
production
Groundwater Elevation Manage basin storage; prepare groundwater level
contour maps; manage seawater intrusion barrier
injection rates
CA Statewide Groundwater Elevation
Monitoring (CASGEM) Program
Compliance with state CASGEM program
Title 22 Water Quality Program Compliance with CA SWRCB Division of Drinking Water,
Title 22 Monitoring for more than 100 regulated and
unregulated chemicals at approximately 200 large- and
small-system drinking water wells
Groundwater Contamination Plumes Monitor location of contamination plumes and levels of
contamination to protect drinking water wells and
basin water quality
Seawater Intrusion Monitor effectiveness of existing seawater intrusion
barriers
Santa Ana River Monitoring Program Annual review to affirm that OCWD recharge practices
are protective of public health
Basin Monitoring Program Task Force Annual report prepared to comply with Regional Water
Board Basin Plan
Santa Ana River Watermaster
Monitoring
Determine annual Santa Ana River baseflow and
stormflow and TDS at two locations to comply with the
1969 judgment on Santa Ana River water rights
Prado Wetlands Evaluate changes in water quality and effectiveness of
wetlands treatment of surface water used for
groundwater recharge
Emerging Constituents Compliance with federal and state regulations
Recycled Water Monitor quality of water production by Groundwater
Replenishment System (GWRS)
Imported Water Monitor water quality of supply used for groundwater
recharge
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Table 2-2
Orange County Groundwater Basin Water Budget
Future Projection – Average Rainfall
Flow Component Acre-Feet
INFLOW
Measured Recharge
Santa Ana River Baseflow 52,000
Santa Ana River Stormflow 52,000
GWRS Recharge in Forebay 104,000
Imported Water (for groundwater recharge) 65,000
Talbert Barrier Injection 30,000
Alamitos Barrier Injections in OC 2,000
Net Estimated Unmeasured or Incidental Recharge* 62,000
TOTAL INFLOW 367,000
OUTFLOW
Groundwater Production 351,000
TOTAL OUTFLOW 351,000
CHANGE IN STORAGE +16,000
*Subsurface outflow is included within net unmeasured recharge
La Habra Groundwater Basin. The La Habra Groundwater Basin is located north of the
Orange County Groundwater Basin within the cities of La Habra and Brea. It comprises a
shallow alluvial depression between the Coyote Hills and the Puente Hills. Prior to the 1950s,
hundreds of wells produced water for domestic use and irrigation. The majority of these
wells were abandoned due to high concentrations of nitrate, total dissolved solids, and
metals, and taste and odor problems. However, in recent years, the City of La Habra has
explored options to increase groundwater production from this subbasin.
Pursuant to SGMA, the City of La Habra, under a memorandum of agreement with the City of
Brea, has been established as the GSA for the La Habra Groundwater Basin. The La Habra
City Council also approved Ordinance No. 1767 to prohibit the extraction and exportation of
groundwater underlying La Habra for use outside of the city. The ordinance was codified in
The OC PLAN
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Region Description
March 2018
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the La Habra Municipal Code as Chapter 13.31, Groundwater Extraction and Exportation, and
took effect on February 18, 2016.
To prepare for a groundwater sustainability plan, pursuant to SGMA, the La Habra GSA shall
consider the interests and work cooperatively with all beneficial uses and users of
groundwater, as wells as those responsible for implementing groundwater sustainability
plans. A list of interested parties was developed for this purpose and who will continue to
contribute throughout the process to develop a Groundwater Sustainability Plan.
The La Habra Groundwater Basin is not adjudicated. Instead, La Habra follows a “safe yield”
which is used for the management and future planning of the La Habra Groundwater Basin
for sustained beneficial use. The safe yield is the volume of groundwater that can be pumped
without depleting the aquifer to a point where it cannot recover through natural recharge
over a reasonable period of time. The safe yield for the La Habra Basin was estimated to be
approximately 4,500 AFY. This safe yield was determined through an average from two
separate studies that considered natural groundwater recharge and natural groundwater
discharge. The City of La Habra has been producing groundwater since the late 1990s and
monitoring non-pumping and pumping groundwater elevations since 2008. Previous
investigations into groundwater levels and the safe yield have been used to manage the La
Habra Groundwater Basin for over 10 years.
According to the DWR Bulletin 45 (1934), the storage capacity of the historical La Habra
Basin is approximately 153,000 AF. Approximately 57 percent of the historical La Habra Basin
is in the eastern portion of the basin which is now designated within Basin 8-1. The Cities of
La Habra and Brea overlie approximately 60 percent of the eastern portion of the historical
La Habra Basin (Stetson, 201423). Accordingly, the storage capacity of the current La Habra
Basin is approximately 55,000 AF.
Groundwater within the La Habra Groundwater Basin generally flows from the Puente Hills
in a south or southwesterly direction. Subsurface flow out of the basin occurs near Coyote
and La Mirada Creeks into the Coastal Plain of Los Angeles and at the gap between the East
and West Coyote Hills into the Coastal Plain of Orange County.
Since the City of La Habra currently depends on local groundwater to meet approximately 40
percent of its water consumption and the City of Brea uses groundwater to meet irrigation
needs, preserving the sustainability of the La Habra Basin is essential for the well-being of
the two cities. Currently (and historically), the City of La Habra manages (and has managed)
23 Stetson Engineers, Inc. 2014. Task 3 Hydrogeologic Investigation of the La Habra Groundwater Basin. Technical
Memorandum
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the La Habra Basin through management plans and programs for groundwater levels, basin
storage, water quality, groundwater export prohibition, and groundwater-surface water
interactions.
By January 2020, the La Habra GSA will manage the La Habra-Brea Management Area, shown
in Figure 2-12, through its GSP, which will describe the City’s monitoring program and ensure
that no undesirable results occur in the future.
As a key component of sustainable management, the cities of La Habra and Brea strongly
promote conservation to preserve water supplies. Both cities have sections on their websites
dedicated to water conservation in addition to including conservation guidance in their
annual Consumer Confidence Reports distributed to residents. The La Habra-Brea Basin is
currently monitored for groundwater elevations and for groundwater quality through
productions wells and historical data.
Figure 2-12: Basin 8-1 Management Areas
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for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Section 2
Region Description
March 2018
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2.2.2 Imported Water
The OC Plan supports the development and implementation of projects and programs to
build diverse water supplies. Imported water is an important water supply to meet the water
demands of the growing population of the Region. In the Region, imported water supply
accounts for approximately 25 percent of the potable water supply, and is obtained through
the regional wholesale agencies. The local water supply provides approximately 75 percent
of the local potable supply. Untreated imported water is used to replenish the groundwater
basin.
Changes in population, economic conditions, and hydrologic conditions all influence water
demand in the Region. Furthermore, the rapidly expanding housing base, increasing
population and business growth potential will dictate future water needs.
Imported water is delivered through Metropolitan from the State Water Project (SWP/Bay
Delta) and the Colorado River Aqueduct (CRA) to its member agencies. In the Region, the
member agencies are MWDOC, and the cities of Anaheim, Fullerton, and Santa Ana.
Treated imported water is received into Orange County from the Diemer Filtration Plant. As
shown in Figure 2-13, this system is shared regionally with other water agencies in South OC.
Untreated water is also delivered from the Metropolitan system into the Region and is used
primarily for groundwater recharge. Agricultural demands within the Region are declining as
development occurs, and landscape irrigation demands will be partially met by an increased
supply of recycled water. IRWD’s Irvine Lake Pipeline conveys Metropolitan untreated water
and local runoff from Irvine Lake to the Rattlesnake Reservoir. Connections along the Irvine
Lake Pipeline serve the Irvine Company agricultural irrigation systems and the IRWD recycled
water distribution system. The Baker Aqueduct also delivers Metropolitan untreated water
to Central and South OC. Use of the Baker Pipeline has declined because of the use of Allen
McColloch Pipeline (AMP) and the decline in area agriculture.
As the principal importer of water in Southern California, Metropolitan’s primary goal is to
provide reliable water supplies to meet the water needs of its service area at the lowest
possible cost. As existing imported water supplies from the Colorado River and Bay Delta
face increasing challenges, the reliability of deliveries from these sources continues to
decline.
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March 2018
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Figure 2-13: Major Water Systems Infrastructure
To address these challenges, Metropolitan and its member agencies developed an IRP in
1996. The outcome was a “Preferred Resource Mix” which would ensure Metropolitan and
its member agencies would meet their full-service retail demands without interruption
through the year 2020.
Metropolitan’s IRP has helped maintain a reliable water supply for all of Southern California
by anticipating needs and providing additional water resources to address changing
conditions. Imported sources will remain important baseline supplies but conservation and
new local supplies, such as water recycling and ocean desalination, will provide water for
growing needs. Through regional planning, education and diversification, Metropolitan and
its member agencies plan to continue to provide reliable service of imported water.
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Metropolitan’s IRP report is updated approximately every five years. The IRP was updated in
2010 and 2015. The 2015 IRP updated the total level of average-year supply targeted,
considering conservation. This IRP highlighted goals to achieve additional conservation
savings, develop additional local water supplies (target total 2.4 MAF by 2040), maintain
Colorado River Aqueduct supplies (ensure a minimum of 900,000 AF is available when
needed), stabilize SWP supplies and maximize the effectiveness of storage and transfer. The
2010 and 2015 IRP were both approved and are available. 24
Imported water is augmented through IRWD’s Strand Ranch Integrated Water Banking
Project by capturing low-cost water for underground storage during wet periods and
recovering this water for later use and importation into the IRWD service area during dry
periods or emergencies. IRWD entered into a 30-year water banking partnership with
Rosedale-Rio Bravo Storage District in Kern County. IRWD can store up to 50,000 AF in the
water bank and may recover up to approximately 17,500 AF in any single year.
IRWD is also pursuing various additional sources of water supply for the water bank such as
diverting a portion of floodwater flows in the Kern River into IRWD recharge ponds, and
other agreements to provide for storage of water with other water districts in Central
California.
2.2.3 Recycled Water
The IRWM Region uses recycled water to meet non-potable uses and for groundwater
recharge. Recycled water in the Region is produced by OCSD and OCWD from treated
wastewater produced by OCSD. IRWD also produces and distributes recycled water for non-
potable uses. Figure 2-14 shows the Region’s wastewater boundaries and transmission lines.
Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS). The GWRS is a joint project of OCSD and
OCWD. After wastewater is treated at the OCSD, it flows to the GWRS where it undergoes a
purification process consisting of microfiltration, reverse osmosis, and ultraviolet light with
hydrogen peroxide. The product water is near-distilled-quality. Approximately 35 million
gallons per day (MGD) of GWRS water are pumped into injection wells as the primary source
of water for the Talbert Seawater Barrier. Another 65 MGD are pumped to OCWD's
percolation basins – Kraemer, La Palma, Miller, and Miraloma – located in Anaheim where
the GWRS water naturally filters through sand and gravel to the deep aquifers of the
groundwater basin to increase the local drinking water supply. About 30 percent of the
water that refills the basin comes from the GWRS.
24 Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Integrated Water Resources Plan 2015 Update,
http://www.mwdh2o.com/Reports/2.4.1_Integrated_Resources_Plan.pdf, Update 8/23/2016.
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Operational since January 2008, the GWRS is a state-of-the-art water purification project
that produces up to 100 MGD of highly treated, high-quality recycled water every day. This is
enough water to meet the needs of nearly 850,000 residents within OCWD’s district
boundaries. OCWD and OCSD have worked together for more than 40 years, leading the way
in water recycling and providing a locally controlled, drought-proof and reliable supply of
high-quality water in an environmentally sensitive and economical manner.
Figure 2-14: Wastewater Boundaries and Transmission Lines
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Region Description
March 2018
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The GWRS was built to allow for two expansions. The first, completed in 2015, expanded the
project from 70 MGD to 100 MGD. Construction of the GWRS Final Expansion is scheduled to
be completed by 2023. The GWRS Final Expansion Project includes increased production
facilities at the GWRS plant in Fountain Valley, conveyance facilities to bring secondary
effluent from OCSD’s Treatment Plant No.2 in the City of Huntington Beach to the GWRS
plan, storage tanks, and additional wastewater treatment facilities. The expansion will bring
total GWRS production to 130 MGD enough water for 1 million people.
GWRS Project Benefits:
• Decreases Southern California's dependency on imported water from the Sacramento-
San Joaquin River Delta and the Colorado River
• Creates a locally controlled, reliable supply of high-quality water that is drought-resilient
• Provides Orange County communities added assurance of sufficient water supplies to
support economic vitality
• Produces high-quality water to replenish the groundwater basin
• Protects Orange County's groundwater basin from seawater intrusion
• Serves as a blueprint for water agencies throughout the world to help solve their local
water supply issues
• Protects the environment by reusing a precious resource
• Reduces the amount of wastewater discharged to the Pacific Ocean
• Uses less than half the energy required to transport water from Northern to Southern
California
• Uses one-third the energy required to desalinate seawater
• Demonstrates a successful partnership between public agencies
• Created thousands of jobs from development, construction and operation of the GWRS
• Postpones, possibly indefinitely, the need for OCSD to construct a second ocean outfall
• Designed to be expanded to increase production capacity to help meet future water
needs
• Improves groundwater quality by reducing the amount of dissolved solids (salt) in the
groundwater basin
• Produces water that meets or exceeds state and federal drinking water standards
Green Acres Project. OCWD also operates the Green Acres Project, a non-potable recycled
water supply project that utilizes a dedicated set of pipelines to deliver irrigation and
industrial water to users. Most of the recycled water is used on golf courses, greenbelts,
cemeteries, and nurseries. The Green Acres Project, in operation since 1991, reduces
demands on the Orange County Groundwater Basin by providing non-potable water for non-
potable uses.
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Region Description
March 2018
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Secondary wastewater effluent from OCSD is filtered and disinfected with chlorine to
produce approximately seven MGD of irrigation and industrial water. A portion of Green
Acres Project water is also supplied by Irvine Ranch Water District. The average amount of
water supplied through the Green Acres Project system is 7,300 AFY. Areas supplied by the
recycled water include the cities of Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Newport
Beach, and Santa Ana.
IRWD Recycled Water Program. IRWD has an extensive dual distribution system, which
delivers recycled water from its two recycling treatment plants, the Michelson Water
Recycling Plant (MWRP) and the Los Alisos Water Recycling Plant (LAWRP). Treated effluent
produced at both plants meet the water quality standards set forth in the California
Administrative Code, Title 22, Division 4 for use as recycled water.
The MWRP produces high-quality recycled water that earned IRWD the first unrestricted use
permit issued in the state, allowing recycled water to be used for virtually everything but
drinking. The permitted tertiary treatment capacity of the MWRP is currently 28.0 MGD. A
biosolids digester facility is being constructed at MWRP that will allow IRWD to digest and
dehydrate sludge which will then be converted to pelletized fertilizer.
The LAWRP, located in Lake Forest, has a tertiary treatment capacity of 5.5 MGD. Secondary
effluent from the treatment plant is pumped to either the tertiary treatment facility where it
is treated for reuse in IRWD’s Lake Forest area recycled water distribution system or, if
demands are low, to the South Orange County Wastewater Authority (SOCWA) pumping
station which directs its flows to the SOCWA effluent transmission mains and subsequent
ocean outfall.
IRWD has invested in 15 seasonal storage reservoirs with capacity of 4,536 AF to store excess
recycled water during the winter months when irrigation demands are lower for use in the
peak summer months. IRWD may also sell excess recycled water from MWRP to the OCWD
Green Acres Project from October through March and provide excess recycled water from
LAWRP to neighboring Santa Margarita Water District on an as-needed and as-available
basis. IRWD also supplements its recycled water system with non-potable groundwater.
IRWD supplies recycled water through over 500 miles of distribution pipeline, to support
over 5,400 recycled water customers that currently use approximately 30,000 AFY of
recycled water.
The OC PLAN
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Region Description
March 2018
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2.2.4 Projected Water Supplies
The OC Plan Region relies on two distinct water supply sources: 1) Local water supply; and 2)
imported water supply, which supplements and improves the Region’s water resources and
system reliability. The imported water supply is obtained through Metropolitan member
agencies in the Region. The local water supply is critical in developing and maintaining a
high-quality supply to preserve overall water supply reliability, as well as maintaining and
protecting the area’s ecological functions dependent on the availability of high quality
surface water and groundwater. Table 2-3 shows the target levels of new supply to be
developed within the Region between 2015 and 2040 in AFY.
Table 2-3
North and Central OC Targeted New Water Supplies
Local Supply FY 2015 Actual
(AFY)
Projection 2040
(AFY)
Increase
2015-2040
(AFY)
Water Use Efficiency with New
Conservation Efforts (1)
480,860 479,516
w/o additional conservation
453,465
with additional conservation
26,051
Recycling (2) 100,000 134,000 34,000
Non-Potable Recycled Water (3) 22,000 27,700 5,700
Total 602,860 640,516/614,465 65,751
WUE is actually a demand reduction; however, is presented as a supply in this comparison. Estimate by MWDOC
based on SBx 7-7 compliance by 2020 and projection to 2030. Source: OC Reliability Study Tables 4 and 7.
Recycled wastewater less lower local runoff and groundwater (increase due to expansion of the GWRS).
Includes 70% of the total Irvine Ranch Water District recycled water use forecast, the estimated percentage use
within the Central OC WMA.
Direct-use water supply sources are imported water, groundwater, and recycled water.
Existing and projected non-imported (local) potable supply source quantities for each water
supplier in North and Central OC water agency are listed in Table 2-4. Recycled (non-potable)
water supply projections are shown in Table 2-5.
The OC PLAN
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March 2018
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Table 2-4
North and Central OC Local (Non-Imported) Potable Water Supply by Water Agency
Water Agency Local Potable Water Supply Projections (AFY) 1
2015-16 2016-17 2019-20 2024-25 2029-30 2034-35 2039-40
Anaheim 46,937 44,554 43,435 46,626 46,946 46,933 47,000
Brea 50 115 115 115 115 115 115
Buena Park 9,809 9,242 9,889 11,087 11,162 11,160 11,175
East Orange County WD 0 776 776 854 893 932 971
Fountain Valley 6,802 6,090 6,274 6,759 6,750 6,750 6,750
Fullerton 18,946 18,8182 18,689 20,063 20,201 20,195 20,224
Garden Grove 17,408 19,430 19,430 20,200 20,400 20,600 20,800
Golden State – West
Orange 13,324 14,0612 14,798 14,967 15,138 15,309 15,481
Huntington Beach 20,059 19,568 19,961 21,006 21,111 21,217 21,429
IRWD 49,596 49,217 52,815 65,168 65,168 65,168 65,168
La Habra 3,630 4,200 4,200 4,200 4,200 4,200 4,200
La Palma 1,401 1,465 1,489 1,640 1,651 1,650 1,653
Mesa WD 16,844 19,444 19,444 19,510 19,576 19,642 19,709
Newport Beach 11,203 10,875 11,195 12,209 12,284 12,269 12,276
Orange County WD 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Orange 20,372 21,077 22,200 23,325 23,325 23,325 23,325
Santa Ana 26,351 29,520 29,520 27,802 27,992 27,985 28,025
Seal Beach 2,734 3,041 3,329 3,350 3,370 3,380 3,400
Serrano WD 1,757 2,100 2,200 2,200 2,200 2,200 2,200
Tustin 8,200 10,530 10,745 11,534 11,613 11,610 11,626
Westminster 8,371 8,665 8,840 9,288 9,752 10,240 10,752
Yorba Linda WD 14,181 12,215 14,660 15,760 15,870 15,880 15,890
Total 297,975 305,003 314,004 337,663 339,717 340,760 342,169
Source: MWDOC Agency Projections, October 2017
1 Does not include a portion of IRWD that lies within RWQCB - Region 9 area.
2 Data not provided by water agency; estimate based on straight line calculation from year 2015-16 to 2019-20.
The OC PLAN
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Table 2-5
North and Central OC Local Non-Potable (Recycled) Supply Projections
Water Agency Local Non-Potable Water Supply Projections (AFY) 1
2015-16 2016-17 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040
Anaheim 71 155 155 155 155 155 155
Brea 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Buena Park 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
East Orange CWD 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Fountain Valley 1,355 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500
Fullerton 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Garden Grove 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Golden State West Orange 0 0 280 353 427 500 500
Huntington Beach 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
IRWD 22,866 18,657 18,657 28,757 28,757 28,757 28,757
La Habra 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
La Palma 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Mesa WD 1,158 1,100 1,100 1,100 1,100 1,100 1,100
Newport 492 500 523 560 575 590 605
OCWD 103,000 103,000 103,000 134,000 134,000 134,000 134,000
Orange 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Santa Ana 352 300 320 320 320 320 320
Seal Beach 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Serrano WD 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Tustin 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 129,294 125,212 125,535 166,745 166,834 166,922 166,937
Source: MWDOC Agency Projections, October 2017
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Region Description
March 2018
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2.2.5 Potential New Water Supplies
Regional Recycled Water Advanced Purification Center.25 Metropolitan and the Sanitation
Districts of Los Angeles County are partners in the new Regional Recycled Water Advanced
Purification Center, a demonstration facility that will take treated wastewater from the
Sanitation Districts’ Joint Water Pollution Control Plant in Carson and applies an advanced
purification process to ensure the water is safe to reuse. Planning for this local water
sustainability project began in September 2017 to increase production and use of recycled
water. The project will produce a safe, high-quality water source that could help replenish
groundwater basins in Los Angeles and Orange counties. The project will start with a
demonstration facility, located in the city of Carson, and could eventually become one of the
largest advanced water treatment plants in the world. The 500,000-gallon-per-day
demonstration facility will take about a year to build and then operate for at least a year to
produce data for a potential full-scale plant.
The Advanced Purification Center is a 500,000 gallon/day demonstration facility, with a cost
of $17 million, and is currently under construction with operations to begin in late 2018.
The center will use both tried and tested water treatment technologies employed across the
world for decades and innovative processes – a unique application of membrane bioreactors,
reverse osmosis, and ultraviolet/advanced oxidation process – to significantly increase
efficiency in water recycling to remove contaminants such as pharmaceuticals, pesticides,
viruses, bacteria and potentially harmful chemicals down to the microscopic level, leaving
only clean water. Metropolitan will also test the innovative use of membrane bioreactors to
significantly increase efficiency in water recycling. The demonstration plant will generate the
information needed to refine the treatment process to the highest water quality standards
and assist in securing regulatory approval for construction of a full-scale recycled water
plant.
Under a full-scale program, the purified water would be pumped from Carson through a new
pipeline network to four groundwater basins in Los Angeles and Orange counties, allowing
for additional percolation into the ground and aquifer storage. Those basins, including the
Orange County Groundwater Basin, provide water for 7.2 million people and are currently
recharged with imported water, rain water, and, in some cases, recycled water. The full-scale
program, as envisioned, would produce up to 150 million gallons of purified water per day,
enough water to serve more than 335,000 homes. The facility’s estimated cost to build and
operate would result in a water cost comparable to other new local supplies. Once approved,
it is estimated to take 11 years to design and build.
25 http://mwdh2o.com/DocSvcsPubs/rrwp/index.html
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Ocean Desalinated Water. In 2000, Metropolitan developed a Seawater Desalination
Program (SDP) to provide incentives for developing new seawater desalination projects in
Metropolitan’s service area. In 2014, Metropolitan modified the provisions of its Local
Resources Program (LRP) to include incentives for locally produced seawater desalination
projects that reduce the need for imported supplies. To qualify for the incentive, proposed
projects must replace an existing demand or prevent new demand on Metropolitan’s
imported water supplies. In return, Metropolitan offers three financial incentive formulas
under the program.
Developing local supplies, including ocean desalination, is part of Metropolitan’s Integrated
Water Resource Plan (IRP) goal of improving water supply reliability in Metropolitan’s service
area, including the OC Region, and reducing pressure on imported supplies from the SWP
and Colorado River.
On May 6, 2015, the SWRCB approved an amendment to the state’s Water Quality Control
Plan for the Ocean Waters of California (California Ocean Plan) to address effects associated
with the construction and operation of seawater desalination facilities (Desalination
Amendment). The amendment supports the use of ocean water as a reliable supplement to
traditional water supplies while protecting marine life and water quality. The California
Ocean Plan now formally acknowledges seawater desalination as a beneficial use of the
Pacific Ocean and the Desalination Amendment provides a uniform, consistent process for
permitting seawater desalination facilities statewide.
One such proposed seawater desalination project in the Region is the Huntington Beach
Seawater Desalination Project, being developed by Poseidon Resources LLC (Poseidon), a
private company, that would be co-located at the AES Power Plant in the City of Huntington
Beach along Pacific Coast Highway and Newland Street. The proposed project would produce
up to 50 MGD (56,000 AFY) of drinking water to provide approximately 10 percent of Orange
County’s water supply needs.26 Poseidon is working with state agencies regarding permits for
the proposed project. On August 28, 2017, the Santa Ana Regional Board confirmed a
complete application for a Water Code section 13142.5(b) determination (feasibility of site,
design, technology, and mitigation measures considered independently and then
collectively) and Report of Waste Discharge (ROWD) for renewal/reissuance of the NPDES
Permit for the proposed desalination project. The State Lands Commission certified the
desalination project’s Supplemental Environmental Impact Report in October 2017. The
Regional Water Board will next focus on the adequacy of analysis and studies submitted as
part of the determination application and ROWD through the State Water Board’s neutral
third-party peer review process.27
26 2015 Urban Water Management Plan, Section 7.4.2, MWDOC, June 2016
27 http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water issues/programs/peer review/
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2.2.6 Projected Water Demands
Water demand projections for the Region are an outcome of a combination of sources of
information including the Orange County Reliability Study, 2015 Urban Water Management
Plans (UWMP), the OCWD Groundwater Basin Management Plan 2015 Update, the Basin 8-1
Alternative, and the 2017 MWDOC annual survey of its member agencies.
The OC Reliability Study (December 2016), led by MWDOC,28 was prepared to
comprehensively evaluate current and future water supply and system reliability for Orange
County. Water demand and supplies were evaluated for current and future conditions with a
planning horizon from 2015 to 2040 using a simulation model developed for the study. The
OC Reliability Study showed demand projections divided into three regions within Orange
County: Brea/La Habra, Orange County Groundwater Basin, and South County. The Brea/La
Habra and OC Groundwater Basin regions are representative of the North and Central OC
IRWM region.
The OC Reliability Study demand projections were obtained based on multiplying a unit
water use factor and a demographic factor for three water use sectors, including single-
family and multi-family residential (in gallons per day per household), and non-residential (in
gallons per day per employee). The unit water use factors were based on a survey of Orange
County water agencies (FY 2013-14) and represent a normal weather, normal economy, and
non-drought condition. Additionally, MWDOC worked with OCWD to determine
groundwater replenishment and seawater barrier demands. MWDOC also worked with
Center for Demographic Research at California State University, Fullerton to obtain
projections on employment and economic growth in the MWDOC service area, which was
considered when developing the demand projections.
Also included were the effects of water conservation on demand projections. Three demand
trajectories were developed representing three levels of conservation: 1) continued with
existing levels of conservation as of 2013-14 (lowest conservation), 2) addition of future
passive measures and active measures (baseline conservation), and 3) aggressive turf
removal program - 20 percent removal by 2040 (aggressive conservation). The second level
of conservation, i.e. baseline demand projection, was selected for the MWDOC 2015 UWMP.
The baseline scenario assumes the implementation of future passive measures affecting new
developments, including the Model Water Efficient Landscape, plumbing code efficiencies
for toilets, and expected plumbing code for high-efficiency clothes washers. It also assumes
the implementation of future active measures, assuming the implementation of
Metropolitan incentive programs at historical annual levels seen in Orange County. Examples
28 http://www.mwdoc.com/Uploads/OC%20Study%20Executive%20Report_with%20Appendices_1-4-
2017%20FINAL%20Low%20Resolution.pdf
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Section 2
Region Description
March 2018
2-41
of active measures include rebates for new washers and toilets for existing washers and
toilets whose water efficiency exceeds passive plumbing code requirements, and rebates for
drip irrigation systems, irrigation timers, and turf removal.
The OC Reliability Study also considered the drought impacts on demands by applying the
assumption that water demands will bounce back to 85 percent of 2014 levels i.e. pre-
drought levels by 2020 and 90 percent by 2025 and continue at 90 percent of unit water use
through 2040. The unit water use factor multiplied by a demographic factor yields demand
projections without new conservation beyond 2013-14. To account for new conservation,
projected savings from new passive and active conservation were subtracted from these
demands.
Making the necessary investments to provide an adequate water supply to meet demand
remains a critical requirement for The OC Plan region. Population, economic conditions, and
hydrologic conditions influence water demand in the Region.
Successful water use efficiency and conservation efforts have and are expected to continue
to abate the growth rate of water demand. Groundwater will continue to be the principal
source of supply in the Region, with continuing efforts to develop maximize alternative local
sources to minimize dependency on imported water. Considering water demand projections
modeled in the studies and plans discussed above, Table 2-6 shows water demand forecasts
for North and Central OC for the 20-year planning horizon. The forecasts include new passive
and active water conservation and assume normal economy and average weather
conditions. Projected water demands will increase from approximately 393,539 AFY in 2015
(under demand suppressed conditions) to 453,465 AFY in 2040 with anticipated
conservation. Based on the statistical model developed in the OC Study, a significant
downturn in local economy could reduce average demands by about 13 percent, while
hot/dry weather could increase average demands by as much as 6 to 9 percent.29
29 Detail on demand forecasts are included in Appendix B and Appendix G of the Orange County Reliability Study,
MWDOC, December 2016
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Region Description
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Table 2-6
North and Central OC WMA Water Demand Projections by Basin Region
Basin Region Water Demand Forecast with Conservation Measures (AFY)
2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040
OC Basin 372,586 400,941 430,396 433,350 433,233 433,854
La Habra/Brea Basin 20,953 18,429 19,598 19,626 19,663 19,611
Total North and
Central OC Region 393,539 419,370 450,354 452,976 452,866 453,465
Source: OC Reliability Study, MWDOC, December 2016, Tables 1 and 2, and Appendix B, Table 4 for La Habra/Brea
2015 demand
Since the Region imports a significant amount of its water from outside of the Region, there
is concern about either planned or emergency outages of the import system that could be
caused by natural or man-made events resulting in a disruption of water supply. Supply
concerns could be caused specifically by:
• Planned shutdowns for imported delivery and treatment system maintenance and
upgrades;
• Emergency shutdowns or outages of facilities such as Metropolitan’s Diemer Water
Filtration Plant or major supply pipelines;
• Prolonged droughts on the State Water Project and/or Colorado River Aqueduct
imported water systems; or
• Delays in the development of other planned local water projects.
A goal of The OC Plan is for all North and Central OC agencies to work together to make the
necessary investments to mitigate or minimize impacts from these types of events.
Implementation of water use efficiency (WUE) programs and development of local supply
sources, regional interconnections and other infrastructure will help to protect the Region’s
system. Water transfers from outside of the WMAs will also be beneficial to add a layer of
insurance with respect to future droughts on the SWP or CRA systems.
Metropolitan and MWDOC have both developed complementary strategies to help insure
the continued delivery of high-quality imported water supplies. Water remains a valuable
resource and it is imperative that Southern California continues to develop and implement
alternative strategies to meet the demands of a growing population. The OC Plan is
consistent with the strategies of these regional water agencies and, like them, emphasizes a
diversification of supplies.
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• WUE practices focus on the five BMPs for urban WUE in California and include Utility
Operations (Conservation Coordinator, Water Loss Control, Metering With
Commodity Rates, and Retail Conservation Pricing), Education Programs (Public
Information and School Education), Residential (home water surveys, low-flow
showerhead and toilet retrofits), Commercial, Industrial and Institutional (Technical
Assistance and Incentives, Landscape Irrigation Budgets and Incentives). These BMPs
offer cost-effective opportunities to moderate the amount of imported and local
water supplies required by municipal and industrial users. These programs are
offered both regionally by MWDOC and Metropolitan and locally by individual retail
water agencies.
• Water recycling already occurs at a significant level in the Region, but efforts can be
extended to satisfy additional needs, particularly non-domestic demands for
irrigation uses. Local recycling systems require upgrades and expansions to continue
to maximize and increase supplies.
• Groundwater replenishment is a significant program in the Region.
• Stormwater and dry-weather runoff capture for irrigation is also being incorporated
into the overall water supply portfolio that includes ecosystem, surface and ocean
water quality benefits.
• Surface water capture and treatment for potable and non-potable supply and
improved riparian habitats is also considered a critical aspect of local water supply to
meet demands.
2.3 Water-Related Objectives and Conflicts
Water Supply Diversification – Reducing Dependence on Delta Supply. Complementary
strategies have been developed by Metropolitan and MWDOC – the regional water wholesalers
– to provide incentives for the development of local resources and ensure the continued
delivery of high-quality supplemental imported water. Water remains a valuable resource, and it
is imperative that Southern California continues to develop and implement alternative strategies
to meet the demands of a growing population. The IRWM Plan is consistent with the strategies
of these regional water agencies, emphasizing a diversification of supplies. Diversification of
supplies serves two significant goals: improvement in water supply reliability and reduction in
the Region’s reliance on the water from the Bay-Delta.
• Water use efficiency practices focus on the California Water Efficiency Partnership’s
(CalWEP), formerly California Urban Water Conservation Council, five BMPs and
supporting sub-BMPs30 for promoting the conservation and efficiency of urban water use
30 http://calwep.org/Resources; The CalWEP Bylaws amendments adopted by members in December 2016 changed
the Council’s principal purpose from MOU implementation (and by extension BMP adoption) to other activities that
promote conservation and efficiency. The Partnership is no longer developing new BMPs or amending existing ones.
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Section 2
Region Description
March 2018
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in California. The five major BMPs include BMP 1: Utility Operations, BMP 2: Public
Education and School Education, BMP 3: Residential Programs, BMP 4: Commercial,
Institutional, and Industrial Programs, and BMP 5: Landscape Programs. These BMPs may
be cost-effective opportunities to moderate the amount of imported and local water
supplies required by municipal and industrial users. Some of the programs under these
BMPs are offered both regionally by MWDOC and locally by individual water agencies.
• Water recycling already occurs at a significant level in the Region, but efforts can be
extended to satisfy additional needs, particularly nondomestic demands for irrigation
uses. Local water recycling systems require upgrades and expansions to continue to
maximize and increase supplies.
• Surface water for non-potable supply, groundwater basin recharge, and improved
riparian habitats is a critical for local water supply, and efforts to improve surface water
quality are progressing by means of the implementation of the TMDLs and the use of
BMPs.
• Groundwater is the primary local water source for satisfying the demand for potable
water. Maximizing the benefit of this water resource requires treatment for nitrates,
TDS, toxic plumes, and colored water.
• In the historical Swamp of the Frogs area, significant amount of shallow groundwater
seeps into local storm drains and channels through cracks, weep holes, and unlined
sections of channels. At multiple locations, shallow groundwater must be pumped
continuously to maintain structural integrity of foundations of several road under-
crossings. These groundwater-related discharges have elevated selenium and nitrate but
are otherwise of good quality. They can potentially be collected and used to supplement
the local water supply. Maximizing the benefit of this water resource requires recurrent
water quality monitoring and remediation of poor quality water and contamination when
necessary.
Water Resource Management Challenges. As is the case with much of Southern California, the
OC Region faces many water resources management challenges. Among these are the following:
• Adequate, reliable water supply: Although the Region has significant groundwater
resources it still receives approximately one-third of its water from imported sources.
Environmental constraints such as drought and impacts from the Delta are affecting the
reliability of the imported water supply. Changes in the climate have increased the length
of the fire season resulting in an increase in demand for potable water and the need to
maintain sufficient infrastructure to fight fires.
The existing BMPs are the Council’s legacy to utilities that are just starting water conservation and efficiency
programs, or that need to ramp programs up quickly.
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Region Description
March 2018
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• Growth, economic sustainability, recreation: The Region is continually growing which
means that there is a greater demand for potable water, a greater amount of wastewater
generated, and more need for recreational resources. Economic stability relies on
implementing cost effective solutions to these growth-related issues. Land-use decisions
play a key role in developing a sustainable region.
• Water quality standards: Water quality standards for urban runoff that stem from the
Clean Water Act are becoming increasingly stringent. Local agencies in the Region are
challenged to meet the regulatory water quality standards in a cost-effective manner to
maintain lasting results.
• Ecosystem impacts: Urbanization is often accompanied by stormwater and urban runoff,
wastewater spills, invasive species and erosion, all can negatively impact ecosystems in
the Region. Functioning ecosystems offer a wide range of benefits for water supply,
water quality and habitat and therefore should be rehabilitated and preserved for the
future.
• Habitat: Habitat areas in the Region include the following: Bolsa Chica wetlands, Seal
Beach National Wildlife Refuge, Coyote Creek, Brea Creek, Fullerton Creek, Huntington
Beach State Park, and Newport Bay, these areas include wetlands, associated beach,
coastal, and shoreline habitat. Additional habitat areas include Peters Canyon Regional
Park, Santiago Creek parks, and the Santa Ana River mainstem.
• Aging infrastructure: Outdated and deteriorating wastewater and water conveyance
systems can cause leaks, sewage spills and have inadequate capacity to handle increased
flows resulting in impacts to surface, groundwater and ocean water quality.
Multipurpose projects that include the rehabilitation of water and wastewater
infrastructure are important for improving water quality standards.
• Climate change: Climate change will influence how the Region manages water resources
and water supply availability for humans, wildlife, and habitat needs. Climate change has
also affected the length of the fire season, extending it longer into the year. Addressing
these issues now will help the Region prepare for current and future impacts.
2.4 Water Quality of the Region
Water Quality Regulations. Adopted water quality regulations, based on Federal and State
Laws, exist for potable water supply (drinking water), surface and groundwater receiving waters,
and recycled water used for a variety of purposes. Ensuring that these waters meet regulatory
standards allows for a healthy environment and protects public health.
The OC PLAN
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Region Description
March 2018
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Drinking Water Regulations. The Federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) provides the basis for
national and state regulations governing the supply of safe drinking water. The SDWA formed
the basis for the California Safe Drinking Water Act. This act gives authority to the SWRCB
Division of Drinking Water to protect the public from any contaminant that could adversely
affect public health in the public water system. The SWRCB Division of Drinking Water maintains
a list of water contaminants and establishes maximum contaminant levels (MCL). This list
includes all federal MCLs and each MCL must be equal to or more stringent than the US
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) MCLs. Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations
defines drinking water MCLs and treatment requirements for potable water, groundwater
recharge, and recycled water.
Surface Water Quality Regulations. The regulatory basis for protection of all inland surface
waters, estuaries, and coastal waters in the United States is governed by the Clean Water Act
(CWA), which is comprised of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (1948) and its
amendments of 1972, 1977, 1981, and 1987. In California, the primary statute governing water
quality is the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act (Porter-Cologne Act) (Water Quality,
Division 7 of the California Water Code, as amended to Statutes 2016), which grants broad
powers to protect water quality to the California State Water Resources Control Board SWRCB)
and nine California Regional Water Quality
Control Boards (Regional Boards). Through
this, the SWRCB and Regional Boards have the
authority to adopt plans and policies to
regulate discharges to surface and
groundwater (which is not covered under the
CWA), to regulate waste disposal sites, and to
require cleanup of discharges of hazardous
materials and other pollutants. The governing
Regional Board for the North and Central OC
IRWM Region is the Santa Ana Regional Water
Quality Control Board, as shown in Figure 2-15.
The Porter-Cologne Act requires:
1) The State Board adopt and implement an Ocean Plan and an Enclosed Bays and Estuaries
Policy to protect human health and marine species in ocean and coastal waters, such as
Huntington Harbour; and
2) Regional Boards adopt and regularly update a Water Quality Control Plan (Basin Plan) to
protect inland freshwaters and estuaries, such as Coyote Creek and the Santa Ana River.
The OC PLAN
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Region Description
March 2018
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The primary methods of enforcing these regulations are through the issuance of NPDES Permits
and Waste Discharge Requirements.
NPDES Permits and Waste Discharge Requirements. In California, the Regional Boards have the
responsibility of controlling discharges from point sources through the issuance of NPDES
permits. These permits regulate discharges of both wastewater and urban runoff to surface
water bodies for municipal and industrial wastewater and stormwater runoff from MS4 systems,
industrial and construction sites. Permit requirements are based on technology-based limits for
wastewater and maximum extent practicable standard for stormwater intended to meet water
quality standards. The fourth term permit was issued by the Santa Ana Regional Board on May
22, 2009 for the County of Orange, OCFCD and 25 incorporated cities, which includes all the
cities (referred to as the permittees) in the Region.
Figure 2-15: Regional Water Quality Control Boards
The OC PLAN
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Region Description
March 2018
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Local Surface Water Quality. Beneficial uses of surface water are identified for water bodies in
the United States, as required by the federal Clean Water Act of 1972 and serve as the basis for
determining how clean is clean enough. Table 2-7 shows the beneficial uses associated with
each water body in the Region whose uses are defined in Table 2-8.
Table 2-7
Beneficial Uses of Water Bodies in North and Central OC IRWM Region
MU
N
AG
R
IN
D
PR
O
C
GW
R
NA
V
PO
W
RE
C
-1
RE
C
-2
CO
M
M
WA
R
M
LW
R
M
CO
L
D
BI
O
L
WI
L
D
RA
R
E
SP
W
N
MA
R
SH
E
L
ES
T
Hydro
-logic
Unit
Lakes
Lower Santa Ana River Basin
La Habra X X 845.62
Santiago X X X 801.12
Orange X X X X 801.11
Irvine X X X X 801.11
Bays, Estuaries, and Tidal Prisms
Los Cerritos
Wetlands + X X X X X X X 801.11
Anaheim Bay -
Outer Bay + X X X X X X X X 801.11
Anaheim Bay – Seal
Beach National
Wildlife Refuge
+ X X X X X X X X X 801.11
Sunset Bay –
Huntington Harbor + X X X X X X X X 801.11
Bolsa Bay + X X X X X X X X 801.11
Bolsa Chica
Ecological Reserve + X X X X X X X X X 801.11
Lower Newport Bay + X X X X X X X X X 801.11
Upper Newport Bay + X X X X X X X X X X 801.11
Santa Ana River
Salt Marsh + X X X X X X X 801.11
Huntington Beach
Wetlands + X X X X X X X 801.11
Tidal Prism of Santa
Ana River and
Newport Slough
+ X X X X X X 801.11
Tidal Prism of San
Gabriel River –
River Mouth to
Marina Drive
+ X X X X X X X X X 845.61
Tidal Prism of Santa
Ana-Delhi Channel
– Bicycle Bridge at
University Dr. at
Upper Newport Bay
+ u X X X X 801.11
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Section 2
Region Description
March 2018
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Table 2-7
Beneficial Uses of Water Bodies in North and Central OC IRWM Region
MU
N
AG
R
IN
D
PR
O
C
GW
R
NA
V
PO
W
RE
C
-1
RE
C
-2
CO
M
M
WA
R
M
LW
R
M
CO
L
D
BI
O
L
WI
L
D
RA
R
E
SP
W
N
MA
R
SH
E
L
ES
T
Hydro
-logic
Unit
to 1036 ft.
upstream
Tidal Prisms of
Greenville Banning
Channel – Santa
Ana River
Confluence to
Inflatable Dam^
u X X X X 801.11
Tidal Prisms of
flood control
channels
discharging to
coastal or bay
waters
+ X X X X X 801.11
Ocean Waters
SWQPA
(former ASBS) X X X X X
Newport Bay X X X X X
Inland Surface Streams – Lower Santa Ana River Basin
Santa Ana River
Reach 1 – Tidal
Prism to 17th
Street in Santa
Ana
+ X2 X • • 801.11
Reach 2 – 17
Street in Santa
Ana to Prado
Dam
+ X X X X X X X 801.11
Aliso Creek X X X X X X X 845.63
Carbon Canyon
Creek X X X X X X X 845.63
Santiago Creek
Reach 1 – below
Irvine Lake X X X2 X X X 801.12
Reach 2 – Irvine
Lake 801.12
Reach 3 – Irvine
Lake to Modjeska
Canyon
• • • • • • 801.12
Reach 4 – in
Modjeska Canyon X X X X X X 801.12
Silverado Creek X X X X X X 801.12
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Section 2
Region Description
March 2018
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Table 2-7
Beneficial Uses of Water Bodies in North and Central OC IRWM Region
MU
N
AG
R
IN
D
PR
O
C
GW
R
NA
V
PO
W
RE
C
-1
RE
C
-2
CO
M
M
WA
R
M
LW
R
M
CO
L
D
BI
O
L
WI
L
D
RA
R
E
SP
W
N
MA
R
SH
E
L
ES
T
Hydro
-logic
Unit
Black Star • • • • • • 801.12
Ladd Creek • • • • • • • 801.12
San Diego Creek
Reach 1 – below
Jeffrey Road + X2 X X X 801.11
Reach 2 – above
Jeffrey Road to
headwaters
+ • • • • • 801.11
Other tributaries:
Bonita Creek,
Serrano Creek,
Peters Canyon
Wash, Hicks
Canyon Wash,
Bee Canyon
Wash, Borrego
Canyon Wash,
Agua Chinon
Wash, Laguna
Canyon Wash,
Rattlesnake
Canyon Wash,
and other
tributaries of
these creeks
+ • • • • • 801.11
Sand Canyon
Wash + • • • • • 801.11
Santa Ana-Delhi Channel
Reach 1 – upper
boundary of Tidal
Prism to
intersection of
Sunflower Ave./
Flower St.
+ u X X X X
Reach 2 –
Sunflower Ave./
Flower St.
intersection to
Warner Ave.
+ u X X X 801.10
Wetlands
San Joaquin
freshwater marsh + X X X X X X 801.11
Source: Santa Ana Region Basin Plan, Chapter 3, Table 3-1, Beneficial Uses, Updated February 2016
X = Existing or potential beneficial use SWQPA = state water quality protection area
• = Intermittent beneficial use WMA = Watershed Management Area
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Region Description
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+ = Excepted from the municipal and domestic supply 1 Access prohibited per agency with jurisdiction
^ = Diversion Dam is 0.23 mile downstream of confluence with the
Fairview Channel
2 Access prohibited in all or part by County of Orange
ASBS = area of special biological significance U = REC 1 and/or REC 2 are not attainable uses
Table 2-8
Definition of Beneficial Uses of Water
MUN
Municipal and domestic supply (MUN) waters are used for community, military, municipal,
or individual water supply systems. These uses may include, but are not limited to, drinking
waters supply.
AGR
Agricultural supply (AGR) waters are used for farming, horticulture, or ranching. These uses
may include, but are not limited to, irrigation, stock watering, and support of vegetation for
range grazing.
IND
Industrial service supply (IND) waters are used for industrial activities that do not depend
primarily on water quality. These uses may include, but are not limited to, mining, cooling
water supply, hydraulic conveyance, gravel washing, fire protection, and oil well
repressurization.
PROC
Industrial process supply (PROC) waters are used for industrial activities that depend
primarily on water quality. These uses may include, but are not limited to, process water
supply and all uses of water related to product manufacture or food preparation.
GWR
Groundwater recharge (GWR) waters are used for natural or artificial recharge of
groundwater for purposes that may include, but are not limited to, future extraction,
maintaining water quality, or halting saltwater intrusion into freshwater aquifers.
NAV Navigation (NAV) waters are used for shipping, travel, or other transportation by private,
commercial, or military vessels.
POW Hydropower generation (POW) waters are used for hydroelectric power generation.
REC-1
Water contact recreation (REC-1) waters are used for recreational activities involving body
contact with water where ingestion of water is reasonably possible. These uses may
include, but are not limited to, swimming, wading, water-skiing, skin and SCUBA diving,
surfing, whitewater activities, fishing, and use of natural hot springs.
REC-2
Noncontact water recreation (REC-2) waters are used for recreational activities involving
proximity to water but not normally involving body contact with water where ingestion of
water would be reasonably possible. Uses may include, but are not limited to, picnicking,
sunbathing, hiking, beachcombing, camping, boating, tidepool and marine life study,
hunting, sightseeing, and aesthetic enjoyment in conjunction with the above activities.
COMM
Commercial and sportfishing (COMM) waters are used for commercial or recreational
collection of fish or other organisms, including those collected for bait. These uses may
include, but are not limited to, uses involving organisms intended for human consumption.
WARM
Warm freshwater habitat (WARM) waters support warm-water ecosystems that may
include, but are not limited to, preservation and enhancement of aquatic habitats,
vegetation, fish, and wildlife, including invertebrates.
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Table 2-8
Definition of Beneficial Uses of Water
LWRM
Limited warm freshwater habitat (LWRM) waters support warm-water ecosystems that are
severely limited in diversity and abundance as the result of concrete-lined watercourses
and low, shallow dry-weather flows that result in extreme temperature, pH, and/or
dissolved oxygen conditions. Naturally reproducing finfish populations are not expected to
occur in LWRM waters.
COLD
Cold freshwater habitat (COLD) waters support cold-water ecosystems that may include,
but are not limited to, preservation and enhancement of aquatic habitats, vegetation, fish,
and wildlife, including invertebrates.
BIOL
Preservation of biological habitats of special significance (BIOL) waters support designated
areas or habitats, including, but not limited to, established refuges, parks, sanctuaries,
ecological reserves or preserves, and areas of special biological significance, where the
preservation and enhancement of natural resources require special protection.
WILD
Wildlife habitat (WILD) waters support wildlife habitats that may include, but are not
limited to, the preservation and enhancement of vegetation and prey species used by
waterfowl and other wildlife.
RARE
Rare, threatened, or endangered species (RARE) waters support habitats necessary for the
survival and successful maintenance of plant or animal species designated under state or
federal law as rare, threatened, or endangered.
SPWN Spawning, reproduction, and development (SPWN) waters support high-quality aquatic
habitats necessary for reproduction and early development of fish and wildlife.
MAR
Marine habitat (MAR) waters support marine ecosystems that include, but are not limited
to, preservation and enhancement of marine habitats, vegetation (e.g., kelp), fish and
shellfish, and wildlife (e.g., marine mammals and shorebirds).
SHEL
Shellfish harvesting (SHEL) waters support habitats necessary for shellfish (e.g., clams,
oysters, limpets, abalone, shrimp, crab, lobster, sea urchins, and mussels) collected for
human consumption, commercial, or sports purposes.
EST
Estuarine habitat (EST) waters support estuarine ecosystems, which may include, but are
not limited to, preservation and enhancement of estuarine habitats, vegetation, fish and
shellfish, and wildlife, such as waterfowl, shorebirds, and marine mammals.
Impaired Water Bodies and Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs31). For the beneficial uses
established by the Basin Plan, water quality objectives are adopted to protect these established
beneficial uses. If a water body’s beneficial uses are impaired, then the water body is listed as
31 A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) is a regulatory term in the U.S. Clean Water Act, describing a plan for
restoring impaired waters that identifies the maximum amount of a pollutant that a body of water can receive while
still meeting water quality standards.
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“impaired” per Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act, and Regional Boards are required to
prepare TMDLs. Once a TMDL has been adopted and is being implemented, the listing comes off
the 303(d) list. The TMDL is then written into and adopted in the local NPDES permit, which then
governs the implementation schedule.
The Central OC WMA began addressing water quality impairments during the 1970s due to
increased sediment to Newport Bay. The County of Orange began investigations into the erosion
within drainage channels in collaboration
with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). In
1983, a group of local agencies and The
Irvine Company formed a partnership to
begin to address sediment management
needs in the watershed. That collaboration
has since expanded into the Newport Bay
Watershed Executive Committee, and the
regional governance structure now in place
to address water quality issues and to
oversee IRWM planning in an advisory
capacity.
In 1998, the Regional Water Board began a detailed evaluation of water quality in the Newport
Bay Watershed and determined that several water bodies were impaired Act. Consequently,
TMDLs have been established for four general pollutant categories (sediment, nutrients, fecal
coliform bacteria, and toxic pollutants). TMDL implementation sets the amount of pollution that
needs to be reduced and assigns responsibility for the reduction.
San Diego Creek, the Peters Canyon Channel, Upper Newport Bay, Lower Newport Bay, and the
Rhine Channel are listed on the U.S. EPA Section 303(d) list of impaired water bodies due to fecal
coliform bacteria, organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), metals, and
sediment toxicity (California Water Board 2012). The U.S. EPA and the Regional Water Board
have implemented TMDLs for San Diego Creek and Newport Bay for toxic pollutants (including
pesticides and metals), sediment, and nutrients. Additionally, a TMDL for fecal coliform bacteria
has been established for Newport Bay. The TMDLs have been established to restore the
beneficial uses of and improve water quality in the Newport Bay Watershed.
Development in Newport Coast Watershed’s eight coastal canyons that drain directly to the two
ASBS have caused hydromodification and increased urban runoff containing fertilizers, metals,
bacteria, and sediment. Three reaches – Borrego Creek, San Diego Creek, Serrano Creek – within
this watershed are included on the 303(d) list for impaired water quality.
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Region Description
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As introduced in Section 2.1.2, the Santa Ana River Watershed, the Lower San Gabriel
River/Coyote Creek Watershed, and the Anaheim Bay-Huntington Harbour Watershed carry
runoff for approximately one-third of Orange County’s area. Since these watersheds also provide
the riparian habitat for many flora and fauna and include 35 miles of ocean coastline and many
of the remaining significant estuary areas along the Southern California coastline, high water
quality is vital. Beach closures, clean oceans and meeting TMDL/NPDES requirements are critical
components of planning.
Within the North OC WMA, no TMDLs have been adopted to date. Table 2-9 shows the 2012
Clean Water Act Section 303(d) List of Water Quality Limited Segments currently requiring
TMDLs within The OC Plan region. Figure 2-16 shows the impaired main water bodies within the
Region.
Table 2-9
2012 Clean Water Act Section 303(d) List of Water Quality Limited Segments Requiring TMDLs
in the North and Central OC IRWM Region by WMA
Water Body Water Body Type Pollutants Est. TMDL Completion
North OC WMA
Bolsa Chica Channel River & Stream
5.1 miles
Ammonia
Indicator Bacteria
pH
2021
2021
2021
Bolsa Chica State Beach Coastal & Bay Shoreline
2.64146 miles
Copper
Nickel
2019
2019
Coyote Creek River & Stream
13 miles
Ammonia
Copper, dissolved
Dizinon
Indicator Bacteria
Lead
Toxicity
pH
2021
2007
2019
2009
2007
2008
2019
East Garden Grove
Wintersburg Channel
River & Stream
2.9 miles
Ammonia 2021
Anaheim Bay Bay & Harbor
402 acres
Dieldrin
Nickel
PCBs
Sediment Toxicity
2019
2019
2019
2019
Huntington Beach State
Park
Coastal & Bay Shoreline
5.78956 miles
PCBs 2019
Huntington Harbour Bay & Harbor
221 acres
Chlordane
Copper
Lead
Nickel
Pathogens
2019
2019
2019
2019
2019
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Table 2-9
2012 Clean Water Act Section 303(d) List of Water Quality Limited Segments Requiring TMDLs
in the North and Central OC IRWM Region by WMA
Water Body Water Body Type Pollutants Est. TMDL Completion
PCB
Sediment Toxicology
2019
2019
Santa Ana Delhi Channel River & Stream
6.77845 miles
Indicator Bacteria 2021
Santiago Creek Reach 4 River & Stream
10 miles
Salinity/TDS/Chlorides 2019
Seal Beach Coastal & Bay Shoreline
0.534905 miles
Enterococcus
PBBs
2019
2019
Central OC WMA
Balboa Beach Coastal & Bay Shoreline
1.81906 miles
DDT
Dieldrin
PCBs
2019
2019
2019
Borrego Creek River & Stream
3.15 miles
Ammonia
Indicator Bacteria
2021
2021
Buck Gully Creek River & Stream
0.30451 miles
Fecal Coliform
Total Coliform
2019
2019
Los Trancos Creek River & Stream
0.189866 miles
Fecal Coliform
Total Coliform
2019
2019
Morning Canyon Creek River & Stream
1.06678 miles
Indicator Bacteria 2021
Newport Bay Upper
(Ecological Reserve)
Estuary
654 acres
Chlordane
Copper
DDT
Indicator Bacteria
Metals
Nutrients
PCBs
Pesticides
Sediment Toxicity
Sedimentation/Siltation
2019
2007
2019
2000
2019
1999
2019
2004
2019
1999
Newport Bay Lower (entire
lower bay, including Rhine
Channel, Turning Basin and
South Lido Channel to east
end of H-J Moorings)
Bay & Harbor
767 acres
Chlordane
Copper
DDT
Indicator Bacteria
Nutrients
PCBs
Pesticides
Sediment Toxicity
2019
2007
2019
2009
1999
2019
2004
2019
Newport Slough River & Stream
1.3489 miles
Enterococcus
Fecal Coliform
Total Coliform
2021
2021
2021
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Table 2-9
2012 Clean Water Act Section 303(d) List of Water Quality Limited Segments Requiring TMDLs
in the North and Central OC IRWM Region by WMA
Water Body Water Body Type Pollutants Est. TMDL Completion
Peters Canyon Channel River & Stream
3 miles
DDT
Indicator Bacteria
pH
Toxaphene
2019
2021
2021
2019
San Diego Creek Reach 1 River & Stream
7.83 miles
Fecal Coliform
Nutrients
Pesticides
Sedimentation/Siltation
Selenium
Toxaphene
2019
1999
2004
1999
2007
2019
San Diego Creek Reach 2 River & Stream
6.27476 miles
Indicator Bacteria
Nutrients
Sedimentation/Siltation
Unknown Toxicity
2021
1999
1999
2004
Serrano Creek River & Stream
7.2 miles
Ammonia
Indicator Bacteria
pH
2021
2021
2021
Silverado Creek River & Stream
11 miles
Pathogens
Salinity/TDS/Chlorides
2019
2019
Source: California State Water Resources Control Board, Final 2012 California Integrated Report (Clean Water Act Section
303(d) List / 305(b) Report)32
Trash Management. Trash management discharged to local water bodies is an important
element in the watershed. The county and cities are planning a countywide trash management
plan in order to help MS4 Permittees to comply with the State of California’s Trash Provisions to
the Water Quality Control Plan for Ocean Waters of California and Part 1 Trash Provisions of the
Water Quality Control Plan for Inland Surface Waters, Enclosed Bays, and Estuaries of California
(Trash Provisions).
One primary intent of the requirements is significant reductions in the discharge of trash to local
water bodies from cities and counties throughout the state. The Trash Provisions define trash as
follows:
Trash means all improperly discarded solid material from any production, manufacturing,
or processing operation including, but not limited to, products, product packaging, or
containers constructed of plastic, steel, aluminum, glass, paper, or other synthetic or
natural materials.
32 http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/tmdl/integrated2012.shtml
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Figure 2-16: Impaired Water Bodies
A central element of the statewide Trash Provisions is a land-use based compliance approach
that focuses trash controls in areas with high trash generation rates, which are referred to as
“priority land uses.” The Trash Provisions define priority land uses as those land uses that have
been developed (i.e., not simply zoned) as high-density residential, industrial, commercial, mixed
urban, and public transportation stations. The Trash Provisions also allow Permittees to propose
alternative equivalent land uses that better represent high-trash generating areas.
Since the Trash Provisions have not yet been implemented through the Orange County MS4
Permit, the Santa Ana Regional Board is implementing the initial steps of the Trash Provisions
through the orders issued on June 2, 2017 in accordance with Water Code section 13383, as
specified in the Trash Provisions.33
33 http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/santaana/water_issues/programs/stormwater/oc_permit.shtml
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Recycled Water Regulations. The supply and use of recycled water is regulated by the Santa Ana
Regional Board and the SWRCB Division of Drinking Water. Title 22 defines requirements for the
treatment, delivery and use of recycled water for non-potable uses as well as groundwater
recharge.
Ocean Water Quality Monitoring Regulations. The land and ocean are inextricably linked, and
much of the water pollution in California ends up in the ocean. As discussed, ocean water quality
is regulated by the Clean Water Act and Porter-Cologne Act. In response to the Porter-Cologne
Act, the SWRCB adopted the California Ocean Plan setting ocean water quality standards.
Assembly Bill 411 (AB411), passed in 1997 and implemented in 1999, mandates monitoring
requirements for ocean water quality.
AB411 requires testing for indicator bacteria to determine if standards are met for total
coliform, fecal coliform/E. coli, and enterococcus. Indicator bacteria were selected to indicate
the presence of harder to detect and more harmful micro-organisms that may cause diseases.
Testing is required at all beaches from April through October that receive 50,000 or more visitors
per year and beaches adjacent to storm drain outfalls with drainage during summer months.
AB411 also stipulates closure of beaches to water-contact recreation when measured bacteria is
thought to be caused by human sewage. In 2011, California adopted Senate Bill 482, Beach
Safety Program, which changed implementation responsibility of the AB411 from the CDPH to
the SWRCB.
The Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act (Beach Act) of 2000, amends the
CWA, incorporating provisions intended to reduce the risk of illness to users of the Nation’s
recreational waters. The Beach Act authorizes the U.S. EPA to award program development and
implementation grants to eligible states, territories, tribes, and local governments to support
microbiological testing and monitoring of coastal recreation waters that are adjacent to beaches
and similar points of access used by the public.
Monitoring activities for the Orange County coastal recreation waters are conducted by the
County Health Care Agency. The Orange County Ocean Water Protection Program ensures that
all public recreational waters meet applicable water quality standards for swimming and
shellfish harvesting. The Health Care Agency routinely conducts microbial monitoring of ocean
waters, responds to sewage spills and other unauthorized discharges of waste, closes ocean and
bay waters, posts warning signs, responds to illness complaints, and issues health advisories.
Delivered Potable Water Quality. Water retailers are required to meet Safe Drinking Water Act
requirements. This applies to both direct supplies from imported water as well as water
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requiring additional treatment. As such, each retailer ensures that all potable water meets these
water quality standards, resulting in water quality that is equal to or better than these
standards.
Groundwater Quality. OCWD adopted the first Groundwater Quality Protection Policy in 1987;
the latest revision was adopted by its Board of Directors in 2014. The policy guides the actions of
OCWD to prevent groundwater quality degradation, undertake investigation and clean up as
necessary to protect the basin from contamination, and encourage appropriate treatment of
poor-quality groundwater. The policy includes water quality monitoring, removal of
contaminants, regulatory agency support, toxic residuals removal and hazardous waste
management. In addition, OCWD provides water quality information to regulatory agencies,
other water agencies and the public. To meet the current and future water quality testing
requirements, OCWD operates the Advanced Water Quality Assurance Laboratory at the
Fountain Valley campus.
The laboratory houses approximately 30 chemists and laboratory technicians, 12 water quality
monitoring personnel and all the analytical instruments that are needed to perform more than
400,000 analyses of approximately 20,000 water samples taken each water year. The laboratory
supports the extensive water quality testing requirements for the GWRS.34
OCWD extensively monitors the quality of the Orange County Groundwater Basin, testing for
more than 100 regulated and unregulated chemicals at frequencies established by regulation,
such as nitrate, salts, selenium, trichloroethylene, volatile organic compounds, and radon. To
ensure that results are representative of the ambient groundwater conditions, OCWD follows
industry recognized quality assurance and quality control protocols. There are over 2,000 wells
in OCWD’s monitoring network with more than 1,100 sampling points, which include active
drinking, private domestic, irrigation, and industrial wells, single and multi-point wells, and
inactive wells. Annually, approximately 17,000 samples are collected from monitoring wells
providing data to depths of 2,000 feet in many areas of the Basin.35
OCWD publishes an annual Engineer’s Report that summarizes the groundwater quality. The
2015-2016 Engineer’s Report shows when blended together, groundwater (without treatment)
and treated supplemental water for 2015-16 was determined to have a flow-weighted average
of 489 milligrams per liter (mg/L) of total dissolved solids (TDS) which is less than the average
TDS concentration of 496 mg/L reported for the prior year (2014-15). The average groundwater
TDS concentration for the basin for 2015-16 was 449 mg/L (compared to 452 mg/L reported for
34 2015-2016 Engineer’s Report on Groundwater conditions, Water Supply an Basin Utilization in the Orange County
Water District, February 2017
35 Groundwater Management Plan 2015 Update, Orange County Water District, July 17, 2015
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2014-15), ranging from a low of 222 mg/L in Seal Beach to a high of approximately 711 mg/L in
certain inland areas.
Average concentrations of TDS, nitrate (NO3) and hardness for groundwater and groundwater
combined with supplemental water supplied by agencies within OCWD’s service area during the
2015-16 water year are summarized in Table 2-10. These concentrations were determined from
groundwater and supplemental water analyses and from production reports submitted to and
filed with OCWD by each water agency. The City of Tustin and IRWD have active groundwater
treatment projects that help to reduce certain constituents reported in Table 2-10 in their
groundwater supply prior to service to their customers (see note 6 for detailed explanation).
Table 2-10 shows: 1) untreated groundwater in OCWD service area; and 2) untreated
groundwater blended with treated supplemental water supplied by various agencies within
OCWD service area.
Table 2-10
Untreated Groundwater Quality in OCWD Service Area in 2015-2016
City/Agency Groundwater (mg/L)1,7 Delivered Blend (mg/L)1,2,7
TDS3 NO3-N Hardness5 TDS3 NO3-N Hardness5
Anaheim 584 2.9 323 599 2.2 317
Buena Park 422 1.4 262 470 1.2 269
East Orange County
Water District
606 4.3 342 617 3.2 329
Fountain Valley 431 1.4 249 486 1.1 260
Fullerton 482 2.4 252 523 1.9 263
Garden Grove 528 3.6 320 556 2.9 315
Golden State Water
Company
419 1.8 236 471 1.4 250
Huntington Beach 337 0.2 172 414 0.3 203
Irvine Ranch Water
District6
352 0.8 129 356 0.8 131
La Palma 295 ND8 148 397 ND8 190
Mesa Water
District
333 0.4 113 338 0.4 116
Newport Beach 268 1.4 1334 362 1.1 174
Orange 464 2.0 269 513 1.6 276
Santa Ana 401 2.1 239 455 1.7 252
Seal Beach 222 ND8 81 356 ND8 148
Serrano Water
District
711 3.2 374 710 1.9 361
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Table 2-10
Untreated Groundwater Quality in OCWD Service Area in 2015-2016
City/Agency Groundwater (mg/L)1,7 Delivered Blend (mg/L)1,2,7
TDS3 NO3-N Hardness5 TDS3 NO3-N Hardness5
Tustin6 698 7.0 384 690 5.8 369
Westminster 362 1.3 233 421 1.1 246
Yorba Linda Water
District
686 1.7 344 675 1.3 330
Weighted Average7 449 1.9 237 489 1.6 249
Source: OCWD, 2015-2016 Engineer’s Report, Table 6
1 All groundwater results (alone or blend) are for untreated groundwater.
2 Delivered blend includes untreated groundwater and treated imported Metropolitan water (i.e., blend of Colorado
River water and State Water Project water as measured at the Metropolitan Diemer Plant, except Serrano Water
District, which blends with treated Santiago Reservoir water. Annual average water qualities for Metropolitan and
Santiago Reservoir (Irvine Lake) for 2015-2016 are:
• Metropolitan Water Quality – TDS = 648 mg/L; No3-N = 0.2 mg/L; Hardness (as CaCO3) = 295 mg/L
• Santiago Reservoir Water Quality – TDS = 709 mg/L; NO3-N = ND mg/L; Hardness (as CaCO3) = 343 mg/L.
3 Secondary Drinking Water Standards for TDS are: 500 mg/L = recommended limit and 1,000 mg/L = upper limit.
4 Primary Drinking Water Standards for nitrate NO3-N (i.e., nitrate expressed as nitrogen) is 10 mg/L
5 Hardness is reported as mg/L of CaCO3; general classifications of hard and soft water are within the following
concentration ranges: 0-75 mg/L = soft; 75-150 mg/L = moderately hard; 150-300 mg/L = hard; and 300+ mg/L =
very hard.
6 Agencies with active groundwater quality improvement projects that treat for one or more of the constituents are
listed in the table. Water quality marked with an asterisk (*) are reduced prior to delivery to customers.
7 All water quality results are flow-weighted averages based on groundwater and imported water delivered to each
entity.
8 ND = non-detect; Nitrate (expressed as NO3-N) analytical detection limited for OCWD Advanced Water Quality
Assurance Laboratory is 0.1 mg/L.
There are several regional groundwater contamination plumes within the OCWD Management
Area, all of which are under active remediation. The U.S. EPA is the lead agency in remediation
of the plume in the North Basin area. Remediation for individual sites within the South Basin
area is within the jurisdiction of either the California Department of Toxic Substances Control or
the Regional Water Board. The U.S. Navy is taking the lead in remediation of plumes from the
former El Toro and Tustin Marine Corps Air Stations and the Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach.
AB1249 Compliance. CWC §10541 (e)(14) (AB 1249) requires that an area within the boundaries
of an integrated regional water management plan that has nitrate, arsenic, perchlorate, or
hexavalent chromium contamination in the Region, must include a description of the (1) location
and extent of that contamination, (2) the impacts caused by the contamination to communities
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within the Region, (3) existing efforts being undertaken in the Region to address the impacts,
and (4) and additional efforts needed to address the impacts.
OCWD conducted a water quality database search for these four parameters from 2014 to 2016
for all drinking water production wells within the North and Central Orange County Watershed
Management Areas. All wells were identified where there was one occurrence of perchlorate
concentration greater than the 6 ppb MCL, hexavalent chromium concentration was greater
than the former MCL of 10 ppb, arsenic concentration was greater than the 10 ppb MCL, or the
nitrate (as N) concentration was greater than the 10 mg/L MCL.
For all wells, there were no samples with a hexavalent chromium concentration greater than 10
ppb. Arsenic concentrations were greater than 10 ppb in at least one sample in a total of three
production wells during 2014-2016.
Perchlorate concentrations greater than 6 ppb were found in one water sample from three
production wells:
• IRWD-5: 2 of 4 samples > 10 ppb As MCL; well is blended before entering distribution
system
• LP-CITY: 13 of 40 samples > 10 ppb As MCL; well screen has been recently modified to
reduce contribution from zones with elevated arsenic concentrations; average
concentration into distribution system maintained below the MCL
• YLWD-15: 6 of 14 samples > 10 ppb As MCL; well is blended in a reservoir before entering
distribution system
The arsenic and perchlorate wells are shown on Figure 2-17. Potable water from these wells is
treated via reverse osmosis or ion exchange at treatment plants in the City of Tustin and/or
blended with groundwater pumped from other wells prior to being served to residents to reduce
perchlorate concentrations to below the MCL. Figure 2-18 shows areas with nitrate (as N)
concentrations above the MCL of 10 mg/L.
Management of nitrates is a component of the salinity management program in the Santa Ana
River Watershed. The Basin Plan for the Santa Ana River Region 8 contains water quality
objectives for nitrates in the groundwater management zones in the watershed. Because Santa
Ana River water is used to recharge the Orange County Groundwater Basin, controlling the levels
of nitrates in the river has an impact on groundwater quality. OCWD operates an extensive
system of wetlands in the Prado Basin to reduce nitrate levels in river water upstream of
recharge basins. Groundwater with elevated nitrate levels in the Tustin area is treated at the
Tustin Main Street and 17th Street Treatment Plant prior to distribution to residents.
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Figure 2-17: Production Wells with Arsenic and Perchlorate Concentrations Above the MCL
Further, OCWD monitors, reviews and comments on local land-use plans, environmental
documents, and proposed regulatory agency permits to provide input to land-use planning
agencies regarding proposed projects and programs that could cause short- or long-term water
quality impacts to the Orange County Groundwater Basin.
Salt and Nutrient Management Program. The watershed’s salinity management program,
overseen by the Regional Water Board, is managed by the Basin Monitoring Program Task Force.
The Task Force, administered by SAWPA, consists of over 20 water and wastewater agencies and
local governments. Beginning in 1995, the task force evaluated the impacts to groundwater
quality of Total Inorganic Nitrogen (TIN) and total dissolved solids (TDS). Formation of the Task
Force was in response to concerns by the Regional Water Board that water quality objectives for
nitrogen and TDS were being exceeded in some groundwater basins in the watershed.
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Figure 2-18: Areas of Nitrate-N Above the MCL
Water quality objectives for TDS and nitrate-nitrogen in groundwater management zones were
adopted by the Regional Water Board based on historical water quality data. Every three years
the Task Force calculates the current ambient water quality for each groundwater management
zone. The most recent recalculation for the groundwater basin was completed in 2014.
The Task Force completed the study and developed amendments to the Santa Ana River Basin
Plan that were adopted in 2004. This nearly 10-year effort involved collecting and analyzing data
in 25 newly defined groundwater management zones in the watershed to recalculate nitrogen
and TDS levels and to establish new water quality objectives. Models were developed and data
were collected to enable an evaluation of the potential short-term and long-term impacts on
water resources due to changes in land use, the quantity and quality of runoff, and point source
discharges. The Basin Plan charges the Task Force with implementing a watershed-wide
TDS/Nitrogen management program.
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Southern California Salinity Coalition (SCSC).36 Formed in 2002 and administered by the
National Water Resources Institute (NWRI), SCSC is a nonprofit coalition of water and
wastewater agencies in Southern California dedicated to managing salinity in water supplies.
SCSC’s member agencies include the Eastern Municipal Water District, Inland Empire Utilities
Agency, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Orange County Sanitation District,
Orange County Water District, San Diego County Water Authority, Sanitation Districts of Los
Angeles County, and Santa Ana Project Watershed Authority.
Consequences of salinity includes detrimental effects on plant growth and crop yield, damage to
infrastructure, reduction of water quality, sedimentation problems, and soil erosion. Salinity
impacts residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural water users, groundwater,
wastewater, and recycled water resources, and utility distribution systems. When salinity levels
of imported water are reduced, the Region benefits from both the improved use of local
groundwater and recycled water and reduced costs to water consumers and utilities. A 100 mg/L
salinity decrease in imported water would result in $95 million per year of economic benefits.
Similarly, a 100 mg/L reduction in salt content in groundwater would lead to $65 million per year
of economic benefits.
SCSC’s objectives to coordinate salinity management strategies includes establishing proactive
programs to address the critical need to remove salts from water supplies; preserve, sustain,
and enhance the quality of source water supplies; support economic development; and reach
out to the general public on salinity problems. This can be accomplished through state and
federal advocacy; salinity information and education programs; focus regional and watershed
planning on salt balance issues; evaluation of brine management alternatives; develop an
inventory of salt-generating sources; and identify research funding priorities. The SCSC also
works closely with the Southern California Regional Water Quality Control Boards, U. S.
Environmental Protection Agency Region IX, and local agencies to assist dischargers in meeting
their requirements through salt and nutrient management plans that can be implemented in a
timely fashion.
2.5 Jurisdictional Boundaries
Federal, state, and local agencies have jurisdiction within the Region. On a federal level, the
IRWM Region is within U.S. EPA Region 9, which covers the entire Pacific Southwest.
On a state level, the Region falls under the jurisdiction of the Regional Water Board and the
DWR Southern District. For the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), the Region is
located within the CDFW’s South Coast Region. The Newport Beach Marine Life Refuge and the
36 http://www.socalsalinity.org/about.htm
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Irvine Coast Marine Life Refuges are in CDFW’s Marine Region, which serves the entire state
coastline from border to border and three nautical miles out to sea. The CDFW also has
jurisdiction over the Upper Newport Bay State Ecological Reserve. The California Department of
Parks and Recreation has jurisdiction over certain open-space areas, including Corona Del Mar
State Beach and Crystal Cove State Park.
On a local level, the County of Orange and municipalities – cities and special districts – have
jurisdictional boundaries with authority for land use, water resources, habitat, water quality,
flood control, and recreation facility management. Appendix E lists and describes the Federal,
State and local agencies with jurisdiction in the IRWM Region.
Population Summary for the North and Central OC Region. Population estimates for The OC
Plan are listed in Appendix E by each city within the Region based on the U.S. Census July 2016
estimates. Combined, total 2017 population is approximately 3,010,232, with 65 percent
(1,956,651) residing in the North OC WMA and 35 percent (1,053,581) residing in the Central OC
WMA. The U.S. Census shows, collectively, that about 13.8 percent (415,412) of this population
is living at or below the poverty level.
Regional Agency Jurisdiction Detail
County of Orange. The County of Orange has jurisdiction over land use in unincorporated areas
and is responsible for managing county-owned parks and drainage facilities. The County is also
responsible for managing the Orange County Stormwater Program in compliance with the
NPDES stormwater permit, for monitoring water quality, and for providing flood protection.
The Orange County Stormwater Program (OCSP), is a collaborative program between the County
of Orange, all incorporated cities within the County, and the OCFCD, formed to comply with the
requirements of Municipal NPDES Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permits. The
OCSP owns and operates MS4s, therefore they are required under the Federal CWA to obtain an
NPDES MS4 permit to:
• Effectively prohibit non-stormwater discharges into the MS4, and
• Reduce the discharge of pollutants from MS4s to the Maximum Extent Practicable (MEP),
including Best Management Practices (BMPs), design and engineering methods, and such
other provisions appropriate for the control of such pollutants.
In response to these regulations, the OCSP has obtained, renewed, and complied with NPDES
MS4 permits from both the Santa Ana and San Diego RWQCB’s since 1990. It has also developed
a DAMP, subsequent ROWDs and other programmatic documents, which detail and/or
summarize the specific water pollutant control program elements for the OCSP to demonstrate
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compliance with NPDES MS4 permit requirements. Each individual city also has a LIP to
implement the DAMP at a local level and to direct city stormwater compliance activities.
To effectively carry out the requirements of the OCSP, the Permittees in both Regional Water
Board areas agreed that the County would be the Principal Permittee and the Orange County
Flood Control District and the incorporated cities would be Permittees. As the Principal
Permittee, the County has managed the overall stormwater program cost effectively by
combining resources to complete activities that benefit all the Permittees. The County, as
Principal Permittee, collaborates with all Permittees by facilitating the following:
• Providing administrative and technical support for the Permittees and the
committees within the management structure;
• Developing and executing inter-governmental agreements necessary for program
implementation;
• Planning and implementation needed to direct the program for short and long term;
• Developing BMPs;
• Developing reports and other materials required by the NPDES MS4 permits;
• Developing budgets and fiscal analyses;
• Reviewing and developing policy positions and representing the OCSP before
appropriate agencies; and
• Program coordination with all affected local government agencies.
Regional services provided to all of Orange County include regional flood control – by Orange
County Flood Control District – water quality enhancement, recreation, and agricultural services.
These regional services are countywide and are provided equally within city boundaries as well
as in unincorporated areas. Municipal services are provided for inhabited unincorporated areas
for which Orange County has land use authority. Figure 2-19 presents the flood control
infrastructure in North and Central OC.
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Figure 2-19: Flood Control Infrastructure
Within the Region, the County has authority for 37 unincorporated island areas, with a sphere of
influence by 15 cities.37 Figure 2-20 shows IRWM Region cities and unincorporated jurisdictional
boundaries.
Orange County Parks Department (OC Parks) manages regional recreational facilities and
historical and natural resources throughout Orange County, including 37,000 acres of parkland
and open space, with regional and wilderness parks, nature preserves and recreational trails,
historic sites, harbors, and beaches.
37 http://oclafco.org/index.php/unincorporated-islands/
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Figure 2-20: City and Unincorporated Jurisdictional Boundaries
Municipal Water District of Orange County. MWDOC is a wholesale water supplier whose
efforts focus on sound planning and appropriate investments in water supply development,
water use efficiency, public information, legislative advocacy, water education, and emergency
preparedness. MWDOC is the third largest member agency of Metropolitan and holds key
leadership positions on the Metropolitan Board of Directors, which oversee finances, policy
development, long- and short-term resource planning, and program implementation.
Established in 1951, MWDOC now serves over 2.3 million Orange County residents. MWDOC’s
service area is 600 square miles and covers all of Orange County except for the cities of
Anaheim, Fullerton and Santa Ana, which are direct Metropolitan member agencies.
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MWDOC purchases over 70 billion gallons of imported water from Metropolitan per year from
two sources – Northern California (transported through the State Water Project) and the
Colorado River (transported through the Colorado River Aqueduct). MWDOC delivers this water
to its 28 member agencies, who in turn, provide retail water services to the public.
Orange County Water District. OCWD is a special district that was formed by an act of the
California State Legislature to protect Orange County’s water rights to the Santa Ana River and
to manage the groundwater basin that underlies northern and central Orange County. OCWD
holds rights to all Santa Ana River flows that reach Prado Dam. OCWD recharges the Orange
County groundwater basin primarily with water from the Santa Ana River and recycled water
from the GWRS, supplemented by untreated imported water purchased from Metropolitan. The
groundwater basin is not adjudicated but is cooperatively managed by OCWD according to the
basin management plan. OCWD operates the Groundwater Replenishment System in
partnership with OCSD and operates the Green Acres Project to enhance the supply of recycled
water for irrigation and industrial uses.
OCWD manages the groundwater basin by balancing the demand for water with the need to
protect the long-term health of the water supply. OCWD actively recharges the groundwater
basin and works to expand the basin’s yield. Pumping rates are managed to maximize water
withdrawals within the basin’s safe operating range. The basin’s water supply is managed such
that supplies are adequate to meet typical demands during drought years and that there are
supplies available to help lessen the impacts of drought conditions.
Orange County Sanitation District. OCSD is a public agency that is responsible for safely
collecting, treating, and disposing the wastewater generated by approximately 2.6 million
people living in a 479-square-mile area of central and northwest Orange County. OCSD is a
special district that is governed by a Board of Directors consisting of 25 board members
appointed from 20 cities, two sanitary districts, two water districts and one representative from
the Orange County Board of Supervisors. OCSD has two operating facilities that treat
wastewater from residential, commercial and industrial sources.
Figure 2-21 shows OCWD, OCSD, and MWDOC jurisdictional boundaries. Figure 2-22 shows
water agency boundaries – cities and districts.
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Figure 2-21: OCWD, OCSD and MWDOC Jurisdictional Boundaries
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Figure 2-22: Water Agencies – Cities and Water Districts
2.6 Open Space and Land Use
Land use within the Region has changed dramatically over the past 40 years, as agricultural lands
have been converted to urban uses, with development of large master-planned communities,
and commercial and industrial areas, which have created a dynamic regional economy.
Major reuse programs are underway in the Region on two former military bases. These
environmentally impaired sites are being redeveloped to include mixed-use communities that
will be a significant source of population growth over the 20-year planning horizon. Former
Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS)-Tustin with its two historical hangers is now the site of Tustin
Legacy. The City of Tustin is developing a 1,600-acre mixed-use community incorporating
residential, commercial, and institutional uses with over 110 acres of parkland, bike and
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pedestrian trails. The 4,600-acre former MCAS–El Toro in the City of Irvine, will be the site of
Heritage Fields, a 2,300-acre mixed-use development, and the Orange County Great Park, a
2,300-acre park that will offer open space, natural drainage, groundwater recharge, and valuable
habitat corridors, along with sports fields and educational and cultural facilities for countywide
benefit.
Land use is the cornerstone of the Region’s future, and integrated planning is used on multiple
levels to address the challenge of ensuring that there are livable communities, a wide range of
recreational opportunities and a growing economy, along with healthy, functioning ecosystems.
Overall, the land-use character of the Region is urban. Predominant land uses include
commercial and residential uses, with some industrial and institutional areas, scattered
agricultural uses and open-space areas such as parks, beaches, the San Joaquin Freshwater
Marsh, and Newport Bay. There is minimal agricultural land use as there are very few rural areas
– only 0.2 percent of the population lives in areas designated as rural (SCAG 2005). A large
portion of unincorporated Orange County, a mountainous area on the east side of the Region, is
undeveloped.
The University of California, Irvine, located northeast of Upper Newport Bay, encompasses 1,500
acres, some of which are dedicated to institutional uses such as university facilities and student
housing. The Region’s open space, recreation, and park areas are described further in the
following section.
Figure 2-23 shows land use in the Region. Note the current land use data base is the source for
the map and does not reflect recent development in Orange County, including Tustin Legacy.
2.7 Parks, Forests, Refuges, and Areas of Special Biological Significance
Open Space, Recreation, and Parks. Orange County Parks Department (OC Parks) manages
regional, wilderness, coastal and historical facilities, throughout the county. Featuring 60,000
acres of parkland, open space and shoreline, Orange County’s award-winning parks and
programs are enjoyed by millions of residents and visitors each year, in ways as diverse as the
parks themselves.38 Of this total acreage, Orange County’s extensive regional parks system
comprises 39,000 acres in 25 urban and wilderness parks, including seven regional historic sites,
7,000 acres of open space and 230 miles of regional riding and hiking trails.39
38 http://www.ocparks.com/about
39 Orange County, Regional Wilderness & Parks, http://www.ocgov.com/visitors/wilderness
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Figure 2-23: Land Use
Included in the North and Central OC Region are approximately 37,000 acres within the
following areas: Limestone Canyon/Whiting Ranch Wilderness Parks; Upper Newport Bay Nature
Preserve; Newport Harbor; Irvine, Mason, and Peters Canyon Regional Parks; Orange Coast River
Park, Huntington Beach Central Park, and the Santa Ana River Trail system.
The Santa Ana River Trail System provides a greenbelt of open space and recreation along the
river, such that one could bike from Huntington Beach to Yorba Linda and beyond into Riverside
County. Huntington Beach Central Park includes the Shipley Nature Center and provides
opportunities for bird watching, along with equestrian uses and walking paths.
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The California Department of Parks and Recreation has jurisdiction over certain open-space
areas, including Corona Del Mar State Beach and Crystal Cove State Park.
Multiple preserves and nature parks are present in the Region providing open space, recreation,
and habitat including the Talbert Nature Preserve, the Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge, and
the Cypress Nature Park. The Coyote Creek watershed connects coastal dune open space at the
mouth of the watershed to upland riparian woodlands in the canyons approaching the upper
watershed, where vast open space is bisected by newer development in the communities of
North OC.
In many areas, however, urbanization across the Region has left many communities “park poor.”
The lack of distributed park areas causes strain on the Region’s existing beaches, parks, and
natural areas. In response to this issue, cities and non-governmental organizations are seeking
creative ways to fund park improvements and develop much needed conservation programs to
acquire lands adjacent to environmental and habitat sensitive areas.
Marine Protected Areas (MPA). MPAs along the Southern California coast (Point Conception to
California/Mexico border) have been in effect in state waters since January 1, 2012. The 50
MPAs in this region cover approximately 356-square-miles, or about 15 percent of Southern
California state waters. Within the North and Central OC WMAs, the following are MPAs
identified for the Region:40
• Bolsa Bay State Marine Conservation Area: This area overlaps the Bolsa Chica Ecological
Reserve and includes the waters below the mean high tide line within Bolsa Bay estuary
southward of a line that approximates the Warner Avenue Bridge. Take is prohibited,
except the recreational take of finfish by hook and line from shore is allowed in
designated areas only. Boating, swimming, wading, and diving are prohibited.
• Bolsa Chica Basin State Marine Conservation Area: This area also overlaps the Bolsa Chica
Ecological Reserve and includes the waters below the mean high tide line within the
Bolsa Chica Basin estuary northeastward of the Pacific Coast Highway Bridge. No take is
allowed, and boating, swimming, wading, and diving are prohibited.
• Upper Newport Bay State Marine Conservation Area: This area overlaps the Upper
Newport Bay Ecological Reserve and includes the waters below the mean high tide line
within Upper Newport Bay northeastward of Pacific Coast Highway. Take is prohibited,
except the recreational take of finfish by hook and line from shore is allowed in
designated areas only. Swimming is allowed only in the area between North Star Beach
and mid-channel. Boats are limited to speeds less than five miles per hour. Shoreline
access is limited to established trails, paths, or other designated areas.
40 https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Marine/MPAs/Network/Southern-California#mainland
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Areas of Special Biological Significance (ASBS). An ASBS is a protected area designated to
support and protect natural marine ecosystems and heritage, improve the opportunities for
human activities, and ensure a strong coastal economy. An ASBS differs from a MPA, such that
ASBS policies are based upon attainment of water quality standards. ASBS regulations prohibit
waste from entering the protected habitat through drains and natural water outputs. The
SWRCB has designated three ASBS within Orange County: the Robert E. Badham (Newport
Coast) ASBS (No. 32), the Irvine Coast (Crystal Cove) ASBS (No. 33), and the Heisler Park ASBS
(No. 30)41. ASBS Number 32 and a portion of Number 33 are within the Central OC WMA shown
in Figure 2-24.
The Robert E. Badham ASBS was designated in 1974 (Index No. 32) and comprises 0.7 miles of
coastline in Orange County and covers about 220 acres. The Robert E. Badham State Marine Park
(formerly known as the Newport Beach Marine Life Refuge) is located along the shoreline of this
ASBS out to a distance of 200 feet offshore and is administered by the CDFW. Adjacent to the
northern end of the ASBS, Newport State Beach (administered by the California Department of
Parks and Recreation) is a heavily used recreational area, while coastal bluffs and rocky tide
pools dominate the southern end. Uses of the watershed, nearshore, and offshore areas include
industrial service supply, navigation, recreation, commercial and sport fishing, and shellfish
harvesting.
Key pollution threats to the Robert E. Badham ASBS include the adjacent marina, commercial
and residential runoff from Corona del Mar, and flows altered by homeowners in Buck Gully,
draining onto Little Corona Beach.
The Irvine Coast ASBS was designated in 1974 (Index No. 33), covers approximately 941 acres,
and begins at Pelican Point and continues 3.4 miles along the coastline to the City of Laguna
Beach. This ASBS contains the Irvine Coast State Marine Park (formerly called a Marine Life
Refuge) and the overlapping Crystal Cove State Marine Conservation Area, which are
administered by the CDFW. These Marine Protected Areas and the adjoining beach provide
excellent tidal and offshore communities featuring tide pools, kelp beds, and dolphin birthing
grounds. Despite increasing urbanization, Crystal Cove State Park (administered by the California
Department of Parks and Recreation) contains some of the last undeveloped Orange County
coastline. Key pollution threats include road runoff and possible septic tank leakage.
41 Orange County Marine Protection Area Council. Water Quality- ASBS. Retrieved online 7/27/17.
http://www.ocmarineprotection.org/asbs.html
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Figure 2-24: Areas of Special Biological Significance
2.8 Ecosystem Processes, Habitat and Vegetation
The following discusses the Region’s geology, soils, biological resources, and wildlife. Figure 2-25
shows the location of the Region’s vegetation and habitat.
Before 1940, most of the Region was undeveloped and largely covered by native habitat.
Development of the Region began to increase in the 1940s and 1950s. Grading operations for
the numerous communities, as well as transportation corridors, intruded into the canyon areas
and cut across agricultural lands. Since that time, the Region has been developed extensively,
primarily for residential use.
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Figure 2-25: Habitat and Vegetation
2.8.1 Geology and Hydrology
Geologic and Hydrologic Features of the Santa Ana River Watershed.42 This section presents
the geomorphology – the study of the classification, description, nature, origin, and
development of present landforms and their relationships to underlying structures – and of the
history of geologic changes as recorded by these surface features.
The Santa Ana River Watershed drains a 2,840 square-mile area, although covers an area of
210.47 square miles within Orange County; the largest watershed in Orange County.
42 One Water, One Watershed Plan 2.0, Section 3.0 Watershed Setting, Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority,
February 2014
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The upper Santa Ana River Watershed or headwaters, including the highest point in the drainage
system, is delineated by the east-west ridgeline of the San Gabriel and San Bernardino
Mountains. Over this ridgeline lies the Mojave Desert, which is part of the Lahontan Basin. This
upper “erosion” zone of the watershed has the highest gradient, highest erosion level of new
sediment to the system, and fastest stormwater runoff. As flows consist mainly of snowmelt and
storm runoff from the undeveloped land in the San Bernardino National Forest, water quality
tends to be high, with low concentrations of total dissolved solids (TDS), nitrates, and other
pollutants. In this zone, the Santa Ana River channel is confined in its lateral movement,
contained by the slope of the high, mountainous terrain. Within the upper watershed, the river
and its tributaries travel around large boulders and over sand and gravel bars punctuated by
pools and riffles reaching depths of about six feet. A visual “fly-through” of the Santa Ana River
Watershed is available here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXDQCXKP6lM
Sedimentary and crystalline materials from the upper watershed move down slope through a
process fed by storm pulses; therefore, sediment does not move at a continuous speed. River
flow from Seven Oaks Dam to the City of San Bernardino consists mainly of storm flows, flows
from the Lower San Timoteo Creek, and groundwater that is rising due to local geological
features. From the City of San Bernardino to the City of Riverside, the river flows perennially and
much of the reach is operated as a flood control facility. The principal tributary streams in the
upper watershed originate in the San Bernardino and San Gabriel Mountains.
From the City of Riverside to the recharge basins below Imperial Highway, river flow consists of
highly treated publicly-owned treatment works (POTW) effluent, urban runoff, irrigation runoff
water, imported water applied for groundwater recharge, and groundwater forced to the
surface by underground barriers. Near Corona, the Santa Ana River cuts through the Santa Ana
Mountains and the Peralta-Chino Hills, which together form the northern end of the Peninsular
Ranges in Southern California. The Santa Ana River then flows down onto the Orange County
coastal plain where the channel lessens in gradient, and the valley floor is reached. Here the soft
features of the channel where sediment has been deposited are more prevalent. Floodplains are
strewn with boulders and characterized by sand and gravel washes. Within this valley floor, the
transport and depositional processes are less confined by higher terrain as water, dissolved
material and sediment move toward the sea. Over time, aquatic and terrestrial wildlife have
adapted to this dynamic process and channel formation. However, rapid urbanization has
artificially increased the rate of sedimentation and loss of habitat in this part of the watershed,
negatively affecting water quality and wildlife habitat.
The Orange County Coastal Plain is composed of alluvium derived from the mountains.
Upstream from the Santa Ana Canyon lay Prado Dam and Prado Wetlands; a portion of the Santa
Ana River flows are passed through the Prado Wetlands to improve water quality and remove
nitrates before being used for groundwater recharge. Santiago Creek, the only major tributary to
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the lower Santa Ana River, joins the Santa Ana River in the City of Santa Ana. The lower limit of
both the groundwater recharge area and the Santa Ana River’s ordinary flows is 17th Street in
the City of Santa Ana. Prior to channelization of the lower part of the Santa Ana River, the
channel used to meander slowly across broad flood plains. Currently, the Santa Ana River is a
concrete channel from 17th Street in the City of Santa Ana to Adams Avenue in Huntington
Beach. The riverbed is ordinarily dry from 17th Street in the City of Santa Ana to the Victoria
Street Bridge. The Greenville-Banning Channel, which carries stormwater discharge and urban
runoff, is channelized to the Victoria Street Bridge where it joins the Santa Ana River. Discharge
from the Greenville-Banning Channel combines with tidal flow from the Pacific Ocean, and water
is present in the Santa Ana River from the Victoria Street Bridge to the river mouth.
Geologic and Hydrologic Features of the North Orange County Watershed. The Orange County
Groundwater Basin, underlying the northern portion of Orange County, formed in a synclinal,
northwest-trending trough that deepens as it continues beyond the Orange-Los Angeles county
line. The Newport-Inglewood fault zone, San Joaquin Hills, Puente Hills, and Santa Ana
Mountains form the uplifted margins of the syncline. The total thickness of sedimentary rocks in
the basin surpasses 20,000 feet, of which only the upper 2,000 to 4,000 feet contain fresh water.
In the southeastern area underlying the city of Irvine and along the basin margins, the thickness
of fresh water-bearing sediments is less than 1,000 feet (Herndon and Bonsangue, 200643).
The La Habra Groundwater Basin is separated from the Orange County Groundwater Basin by
the Coyote Hills. The La Habra Groundwater Basin lies in the synclinal trough between the
Puente Hills and the Santa Fe Springs - Coyote Hills uplift. The Whittier fault, located in the
Puente Hills, forms the northern limit of the La Habra syncline.
The Newport-Inglewood fault zone, comprising the most significant structural feature in the
basin from a hydrogeologic standpoint, consists of a series of faulted blocks which are generally
up thrown on the southwest side. Folding and faulting along the Newport-Inglewood fault zone
have created a natural restriction to seawater intrusion into the groundwater basin (Herndon
and Bonsangue, 2006).
Formations of Miocene or older age constitute the base of water-bearing strata, as they are
consolidated units with minimal water transmissive capacity. The tops of Miocene-aged units,
including the non-marine Sespe formation, marine Vaqueros formation, and Monterey shale,
form the base of water bearing sediments in the coastal and Irvine areas of the basin, whereas
the tops of the Miocene-aged marine Puente and Topanga formations and El Modeno volcanics
43 Herndon, Roy L. and John D. Bonsangue. 2006. Hydrogeology of the Orange County Groundwater Basin – An
Updated Overview, Geology of the Orange County Region, Southern California, Annual Field Trip Guide No. 33,
South Coast Geological Society, Inc.
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define the base of permeable sediments along inland boundary of the basin from the city of La
Habra to the city of Villa Park.
Fresh water-bearing formations within the groundwater basin are comprised of Pliocene or
younger (last 5 million years), semi-consolidated to unconsolidated sedimentary units. The
upper Pliocene-aged Pico formation is reportedly present throughout much of the basin and is
significant in that the base of its upper unit is reported to form the base of the fresh water
aquifer system where it exists. Other Pliocene-aged sediments, including the Fernando and
Repetto formations, are believed to contain producible quantities of fresh water.
Unconsolidated sands and gravels of the Pleistocene-aged San Pedro, Lakewood, and La Habra
formations, and to a lesser extent, the Coyote Hills formation and Palos Verdes sand, constitute
the primary production aquifers within the groundwater basin. The non-marine Coyote Hills and
La Habra formations underlie the Fullerton and Anaheim areas, whereas the marine Lakewood
and San Pedro formations underlie the majority of the central and coastal portions of the basin.
The Coyote Hills and La Habra formations are present in the La Habra Groundwater Basin and
are underlain by the San Pedro formation. These marine and non-marine formations are time
correlative and are thought to interfinger throughout the basin. Total depths of the base of
these formations range from approximately 500 to 2,000 feet.
Overlying the Pleistocene deposits are younger, Recent-aged alluvial sediments that range from
less than 50 feet to approximately 300 feet thick. These sediments include coarse-grained
channel deposits laid down by the Santa Ana River, which has flowed into the Pacific Ocean as
far north as the present-day San Gabriel River mouth and as far south as Newport Bay. It is these
channel deposits, which have not been substantially offset by the Newport-Inglewood fault
zone, that provide the conduits for seawater to migrate inland toward groundwater pumping
depressions.
Pleistocene or younger aquifers within the basin form a complex series of interconnected sand
and gravel deposits. In coastal and central portions of the basin, these deposits are extensively
separated by lower-permeability clay and silt deposits or aquitards. In the inland areas, the clay
and silt deposits become thinner and more discontinuous, allowing larger quantities of
groundwater to flow more easily between shallow and deeper aquifers (DWR, 1967).
The La Habra Groundwater Basin has been characterized as a layered aquifer system consisting
of the near-surface alluvium, the La Habra Aquifer, and the San Pedro Aquifer (Montgomery,
197744; Geoscience, 200945). The alluvial aquifer is typically about 100 feet thick. The older
44 Montgomery, Consulting Engineers Inc. (Montgomery). 1977, November. La Habra Basin Groundwater Study.
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alluvium covers most of the surface of the eastern La Habra Groundwater Basin with younger
alluvium deposited in Coyote Creek and Brea Creek stream channels. The La Habra aquifer is
composed of non-marine pebbly sandstones within the La Habra formation and underlying the
Coyote Hills formation. This aquifer can reach a thickness of 1,200 feet near the center of the
basin. Underlying the Coyote Hills formation is the San Pedro formation which contains the San
Pedro aquifer, representing the most productive aquifer in the La Habra Groundwater Basin.
This confined aquifer is thickest along the axis of the syncline in the basin.
Geologic and Hydrologic Features of the Newport Bay Watershed. The Newport Bay Watershed
encompasses an area of approximately 154 square miles. The watershed is bounded to the
north by the Santiago Hills (Loma Ridge) and to the south by the San Joaquin Hills. The Tustin
Plain, a broad alluvial valley, occupies the major portion of this watershed. The Newport Bay
Watershed is within the United States Geological Survey (USGS) hydrologic unit no. 18070204.
The watershed is composed of the San Diego Creek sub-watershed, with an area of 119 square
miles, which is the largest system draining into Upper Newport Bay. The Santa Ana Delhi
Channel drains 17 square miles and Big Canyon Wash drains 2 square miles. The remaining 16
square miles are divided among several small sub-watersheds that discharge into lower Newport
Bay.
Upper Newport Bay is a drowned river valley, initially formed by the Santa Ana River in
approximately the mid-Pleistocene (1.8 million to approximately 10,000 years before present
[BP]), a time when sea level was approximately 100 feet lower than the current level. During the
Holocene (10,000 years BP to present), the Santa Ana River is thought to have changed course
west and away from its former outlet into Upper Newport Bay (USACE 2001a).
Sedimentation in and near Newport Bay has had major impacts on the local geomorphology. The
sand spit known as the Balboa Peninsula is the result of sediments from the Santa Ana River and
other sediment-laden waters interacting with ocean currents. The present configuration and
large size of the Balboa Peninsula is apparently the result of growth from an excessively large
sediment influx into the ocean upcoast (northwest) during the 1861–1862 flood season (USACE
2001a). Excessive sedimentation remains an identified problem in San Diego Creek and Upper
Newport Bay. The San Diego Creek channel system underwent significant natural and man-made
changes during the 20th century. Circa 1900, essentially no defined channels had developed in
the Tustin Plain. Storm flow from the Santiago and San Joaquin Hills mainly entered an
ephemeral lake in the form of sheet flow or groundwater. The outflow from this lake was
prevented from entering Upper Newport Bay by a natural ridge at the head of the Upper
45 Geoscience. 2009. Draft Preliminary Geohydrologic Evaluation of the La Habra Basin. Prepared for City of La
Habra, April 2, 2009.
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Newport Bay Trough. Most of the flow emptied into the Santa Ana River, which entered the
Pacific Ocean through the Newport-Mesa area (USACE 2001b).
The ephemeral lake and the alkali flat area to the north and east were usually swampy and
marshy. These wet areas and the remainder of the Tustin Plain were later drained by ditches
primarily constructed during 1902 and 1916. The ditches throughout the wet areas were
originally used to drain the low-lying areas and to flush out the alkali, while those in the eastern
portion of the Tustin Plain were designed to remove the irrigation return flow and to prevent
floodwater from inundating crop and orchard lands (USACE 2001d). The irrigation system was
gradually expanded to integrate the natural drainage of San Diego Creek and routed into Upper
Newport Bay. Based on USGS topographic information, the drainage system was well developed
by the early 1930s. The lower reaches of San Diego Creek and Peters Canyon Wash were
modified for flood protection, primarily during the 1960s when the easements were granted to
OCFCD (USACE 2001b).
The uppermost portion of Upper Newport Bay contained salt evaporation ponds and was
separated from the rest of the bay by an earthen dike. Heavy stormwater runoff destroyed the
salt ponds and breached the dike in 1969. Subsequent sedimentation events during the storm
season in 1978 and 1980 made Upper Newport Bay shallower, and intertidal salt marsh
vegetation became established and expanded rapidly.
In 1985, 85 acres of Upper Newport Bay were dredged to create the Unit I Sediment Control
Basin (depths –3 to –7 feet mean sea level). A second dredging project in 1988 created the 37-
acre Unit II Sediment Control Basin, just south of the Main Dike (depth –14 feet mean sea level).
Both basins have worked well, collecting large volumes of coarser grained sediment from
periodic flood runoff, primarily from San Diego Creek.
Open-water estuary/marine aquatic habitats still predominate in Newport Bay. The current
shoreline includes scattered bare and disturbed areas, extensive intertidal salt marsh with
cordgrass, less common pickleweed, rare eelgrass, and small fringing areas of willow/mulefat
scrub wetland. Algae and other forms of plankton are seasonally dominant.
Studies of physical conditions in Upper Newport Bay confirm a picture of significant tidal,
seasonal, and annual variability. During peak storms, the upper part of Upper Newport Bay has
been characterized by a well-mixed, freshwater column. During lesser flows, salinity
stratification has been noted in the lower part of Upper Newport Bay, with freshwater overlying
slightly diluted seawater (Orange County 1998).
Changes in land use from ranching and grazing to farmland resulted in the discharge of
pesticides and nutrients into San Diego Creek and Upper Newport Bay. Since the 1960s,
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commercial, residential, and light industrial development has replaced open space and
agricultural lands. Development and the related increase in impervious surfaces has increased
runoff and altered drainage patterns. Several drainages were channelized for flood control
because the amount of runoff necessitated increasing the size and number of channels that
drain into San Diego Creek and Upper Newport Bay. As a result, the basins were constructed to
control sedimentation of the bay (USACE 1999). Additional erosion control structures were
installed in the channels. Channel erosion is most evident along Borrego Canyon Wash and
Serrano Creek, where the estimated flow velocities are generally greater than 10 feet per second
(Chang 2008).
Geologic and Hydrologic Features of the Newport Coast. The geology of the Newport Coast is
characterized by consolidated sandstone, shale, and volcanic rocks that are overlain along the
coastline by terrace deposits and along the larger streams by thin and narrow alluvial deposits.
The consolidated rocks are offset and uplifted along numerous faults. A major portion of the
Newport Coast is underlain by the Monterey Formation, a marine shale, which extends inland as
much as 1.5 miles. The Monterey Formation is a Miocene marine formation that is the likely
source of selenium in Big Canyon Wash and the Newport Coast drainages. Other inland portions
are characterized by outcrops of the Tertiary Vaqueros and Topanga marine sandstones and the
San Onofre Breccias, which are ancient landslide deposits (Todd, 2006).
Geologic and Hydrologic Features of Anaheim Bay-Huntington Harbour. The Anaheim Bay-
Huntington Harbour and Lower San Gabriel River/Coyote Creek Watersheds are also part of the
Santa Ana River Watershed. The Anaheim Bay-Huntington Harbour watershed encompasses an
area of 81 square miles. The main surface water systems that provide drainage in this watershed
are the Bolsa Chica Channel that provides drainage to the Anaheim Bay-Huntington Harbor
Complex and the East Garden Grove-Wintersburg Channel that carries flow to Bolsa Bay and
ultimately to Huntington Harbour. The Coyote Creek Watershed encompasses an area of 85
square miles within the Santa Ana region. This watershed is in the northernmost portion of
Orange County. This watershed straddles the Los Angeles and Orange County border in its upper
reaches and then continues through Orange County until it discharges into the San Gabriel River
in Long Beach.
2.8.2 Soils
The Orange County coastal plain is composed mostly of alluvium derived from the mountains.
The soil groups in the lower Santa Ana River Watershed, which includes the Anaheim-Bay
Huntington Harbor and Lower San Gabriel River/Coyote Creek, are described as:
• Sedimentary and crystalline materials from the upper watershed move down slope
through a process fed by storm pulses; therefore, sediment does not move at a continuous
speed. Sediment deposits are more prevalent in the soft features of the channels. Today,
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only 20% of the SAR is a concrete channel, the majority being near the mouth of the river
from 17th Street in the City of Santa Ana to Adams Avenue in Huntington Beach.
• Floodplains are strewn with boulders and characterized by sand and gravel washes. Within
this valley floor, the transport and depositional processes are less confined by higher
terrain as water, dissolved material and sediment move toward the sea.
The soil groups in the Newport Bay Watershed are described as:
• San Joaquin Hills and Loma Ridge/Santiago Hills slopes are strongly sloping to very steep,
well-drained clays, clay loams, sandy loams, loams, gravelly loams, and cobble loams of the
Alo-Bosanko and the Cieneba-Anaheim-Soper associations.
• The area around Upper Newport Bay and the junction of the San Joaquin Hills and the
Tustin Plain is the Myford association: level to moderately steep, moderately well drained
sandy loam with strongly developed subsoil. These are soils developed on terraces.
• The vast majority of the Tustin Plain and the riparian zones of the numerous named
drainages that collect water in the Tustin Plain are nearly level soils related to alluvial fans
and floodplains of the Chino-Omni, Metz–San Emigdio, and Sorrento-Mocho associations.
The latter two are well to somewhat excessively drained sandy loams, clay loams, loams,
and calcareous loamy sands. The Chino-Omni association is composed of poorly drained to
somewhat poorly drained calcareous silt loams to clays (USACE 2001a).
Major portions of the Santiago Hills and San Joaquin Hills contain soils with low infiltration
capacities. Natural soils in the central portion of Upper San Diego Creek mainly consist of soils
with higher infiltration capacities. Peters Canyon Wash upstream of the El Modena–Irvine
Channel confluence is also composed largely of soils with high infiltration capacities. In contrast,
the drainage areas of the El Modena–Irvine Channel lower Peters Canyon Wash, and lower San
Diego Creek (downstream of Peters Canyon Wash) mainly consist of soils with low infiltration
capacities (USACE 2001b).
The soil types within the Newport Coast Watershed can be divided into three major soil
associations: the Myford soil association situated on the terraces and the Alo-Bosanko
association and Cieneba-Anaheim-Sopa association developed on sandstone and shale
formations in the coastal hills. The Myford soil association is predominantly Myford soils, which
are sandy loams greater than 60 inches thick on nearly level to moderately steep slopes. Myford
sandy loam and Marina loamy sand soils occur extensively across the lower portions of the
Newport Coast Watershed. The Alo-Bosanko soil association is characterized by clay soils,
generally less than 40 inches thick, on relatively steep slopes. The Cieneba-Anaheim-Sopa
association includes a variety of sandy loams, loams, clay loam, gravelly loams, and cobbly loams
on steep slopes. Clay soils and Anaheim loams are extensive within the Newport Coast
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Watershed, and Calleguas clay loam is commonly found with the two hill associations (Todd
2006).
Soils are important to the water balance because different soils have varying capacities to
absorb and retain moisture (from rainfall or irrigation) and transmit water down toward the
water table. An important characteristic of soils is their moisture-holding capacity; overall, the
average soil moisture-holding capacity is low but reasonable for sandy and for relatively thin
soils on steep topography. The soil moisture-holding capacity estimated for the local native soils
is assumed to be representative of the local urban soils (Todd 2006).
2.8.3 Biological Resources
Nine natural habitat types have been identified in the Region: woodland habitat; cliff and rock
habitat; scrub habitat; chaparral habitat; grassland habitat; vernal pools, seeps, and wet
meadows; marsh habitat; marine and coastal habitat; and riparian habitat.
Woodland Habitat. Woodland habitats are multilayered vegetation communities dominated by
trees that characteristically have an open canopy. The extent of woodland habitat in the
watersheds is limited primarily to one subcommunity, coast live oak woodland. Coast live oak
woodland is typically found on north-facing slopes and shaded ravines usually below 4,000 feet.
It is described as evergreen woodland dominated by Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia) and
reaching a height of 30 to 80 feet. The shrub layer is poorly developed but may include Toyon
(Heteromeles arbutifolia), Currants (Ribes spp), Laurel Sumac (Rhus laurina), or Mexican
Elderberry (Sambucus Mexicana). The herb layer is continuous and dominated by Bromegrass
(Bromus diandrus) and several other introduced taxa.
Cliff and Rock Habitat. Cliff and rock habitats are characterized by vascular plants and lichens
that grow on steep, rocky faces. Some cliff faces have been identified in the San Joaquin Hills, in
the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains, and around Upper Newport Bay.
Scrub Habitat. Scrub communities are generally dominated by small shrubs with drought
tolerant deciduous leaves. Most of the plant species found within these communities
regenerates after fire events. These communities often occur on dry xeric sites, such as south-
facing slopes, and provide structures for shelter and nesting. The Orange County Habitat
Classification System identifies eight scrub communities within the county: southern coastal
bluff scrub, maritime succulent scrub, Venturan-Diegan transitional coastal sage scrub, southern
cactus scrub, Riversidian coastal sage scrub, floodplain sage scrub, chenopod scrub, and sage-
scrub grassland ecotone. The most prominent of these are the Venturan-Diegan transitional
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coastal sage scrub (described in the Central/Coastal NCCP), southern cactus scrub, and
floodplain sage scrub (County of Orange, 199646).
Chaparral Habitat. Chaparral communities are dominated by large arborescent shrubs that
generally have large evergreen leaves. Most chaparral plant species regenerate from
underground root structures after fire events. These communities generally occur on
moderately moist mesic sites, such as north-facing slopes.
Grassland Habitat. Grasslands consist of low-growing herbaceous species dominated by annual
and perennial grasses and forbs. The native grassland communities that once blanketed the
Southern California landscape have largely been outcompeted by nonnative annual grasslands.
Existing native grasslands are presently restricted to designated open-space areas contained
within the NCCP reserve system.
Vernal Pools, Seeps, and Wet Meadows. Three types of vernal pools, seeps, or wet meadows
are found in the Region. The southern hardpan vernal pool is typically found on level grassland
or scrub areas with a deep underlying clay hardpan layer. Alkali meadows are seeps and wet
areas that occur in low-lying alkaline or saline soils. Freshwater seeps are isolated, small
perennial water sources often associated with outcrops. Southern hardpan vernal pools have
been observed in Whiting Ranch Regional Park, while alkali meadows and freshwater seeps are
known to occur in and around Upper Newport Bay.
Marsh Habitat. All four of the marsh habitats identified in the County of Orange inventory are
represented in the Region. Two of these, southern coastal salt marsh and coastal brackish
marsh, are linked to Upper Newport Bay in the lower part of the watershed. Coastal freshwater
marsh and cismontane alkali marsh are found near Newport Bay as well as in other areas. The
salt marsh bird’s beak (Cordylanthus maritimus) is an endangered plant species that grows only
in the salt marshes.
Open-water estuary/marine aquatic habitats still predominate in Newport Bay. The current
shoreline includes scattered bare and disturbed areas, extensive intertidal salt marsh with
cordgrass, less common pickleweed, rare eelgrass, and small fringing areas of willow/mulefat
scrub wetland. Algae and other forms of plankton are seasonally dominant.
Marine and Coastal Habitat. Habitats in this category include tidal mud flats and marine open-
water subtidal areas.
46 County of Orange. 1996. Natural Community Conservation Plan & Habitat Conservation Plan, County of Orange,
Central & Coastal Subregion, Parts I & II: NCCP/HCP. Prepared for County of Orange Environmental Management
Agency by R.J. Meaded Consulting, Inc., July 17, 1996.
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Riparian Habitat. Riparian areas are defined as narrow ecotones that typically exist between the
bankfull channel of alluvial streams and adjacent uplands. These systems are characterized by
two distinct zones, although either may be absent under certain conditions. One zone is the
portion of the riparian corridor that is flooded by a river or stream at least every 5 or 10 years.
The other zone consists of abandoned floodplains or terraces that are now flooded only
episodically during larger precipitation events.
2.8.4 Wildlife
The mountainous zone, coastal foothills, and the central flats of the Region provide a
tremendous diversity of habitat types distinguished by their microclimate, slope aspect, and soil
type. These habitats provide nesting, breeding, and foraging habitat for hundreds of wildlife
species. Native species include large resident predators such as the mountain lion (Felis concolor
californica) as well as migratory birds and waterfowl such as the southwestern willow flycatcher
that spends only a part of the year along willow-dominated riparian corridors (USACE 2001c). A
total of 20 federal- and state-listed endangered and threatened wildlife species have been
identified as historically, currently, or potentially occurring within the County of Orange area,
with six species currently within the Region. Of the 20 listed species previously observed in the
area, four species can survive only in riparian ecosystems: California least tern (Sterna antillarum
browni), southwestern willow flycatcher (Empidonax trailli extimus), least Bell's vireo (Vireo
bellii), and Belding's savannah sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis beldingi) and two species are
not associated with riparian ecosystems (coastal California gnatcatcher and Riverside fairy
shrimp). Two endangered species, the light-footed clapper rail (Rallus longirostris obsoletus) and
the California least tern have been observed in Upper Newport Bay.
2.9 Climate Change Impacts on the Region
Climate change is a shift in the average weather that a given region experiences. This is
quantified by changes in climate variables such as average temperature, average precipitation,
wind patterns, and changes in extremes in temperature and precipitation. Although the Earth’s
climate is always changing, the current climate change occurring today differs from previous
climate changes in both its rate and its magnitude.
Climate change is affecting California in many ways several of which impact our water resources:
sea levels are rising, snowpack is decreasing, and water temperatures are increasing. In the
future, droughts are expected to become more frequent and more severe, and storm intensities
are expected to increase. These changes affect our ability to meet crucial water management
objectives such as ensuring reliable water supply and quality, managing floods, and protecting
ecosystem functions and critical habitats. Integrated regional water planning is an excellent
framework for addressing water-related climate impacts, as it provides a process for
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stakeholders with varied water-related priorities to work together to develop solutions that
satisfy all water uses and needs. Because climate change impacts so many aspects of water
resources, this process is ideal for addressing adaptation to climate change and for developing
measures to help mitigate future climate change.
Planning for climate change can be viewed as a process of assessing risks, evaluating and
selecting strategies that appear most effective based on current knowledge, and monitoring
conditions and updating strategies as knowledge improves. The Climate Change Handbook for
Regional Water Planning (US EPA Region 9 and CA DWR, November 2011) outlines a process for
accomplishing this in the context of regional water management. Many of the potential and
observed impacts from climate change on water resources are depicted in Figure 2-26.
Figure 2-26: Potential and Observed Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources in California
Source: https://www.water.ca.gov/Programs/All-Programs/Climate-Change-Program
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Understanding climate change impacts in the Region allows regional water management
planners to assess risks, and informs decisions concerning future actions. A climate change
impact assessment may indicate that immediate action is required even though analysis
indicates that those threats may not become critical for several years. Using the results of the
assessment, resource management strategies can be prioritized.
Adapting to climate change impacts is an ongoing process and being responsive over time is
critical to addressing to climate change. This includes improving information accessibility and
monitoring systems and working together across institutional and social boundaries to leverage
resources from diverse sources (National Academy of Sciences47).
The IRWM stakeholders are aware of the detriment and cost that inaction on climate change
may have on the Region. Snowmelt, either from the Sierra Nevada or the Rockies, is a major
component of the imported water supplies in the IRWM planning region. A large fraction of the
precipitation in western mountain regions falls on days with temperatures just a few degrees
below freezing (Bales et al., 200848). Thus, warming by even a few degrees might result in a large
shift from snowfall to rainfall, a result of great consequence to the Western U.S. and California,
where snowpack represents a significant component of water storage during the year. In
addition to the shift in storage, there may be impacts caused by the change in the total quantity
of precipitation, and in length and severity of droughts across the large region that supplies
water to Orange County. A warming California climate would also foster more large brush and
forest fires, especially with the extreme tree mortality from the recent 2012-2015 drought.
Continuing increases in global GHG emissions at current rates would result, by late in the
century, in sea level rising by more than four feet, and a greater incidence of heat wave days.
These impacts will translate into real costs for California, including flood damage and flood
control costs that could amount to several billion dollars in many regions. Water supply costs
due to scarcity and increased operating costs would also increase.
This following presents a high-level summary of the effects of climate change in the Region and
ongoing adaptation efforts in the context of water supply, which is inherently a statewide issue
given the inter-basin transfers of water that occur through the southwest. A summary of other
system impacts is also discussed and derived from the vulnerability assessment presented in
Table 2-12. Based on the following summarized information, it is thought that climate
adaptation through increased water use efficiency and conservation will play a key role in the
selection of future IRWM projects. Further, as understanding of the nature and impacts of
climate change, especially in the North and Central OC IRWM Region improves with time, this
information will be incorporated in future versions of the IRWM plan.
47 http://nas-sites.org/americasclimatechoices/
48 https://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/full/10.1175/2009JCLI2470.1
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Specifically, changes in hydrological conditions due to climate change most likely to affect The
OC Plan’s water planning, include:49
1. Sea Level Rise. Water supply effects of sea level rise, via salt water intrusion, are also likely
in the coastal aquifers. Sea level rise could increase coastal erosion and impact coastal
infrastructure and ecological resources such as estuaries and tidal wetlands. Sea level rise
has implications not only for coastal areas but also for the management of the
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Refer to Section 3.8 for further information on potential
climate change impacts.
2. Warmer Temperatures Changing Mountain Snowpack Runoff. Rising average
temperatures throughout California will ultimately reduce the amount of mountain
snowpack as more precipitation will fall as rain, instead of snow, and warmer weather will
cause more snowpack to melt earlier in the year. Refer to Section 3.8 for further
information on impacts of warmer temperatures on snowpack runoff.
3. Changes in Precipitation and Temperature Affecting Average Runoff Volume. The effects
of climate change on annual precipitation and runoff are less clear, but of great potential
importance. The existing amount of surface storage on most major streams and water
storage reservoir in Southern California provides some capacity to accommodate shifts in
inflows for most years. However, any reduction of annual runoff volumes due to declines in
precipitation or increase in evapotranspiration (ET) in reservoirs or the broader watersheds
would directly reduce water supplies.
4. Changes in Drought Persistence. Droughts differ from typical emergency events such as
floods or forest fires, in that they occur slowly over a multiyear period. Drought impacts
increase with the length of a drought, as carry-over supplies in reservoirs are depleted and
water levels in groundwater basins decline. Droughts in the western United States are
often persistent, and the recent period (2012-2016) constituted one the most severe
droughts over the past millennium. Although the change in precipitation that led to the
recent drought was not tied to climate change, the slightly warmer temperatures resulted
in higher ET from the landscape and increased the severity of the drought. For example,
water year 2015 was the warmest on record for California and one of the lowest annual
rainfall quantities recorded. North and Central OC’s reliance on imported water from
throughout the state makes drought awareness a high concern.
5. Higher Water Temperatures in Streams and Reservoirs. Higher temperatures overall will
increase water temperatures throughout the system, including inflows into reservoirs,
water stored within reservoirs, and water flowing downstream. Such increases will
significantly affect ecosystem uses of the water system. Most species have evolved to
49 Adapting California’s Water Management to Climate Change, November 2008, as found in California Water Plan
Update 2009, Volume 4 Reference Guide.
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survive within a specific temperature range. Increased water temperature can also reduce
the amount of dissolved oxygen that it holds, affecting aquatic organisms. Because of
warmer temperatures in streams, water quality standards related to aquatic life may
require greater reservoir outflows.
6. Potential Increase in Water Demands for Landscape Use Due to Higher Temperatures.
Higher temperatures, and associated higher ET rates, are likely to also change water
demands throughout the state, although this will likely be limited by available supplies, an
important issue as landscape irrigation accounts for half or more of residential water use in
Southern California.
7. Increased Flood Flows and Flood Frequencies. Increased intensity and frequency of major
storms, another anticipated effect of climate change, would further augment flood
problems in Southern California. With continued increases in floodplain urbanization and
the associated increase in damage potential, flooding costs from climate change could
exceed those of water supply. The effects of changes in flood flows on ecosystems are less
well studied but could be significant. An indirect effect of larger floods and storms could be
the effect on levees in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, with significant adverse effects
of water quality through salinity intrusion that limits water exports for an extended time
frame, impacting the supplemental water to North and Central OC.
8. Damage to Trees and Increased Risk of Wildfire and Erosion. The recent drought, coupled
with other accessories such as pests, has significantly affected the health of forests in
California, which constitute the most important watersheds throughout the state. Recent
analysis of aerial imagery has shown that nearly 100 million trees may be facing mortality
in the recent drought.50 The presence of these dead trees has the potential to significantly
enhance wildfire risk in the near term and increase the risk of erosion and adverse water
quality over the slightly longer term. To the degree that the recent drought is indicative of
future drier and warmer conditions, it may be a significant threat to California’s forests as
well as its water supply. Additionally, we have seen in the recent wildfires, the ability for
these fires to spread to urban areas and create tremendous damage to neighborhoods,
resulting in impacts on water supply.
Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment. CWC §10541(e)(10), states that IRWM plans must
include an evaluation of the adaptability to climate change of water management systems in the
Region. A vulnerability assessment for the Region was prepared (Table 2-11) prioritizing climate
change issues in the Region. This assessment allowed the Region to assess its water resource
sensitivity to climate change, prioritize climate change vulnerabilities, and ultimately guides
decisions as to what strategies and projects would most effectively adapt to and mitigate against
climate change.
50 http://www.fs.fed.us/news/releases/new-aerial-survey-identifies-more-100-million-dead-trees-california
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A series of questions from DWR’s 2011 Climate Change Handbook for Regional Water Planning,
shown in Table 2-11, were used as a basis for determination of climate change vulnerabilities
relevant to the Region. Also shown in Table 2-11 are the priority level to the Region using the
scale of low, medium or high.
Table 2-11
Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment: Prioritized Issues in the Region
Vulnerability Issue Description Priority
Level
Imported supply
would decrease
Imported water makes up at least 25% of the Region’s supplies.
The vulnerability of SWP and CRA supplies combined with the
area’s dependence on imported water makes the Region highly
vulnerable to any decreases in imported supply.
High
Local supply would
decrease
Decreases in local precipitation would decrease the local runoff to
recharge groundwater (both naturally and through managed
spreading grounds), reducing the amount of local groundwater
supply available to meet demand.
High
Demand for all
sectors would
increase
Demand is expected to increase in the Region due to population
growth. Climate change is expected to further increase demand
due to higher temperatures increasing evapotranspiration and put
strain on the Region’s limited supplies.
High
Episodes of flooding
would increase
Increases in the intensity of storms may increase the frequency of
flooding as storms exceed the capacity of flood control facilities.
High
Ability to store
groundwater/
recharge capacity
would decrease
Reductions in imported water supply and local surface water may
intensify groundwater use. This increased groundwater use may
result in a reduction of the volume of groundwater that could be
produced from the groundwater basin in times of drought. In
addition, reductions in local surface water flows will reduce the
supply available for recharge. Together these concerns make this
issue of medium concern to the Region.
Medium
Higher drought
potential (unmet
demands)
The frequency, duration, and intensity of droughts are expected to
increase with climate change and reduce both the local and
imported supplies available. A reduction in either imported or
local supplies has the potential to cause unmet demand should
demand reduction measures not be sufficient, making the Region
moderately vulnerable to this issue.
Medium
Assimilative capacity
of water bodies
would decrease
During general drought conditions, natural inflow is not available
to maintain or improve assimilative capacity of groundwater
basins. Reduced precipitation could further reduce natural inflow,
Medium
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Table 2-11
Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment: Prioritized Issues in the Region
Vulnerability Issue Description Priority
Level
and further reduce assimilative capacity. Given that the Region is
using imported water for groundwater recharge, this issue is of
medium concern to the Region.
Erosion and
sedimentation
would increase
Increases in the intensity of storms could increase erosion and
sedimentation, which both impact water quality and increase
flood risk. This may be exacerbated with increases in wildfires. As
the Region has issues with erosion and sedimentation, this
vulnerability issue has been prioritized as medium.
Medium
Constituent of
concern
concentrations
would increase
Decreases in local surface water flows caused by reduced
precipitation may reduce the volume of water available to dilute
constituents of concern. As surface water quality is of concern to
the Region to maintain local supply, this issue is of low concern to
the Region.
Low
Invasive species
would increase
A reduction in local water supply available to support native
species may impact these species ability to compete with invasive
species. Though this is an issue of concern to the Region, it’s
considered a low priority at this time in comparison to other
issues.
Low
Available necessary
habitat would
decrease
Habitat for a few threatened or endangered species exists in the
Region (i.e. coastal sage scrub, grasslands, riparian, coastal
California gnatcatcher, coastal cactus wren, and orange-throated
whiptail)51 Changes in temperature and water available may cause
shifts in the location and quality of habitat necessary for these
species. Given that habitat has been designated for species in the
Region, this vulnerability issue has been designated to be of low
priority.
Low
Impacts to water
dependent species
would increase
Reduced surface water flows and increased water temperatures
can negatively impact aquatic species. Though water dependent
species are not currently experiencing issues, this is still an issue of
concern for the Region.
Low
51https://www.fws.gov/carlsbad/HCPs/FAQ%20Orange%20County%20Central%20Coastal%20NCCP%20and%20HCP
sjw.pdf
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Estimating the impacts and effects of climate change at a regional level is challenging due to the
coarse spatial scale of models that project climate change impacts of temperature and rainfall,
and due to the long timescale evaluated in many models (to the year 2100). Recently, state
entities have been working to downscale climate models to allow for climate change planning at
a level that can be useful for planning efforts. The timescale used for these models has also been
downscaled to provide outputs for the year 2050, and though this is still a longer timescale than
is used in IRWM planning, it is still useful for assessing climate change.
To incorporate climate change into water resources management, downscaled temperature and
precipitation projections are input into hydrologic and other models to project impacts to water
supply, water demand, snow pack, sea level rise, and wildfires. The results of these models have
been summarized in a variety of studies and planning documents at the state and regional levels.
A number of these documents were reviewed to determine which best represented the impacts
for the Region. These documents include:
• Climate Change Analysis for the Santa Ana River Watershed, Santa Ana Watershed Basin
Study, Lower Colorado Region, Technical Memorandum 86-68210-2013-02, August 2013
• OWOW 2.0 Plan Chapter 5.13 Energy and Environmental Impact Response, Appendix F1
SARW FAQS Regarding Climate Change and Appendix F2 Climate Change Analysis for the
Santa Ana River Watershed, Santa Ana Watershed Basin Study, California, Lower
Colorado Region
• Cal-Adapt website managed by the California Energy Commission (accessed October
2017)52
• Colorado River Basin Supply and Demand Study by U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
(2012)53
• California Adaptation Planning Guide by the California Emergency Management Agency
and the California Natural Resources Agency (2012)54
• Climate Change Handbook for Regional Water Planning by US EPA Region 9 and CA DWR,
(November 2011)55
• DWR Climate Change Action Plan56
• Using Future Climate Projections to Support Water Resources Decision Making in
California by the California Climate Change Center (2009)57
• Potential Effects of Sea Level Rise on Coastal Groundwater Conditions and Seawater
Intrusion by Tim Sovich and Li Li (February 2013)
52 http://cal-adapt.org/tools/
53 https://www.usbr.gov/lc/region/programs/crbstudy/finalreport/index.html and
https://www.usbr.gov/watersmart//bsp/docs/finalreport/ColoradoRiver/CRBS_Executive_Summary_FINAL.pdf
54 http://resources.ca.gov/docs/climate/01APG_Planning_for_Adaptive_Communities.pdf
55 http://www.water.ca.gov/climatechange/docs/Climate_Change_Handbook_Regional_Water_Planning.pdf
56 http://www.water.ca.gov/climatechange/CAP.cfm
57 http://www.energy.ca.gov/2009publications/CEC-500-2009-052/CEC-500-2009-052-D.PDF
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GHG Emissions. In addition to being affected by climate change the water sector is a contributor
to the greenhouse gas emissions that are a cause of climate change. The emissions arise from
energy used in the transport of water through the SWP, in the treatment of municipal supply
and in the treatment of wastewater. Therefore, any effort or specific IRWM projects that lead to
reduced water imports and/or reduced water use and disposal will also have a greenhouse gas
reduction, or climate mitigation benefit.
The relationship between water and energy is complex. Approximately one-fifth of California’s
electricity is generated by hydropower, while approximately one-fifth of the state’s electricity
and 30 percent of the state’s non-power plant natural gas58 is used for conveyance, treatment,
distribution, and end use of water (Climate Action Team [CAT] 2008). Therefore, increases in
water use efficiency can translate into energy use reduction and reductions in GHG emissions.
Consideration of energy and water use as part of project evaluation is critical to reducing GHG
emissions. Each molecule of CO2 emitted to the atmosphere will enhance global warming for
approximately a century (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2003); therefore,
efforts to reduce GHG emissions to the atmosphere will reduce future impacts of climate change
and are referred to as climate change mitigation.59
Selection between alternative projects designed to address the same objective may yield
significantly different GHG emissions. GHG emissions for water projects can also be reduced in
several ways, including reduction in water use, efficient design of facilities, energy efficiency for
operations, and incorporation of renewable energy.
Although statewide efforts to address climate change are in progress, it is understood that local
governments and agencies within the Region play an essential role in fulfilling California’s
emissions reduction targets and in reducing the local effects of climate change in the Region.
Local governments have broad influence and, in some cases, exclusive authority over activities
that contribute to significant direct and indirect GHG emissions through their planning and
permitting processes, local ordinances, outreach and education efforts, and municipal
operations. Land-use planning and urban growth decisions are also areas where successful
implementation of climate change strategies relies on local government. Local governments
have primary authority to plan, zone, approve, and permit how and where land is developed to
accommodate population growth and the changing needs of their jurisdictions.
58 Non-power plant natural gas is natural gas that is not used to generate electricity but is used to provide directly
used energy; for example, to heat boilers and water heaters.
59 Climate Change Handbook for Regional Water Planning by US EPA Region 9 and CA DWR, November 2011
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Relationship of Climate Change Analysis to IRWM Plan Standards. The IRWM climate change
standard requirements and the information provided in The OC Plan are identified in Table 2-12
for each major area of assessment.
Table 2-12
IRWM Plan Standards: Climate Change
IRWM 2016 Guidelines Requirement Location in
The OC Plan
Regional Vulnerabilities: A discussion of the potential effect of climate
change on the IRWM region, including an evaluation of the IRWM
region’s vulnerabilities to the effects of climate change and potential
adaptation responses to those vulnerabilities. The evaluation of
vulnerabilities must, at a minimum, be equivalent to the vulnerability
assessment contained in the Climate Change Handbook for Regional
Water Planning (DWR, 2011).
Section 2.9 Climate
Change Impacts on
Region, and Table 2-11
GHG Emissions: A process that discloses and considers GHG emissions
when choosing between project alternatives and mitigation strategy.
Section 5 Projects
Vulnerability Assessment: A list of prioritized vulnerabilities based on
the vulnerability assessment and the IRWM’s decision making process.
Table 2-11
Future Evaluation: A plan, program, or methodology for further data
gathering and analysis of the prioritized vulnerabilities.
Chapter 4 Regional
Water Management
and Chapter 6
Implementation
Table 2-13 summarizes the impacts and effects of climate change on the Region by 2050 and
2100, which are typically based on an average of various climate change analyses. Generally,
climate change is expected to increase temperature in the Region and increase the number of
heat wave days by three to five days per year. Rainfall projections vary with some projections
showing that the Region will increase slightly in the long term. It is generally accepted that
storms will be less frequent, but more intense, which will impact the ability of the Region to
capture stormwater for water supply, degrade surface water quality, or increase flood risk. With
higher temperatures and changes in rainfall volume and frequency both in the Region and across
the state, additional impacts will be felt in the Region.
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Table 2-13
Projected Effects of Climate Change on the Region by 2050 and 2100
Impact To Effect
Temperature Scenario 1: Emissions Peak 2040, then decline
• Average Annual Maximum temperature: Observed annual mean 73.8oF increased
approximately 3oF between 2020 and 2050
• Average Annual Minimum temperature: Observed annual mean 50.4oF increased to
52.9oF between 2020 and 2050
Scenario 2: Emission continue to rise strongly through 2050 and plateau around 2100:
• Average Annual Maximum temperature: Observed annual mean 73.8oF increased
approximately 6oFto 79.5oF between 2020 and 2100
• Average Annual Minimum temperature: Observed annual mean 50.4oF increased to
55.7oF between 2020 and 2100
Precipitation Scenario 1: Emissions Peak 2040, then decline
• Average Annual Mean: Observed 14.5” increasing to 15.0” between 2020 and 2050
Scenario 2: Emissions continue to rise strongly through 2050 and plateau around
2100:
• Average Annual Mean: Observed 14.5” increasing to 15.0” between 2020 and 2100
Supplies • Decrease in imported and local water supply expected, but not quantified
Demands • Increase expected but not quantified
Wildfires • Same to slight increase in wildfire risk
Source: For temperature and precipitation www.Cal-Adapt.org/tools for Orange County, CA (accessed October
2017)
Imported water supplies from the SWP and the Colorado River supplies to the lower basin states
(Arizona, California, and Nevada) are projected to decrease. It can be assumed, that decreases in
local rainfall will also decrease the local supply available to the Region, though hydrologic
modeling has not been done to quantify potential local supply changes. In the future the Region
may explore hydrologic modeling to better understand the impacts climate change could have
on local water supplies.
Increases in temperature and a drier climate are also expected to increase agricultural and urban
water demand, particularly for irrigation, due to increases in ET rates. As with local supply,
hydrologic modeling has not been done to quantify potential demand changes.
The changes to climate are also expected to increase the frequency of wildfires, with studies
suggesting a slightly increased risk of wildfire in the Region. Increases in wildfires have the
potential to increase sedimentation and turbidity of surface waters and increase flash flooding.
Understanding projected climate change impacts and effects on the Region will help to identify
in what ways water resources in the Region are most vulnerable to climate change. Chapter 3
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Section 2
Region Description
March 2018
2-99
includes such an analysis of the Region’s vulnerabilities to climate change as well as the
corresponding regional goals and objectives for both adapting to and mitigating against climate
change impacts. Chapter 4 also provides strategies identified by the Region to help meet these
climate change-related objectives and address regional vulnerabilities.
While the majority, if not all, of the RMS already listed in Chapter 4 will help to also adapt to
climate change, the Region identified additional strategies that would specifically mitigate
against climate change through a reduction in energy consumption and GHGs. These include:
• Optimize sanitary sewer systems: Optimizing sanitary sewer systems will reduce energy
used to treat wastewater as well as increase the volume of recycled water available and
help to both adapt to climate change by increasing supplies available to the Region and
mitigate against climate change by reducing emissions.
• Improve efficiency of drinking water treatment and distribution systems: Improving
the efficiency of treatment and distribution systems will reduce the energy used to treat
and distribute drinking water as well as reduce in-system water losses, helping to both
adapt to and mitigate against climate change.
• Develop an inventory of emissions from water and wastewater systems: Developing an
inventory of emissions generated by water and wastewater systems will allow the
Region to better understand its carbon footprint and set targets for reducing emissions
and mitigate against climate change.
• Increase the use of renewable energy sources: Increasing the use of renewable energy
sources for powering water and wastewater treatment and distribution systems will
reduce the Region’s carbon footprint and help to mitigate against climate change.
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Section 3
Goals, Objectives, and Strategies
March 2018
3-1
SECTION 3. GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES
3.1 Regional Vision, Mission and Goals
The OC Plan focuses on the North OC WMA and the Central OC WMA as the IRWM Region. The
OC Plan builds upon projects and plans of the agencies within the Region, with an overarching
area of emphasis on water resources, balanced environmental sustainability, and collaboration.
The Vision, Mission, Goals, and Objectives for the North and Central OC IRWM Region are:
➢ Vision: Integrated, healthy and balanced watersheds.
➢ Mission: To improve water quality, increase water supply and
reliability, balance flood management, safeguard habitat,
protect natural resources, and collaborate to ensure
healthy watersheds now and for generations.
➢ Goals:
1. Provide Adequate and Reliable Water Supplies
2. Protect and Enhance Water Quality
3. Restore Ecosystems and Improve Native Habitat
4. Integrate Flood Management
5. Improve the Quality of Life in Orange County
6. Address Climate Change
➢ Objective Focus Areas: Water Supply Management; Improve Water Quality; Ecosystem
and Habitat Restoration; Flood Risk Management; Distribution of Benefits to
Disadvantaged Communities (DAC) and Tribal Communities; Open Space Management
and Access, and Recreational Opportunities; Public Education; and Energy Efficiency,
Carbon Sequestration, and Climate Change.
The vision of The OC Plan for IRWM is to identify the highest priority issues related to water
resources in the North and Central OC IRWM Region and to articulate an agreed-upon set of
goals and strategies to maintain holistic, healthy and balanced watersheds. Clear goals and
objectives will lead to a list of preferred strategies that guide the stakeholders to develop and
promote projects aligned with these goals and objectives.
A goal is defined as the desired result. An objective is defined as an attainable achievement
that helps accomplish a goal. A strategy is defined as an action to be taken that will help
accomplish an objective or objectives and the overall goal(s).
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Section 3
Goals, Objectives, and Strategies
March 2018
3-2
The OC Plan is a living document that will continue to be updated as appropriate. As the
objectives are accomplished or the goals of the IRWM Plan are collectively discussed and
modified, the IRWM Plan will be revised accordingly.
3.2 Methodology for Determining Goals and Objectives
Goals and objectives were the focus of an initial stakeholder workshop on February 21, 2017.
The stakeholders reviewed the goals and objectives from the existing North and Central OC
IRWM Plans and the ranking methodology used for those plans. They then considered current
conditions within the WMAs and overarching goals applicable to the region from such sources
as the Orange County Water Reliability Study (2016), Central OC WMA Executive Action Plan
(2016), OCWD Groundwater Management Plan 2015 Update, Basin 8-1 Alternative (2017)1,
Santa Ana Region Basin Plan, local land use plans, and various statewide plans. The
stakeholders then discussed the importance and appropriateness of the objectives for the
combined North and Central OC IRWM Plan.
A Stakeholder Ad Hoc Committee was formed to further develop the goals, objectives and
strategies to bring back to the full stakeholder group. The Ad Hoc Committee’s seven
participants represented five groups throughout the Region: cities, wholesale water agency,
groundwater management agency, the County of Orange, and a nonprofit agency. The Ad Hoc
Committee met nine times between March and June 2017.
The Ad Hoc Committee confirmed six overarching goals for the North and Central OC IRWM
Region: 1) Provide Adequate and Reliable Water Supplies; 2) Protect and Enhance Water
Quality; 3) Restore Ecosystems and Improve Native Habitat; 4) Integrate Flood Management; 5)
Improve the Quality of Life in Orange County; and 6) Address Climate Change.
Objectives were then reviewed, classified, and refined based on the goals and further refined in
the focus areas of: Water Supply Management; Improve Water Quality; Ecosystem and Habitat
Restoration; Flood Risk Management; Distribution of Benefits to DAC and Tribal Communities;
Open Space Management and Access, and Recreational Opportunities; Public Education; and
Energy Efficiency, Carbon Sequestration, and Climate Change. Where practical, goals and
timelines were developed, and numeric objectives were established.
1 An alternative groundwater plan for the Coastal Plain of the Orange County Groundwater Basin to the
Sustainable Groundwater Management Act required Groundwater Sustainability Plan.
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Section 3
Goals, Objectives, and Strategies
March 2018
3-3
The goals, objectives, and strategies were approved by the RWMG, which directed that they be
presented to the stakeholders for discussion and approval. A June 27, 2017 Stakeholder
meeting was held and the goals, objectives and strategies were discussed and approved.
The objectives are instrumental in the project prioritization process as projects are presented
by project proponents for inclusion in the IRWM Plan and subsequently for funding
opportunities. Projects will be prioritized in accordance with the likelihood the project or
program will achieve IRWM Plan objectives.
Statewide Priorities
The California Department of Water Resources has identified Statewide Priorities, Table 3-1,
based on the California Water Action Plan 2016 Update, issued by the California Natural
Resources Agency, California Department of Food and Agriculture, and the California EPA
(January 2016).
Table 3-1: Statewide Priorities
Action Description
1. Make
Conservation a
California Way of
Life
▪ Building on current water conservation efforts and promoting the innovation of new systems for
increased water conservation.
▪ Expand agricultural and urban water conservation and efficiency to exceed SB- X7-7 targets
▪ Provide funding for conservation and efficiency
▪ Increase water sector energy efficiency and GHG reduction capacity
▪ Promote local urban conservation ordinances and programs
2. Increase Regional
Self- Reliance and
Integrated Water
Management
Across All Levels
of Government
▪ Ensure water security at the local level, where individual government efforts integrate into one
combined regional commitment where the sum becomes greater than any single piece.
▪ Support and expand funding for Integrated Water Management planning and projects
▪ Improve land use and water alignment
▪ Legislation for local and regional self-reliance
▪ Provide assistance to DACs
▪ Demonstrate State leadership
▪ Encourage State focus on projects with multiple benefits
▪ Increase the use of recycled water
▪ Streamline permitting for local water reuse or enhancement projects
3. Achieve the Co-
Equal goals for the
Delta
▪ This action is directed towards State and federal agencies; however, consideration will be
afforded to eligible local or regional projects that also support achieving the co-equal goals
providing a more reliable water supply for California and to protect, restore, and enhance the
Delta ecosystem.
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Section 3
Goals, Objectives, and Strategies
March 2018
3-4
Table 3-1: Statewide Priorities
Action Description
4. Protect and
Restore Important
Ecosystems
▪ Continue protecting and restoring the resiliency of our ecosystems to support fish and wildlife
populations, improve water quality, and restore natural system functions.
▪ Restore key mountain meadow habitat
▪ Manage headwaters for multiple benefits
▪ Bring back salmon to the San Joaquin River
▪ Protect key habitat of the Salton Sea through local partnership
▪ Restore coastal watersheds
▪ Continue restoration efforts in the Lake Tahoe Basin
▪ Continue restoration efforts in the Klamath Basin
▪ Water for wetlands and waterfowl
▪ Eliminate barriers to fish migration
▪ Assess fish passage at large dams
▪ Enhance water flows in stream systems statewide
▪ Achieve ecological goals through integrated regulatory and voluntary efforts
5. Manage and
Prepare for Dry
Periods
▪ Effectively manage water resources through all hydrologic conditions to reduce impacts of
shortages and lessen costs of state response actions. Secure more reliable water supplies and
consequently improve drought preparedness and make California’s water system more resilient.
▪ Revise operations to respond to extreme conditions
▪ Promote safe and effective water transfers
▪ Improve enforcement of the water right priority system
▪ Encourage healthy soils
6. Expand Water
Storage Capacity
and Improve
Groundwater
Management
▪ Increase water storage for widespread public and environmental benefits, especially in
increasingly dry years and better manage our groundwater to reduce declines in groundwater
levels.
▪ Provide essential data to enable Sustainable Groundwater Management
▪ Support funding partnerships for storage projects
▪ Update Bulletin 118, California’s Groundwater Plan
▪ Improve sustainable groundwater management
▪ Support distributed groundwater storage
▪ Increase statewide groundwater recharge
▪ Accelerate clean-up of contaminated groundwater and prevent future contamination
7. Provide Safe
Water to All
Communities
▪ Provide all Californians the right to safe, clean, affordable and accessible water adequate for
human consumption, cooking, and sanitary purposes.
▪ Consolidate water quality programs
▪ Provide funding assistance for vulnerable communities
▪ Manage the supply status of community water systems
▪ Additionally, as required by Water Code §10545, in areas that have nitrate, arsenic, perchlorate,
or hexavalent chromium contamination, consideration will be given to grant proposals that
included projects that help address the impacts caused by nitrate, arsenic, perchlorate, or
hexavalent chromium contamination, including projects that provide safe drinking water to
small DAC.
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Section 3
Goals, Objectives, and Strategies
March 2018
3-5
Table 3-1: Statewide Priorities
Action Description
8. Increase Flood
Protection
▪ Collaboratively plan for integrated flood and water management systems, and implement flood
projects that protect public safety, increase water supply reliability, conserve farmlands, and
restore ecosystems.
▪ Streamline and consolidate permitting
▪ Create a Delta Levee Assessment District
▪ Improve access to emergency funds
▪ Better coordinate flood response operations
▪ Prioritize funding to reduce flood risk and improve flood response
▪ Identify State funding priorities for Delta levees
▪ Encourage flood projects that plan for climate change and achieve multiple benefits
9. Increase
Operational and
Regulatory
Efficiency
▪ This action is directed towards State and federal agencies; however, consideration will be
afforded to eligible local or regional projects that also support increased operational of the
State Water Project or Central Valley Project.
10. Identify
Sustainable and
Integrated
Financing
Opportunities
▪ This action is directed towards State agencies and the legislature.
Source: Statewide Water Action Plan 2016 Update; resources.ca.gov/california_water_action_plan/
Efforts to meet statewide priorities and improve water supply and water quality conditions
have been ongoing in the Region for many years and have advanced as new technologies and
resources have become available. The Ad Hoc Committee reviewed the statewide priorities for
relevance to the Region. Table 3-2 shows the statewide priorities applicable to the North and
Central WMAs and identifies the statewide priorities that are applicable to the IRWM Plan
Goals. The projects included on The OC Plan project list in Appendix F support those applicable
to the Region.
The Resource Management Strategies (RMSs) as identified in the California Water Plan (CWP)
Update 2013 were evaluated by the Ad Hoc Committee and the RWMG for applicability to the
Region. An RMS, as defined in the CWP Update 2013, is a technique, program, or policy that
helps local agencies and governments manage their water and related resources, in support of
the Statewide Priorities.
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Section 3
Goals, Objectives, and Strategies
March 2018
3-6
Table 3-2: Statewide Priorities
Relevant to North and Central OC IRWM Region
Statewide Priorities
California Water Action Plan 2016 Update
North and Central OC IRWM Plan Goals
(1
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(1) Make Conservation a Way of Life
a. Expand Agriculture & Urban Water
Conservation and Efficiency to Exceed SB7-7
Targets
√
b. Increase Water Sector Energy Efficiency and
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Capacity √ √ √
c. Promote Local Urban Conservation Ordinances
and Programs (Model Water Efficient Landscape
Ordinance -July 2015)
√ √
(2) Increase Regional Self-Reliance and Integrated
Water Management Across All Levels of
Government
a. Encourage State Focus on Projects with Multiple
Benefits that Promote IRWM √ √ √ √ √
b. Increase the Use of Recycled Water √ √
(3) Achieve the Co-Equal Goals of the Delta*
(4) Protect and Restore Important Ecosystems
a. Restore Coastal Watersheds √ √
(5) Manage and Prepare for Dry Periods √ √ √ √
(6) Expand Water Storage Capacity and Improve
Groundwater Management
a. Provide Essential Data to Enable Sustainable
Groundwater Management √ √ √
b. Improve Sustainable Groundwater
Management √ √ √ √ √
c. Increase Statewide Groundwater Recharge √ √
(7) Provide Safe Drinking Water for All Communities √ √ √ √
(8) Increase Flood Protection √ √
(9) Increase Operational and Regulatory Efficiency √ √
(10) Identify Sustainable and Integrated Financing
Opportunities √
* This action is directed towards state and federal agencies.
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Section 3
Goals, Objectives, and Strategies
March 2018
3-7
A key objective of the CWP Update 2013 is to present a diverse set of RMSs to meet the water-
related resource management needs of each IRWM region across the state. The primary
objective and emphasis of each strategy is discussed along with identification of
interdependencies among many of the strategies. The RMSs addressed by The OC Plan are
shown in Table 3-3 and detailed in Section 4. Details of the Objectives and implementation
Strategies to meet the Objectives and support the RMS are discussed in Section 3.5 and in
Section 4.
Table 3-3: Statewide Resource Management Strategies
Relevant to North and Central OC IRWM Region
2013 California
Water Plan
Resource
Management
Strategies
North and Central OC IRWM Plan Objectives
1 - Water
Supplies
2 - Water
Quality
3 -
Ecosystems
and Habitat
4 - Flood
Management 5- Quality of Life 6 - Address
Climate Change
No
t
A
p
p
l
i
c
a
b
l
e
t
o
Re
g
i
o
n
Management
Objectives - RMS WS-1 WS-2 WQ-1 WQ-2 ECO-1 ECO-2 FM-1 FM- 2 QL-1 QL-2 QL-3 ACC-
1
ACC-
2
ACC-
3
Reduce Water
Demand
Agricultural Water Use
Efficiency √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Urban Water Use
Efficiency √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Improve Flood
Management
Flood Management √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Improve Operational
Efficiency and
Transfers
Conveyance – Delta √
Conveyance –
Regional/Local √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
System Reoperation √ √ √ √ √ √
Water Transfers √ √ √ √ √
Increase Water
Supply
Conjunctive
Management and
Groundwater Storage
√ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Desalination (Brackish
and Seawater) √ √ √ √ √
Precipitation
Enhancement √
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Section 3
Goals, Objectives, and Strategies
March 2018
3-8
Table 3-3: Statewide Resource Management Strategies
Relevant to North and Central OC IRWM Region
2013 California
Water Plan
Resource
Management
Strategies
North and Central OC IRWM Plan Objectives
1 - Water
Supplies
2 - Water
Quality
3 -
Ecosystems
and Habitat
4 - Flood
Management 5- Quality of Life 6 - Address
Climate Change
No
t
A
p
p
l
i
c
a
b
l
e
t
o
Re
g
i
o
n
Management
Objectives - RMS WS-1 WS-2 WQ-1 WQ-2 ECO-1 ECO-2 FM-1 FM- 2 QL-1 QL-2 QL-3 ACC-
1
ACC-
2
ACC-
3
Municipal Recycled
Water √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Surface Storage –
CALFED/State √
Surface Storage –
Regional/Local √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Improve Water
Quality
Drinking Water
Treatment and
Distribution
√ √ √ √
√
√ √ √ √
Groundwater/Aquifer
Remediation √ √ √ √ √
Matching Water Quality
to Use √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Pollution Prevention √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Salt and Salinity
Management √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Urban Stormwater
Runoff Management √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Practice Resources
Stewardship
Agricultural Lands
Stewardship √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Ecosystem Restoration √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Forest Management √
Land Use Planning and
Management √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Recharge Areas
Protection √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Sediment Management √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Watershed
Management √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
People and Water
Economic Incentives
Policy √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Section 3
Goals, Objectives, and Strategies
March 2018
3-9
Table 3-3: Statewide Resource Management Strategies
Relevant to North and Central OC IRWM Region
2013 California
Water Plan
Resource
Management
Strategies
North and Central OC IRWM Plan Objectives
1 - Water
Supplies
2 - Water
Quality
3 -
Ecosystems
and Habitat
4 - Flood
Management 5- Quality of Life 6 - Address
Climate Change
No
t
A
p
p
l
i
c
a
b
l
e
t
o
Re
g
i
o
n
Management
Objectives - RMS WS-1 WS-2 WQ-1 WQ-2 ECO-1 ECO-2 FM-1 FM- 2 QL-1 QL-2 QL-3 ACC-
1
ACC-
2
ACC-
3
Outreach and
Engagement √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Water and Culture √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Water-Dependent
Recreation √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Other Strategies
Crop idling, dewvaporation/ atmospheric pressure desalination, fog collection, irrigated land retirement, rainfed agriculture, snow fences, and
waterbag transport/storage technology √
3.3 Water Management Issues
The following presents the primary issues that provided the foundation for establishing the
regional Goals and Objectives in Sections 3.4 and 3.5:
3.3.1 Water Supplies
a. Demand for potable water exceeds local water supplies; therefore, supplemental water is
needed.
b. Although the Region has made great strides in water conservation and management,
there is still a gap between local demand for potable water and local supplies
necessitating more water conservation, local potable water supply projects, and
expanded use of recycled water.
c. The Region receives approximately one-third of its water from imported sources.
Environmental constraints such as drought and impacts from the Delta are affecting the
reliability of imported water supply. Continuing awareness and education of the
significance of imported water reliability to the Region is vital.
d. Drought has worsened the frequency and intensity of wildfires. When combined with
urban fires – residential and commercial structures, the demand for potable water to fight
fires may exceed the local water supply. Local water suppliers maintain capacity in storage
for fire suppression.
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Section 3
Goals, Objectives, and Strategies
March 2018
3-10
3.3.2 Water Quality
a. Some receiving waters in the Region do not meet the water quality objectives as defined
by the Santa Ana Regional Water Board in the Basin Plan for the Santa Ana region.
b. Nonpoint source pollution is a concern in the Region.
c. Trash in waterways reduces aesthetic quality and accumulates in the intertidal habitats;
plastics have been documented as a threat to aquatic life through ingestion and
entanglement and suspended microscopic particles can act as intermediary for chemical
uptake in wildlife through bioaccumulation processes.
d. Most existing drainage infrastructure was not designed and constructed for a 100-year
storm event or for water quality control.
e. Existing development prior to 2011 did not incorporate low impact development (LID)
design principles.
f. Emerging contaminants, such as pyrethroid pesticides and polybrominated diphenyl
ethers (PBDEs), pharmaceuticals, and personal care products, have been identified as a
potential public health concern. These constituents are being detected at low
concentrations in drinking water but their risks to public health are not known.
g. Water quality protection needs to be consistent with the Basin Plan, including protection
of groundwater resources from contamination.
h. Local agencies in the Region are challenged to meet regulatory water quality standards in
a cost-effective manner to maintain lasting results.
i. Leaks and sewage spills can occur due to wastewater and water conveyance systems;
inadequate capacity to handle increased flows can impact surface, groundwater and
ocean water quality. Multipurpose projects that include the rehabilitation of water and
wastewater infrastructure are important for improving water quality.
3.3.3 Ecosystems and Native Habitat
a. Temporary post-fire loss of upland habitat has occurred. Wildfires occasionally denude
the foothills of vegetation resulting in increased erosion and the potential for an increase
in invasive species.
b. Sedimentation of Upper Newport Bay has been reduced over the past 20 years by
upstream sediment control improvements, facility maintenance, and the Upper Newport
Bay Ecosystem Restoration Project. Currently, sediment is well under control and all key
Sediment TMDL targets have been met. A commitment to prevention of loss of estuarine
habitat in Upper Newport Bay continues while a maintenance phase begins. With sea level
rise and climate change issues that could bring further changes to the Upper Newport Bay
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Section 3
Goals, Objectives, and Strategies
March 2018
3-11
and even require sediment input to keep up with rising sea level, the Region is adopting a
more holistic approach to sediment management.
c. Loss and degradation of riparian habitat has occurred due to channelized flood
conveyance systems and heavy erosion of natural channels due to hydromodification.
d. Stormwater and urban runoff, wastewater spills, invasive species, and erosion impact
ecosystems in the Region. Functioning ecosystems offer a wide range of benefits for water
supply, water quality and habitat, and should be rehabilitated and preserved for the
future. Habitat areas in the Region include rivers, creeks, wetlands, bays, beaches, coastal
shorelines, wildlife refuges and preserves, and regional and state parks.
e. The Region lacks a system for early exclusion and protection from invasive species. Issues
related to invasive species that are specific to this region include (1) African clawed frogs,
(2) zebra and quagga mussels, (3) cowbirds, which threaten native songbirds, (4) Arundo
and pampus grass, and (4) commercially available invasive plants.
f. The Region is largely developed, with much of the older development not incorporating
habitat requirements for species or open-space linkages at the time of development.
Therefore, the habitat is fragmented, and there are poor linkages between open-space
areas in some parts of the Region. Although completion of open space master planning for
the historic Irvine Ranch was completed in 2014 and culminated with a donation of 2,500
acres of open space, a general lack of master planning for designated open-space areas in
the Region has allowed piecemeal development to fragment or isolate important habitat
areas.
g. Marine habitat is degraded. There has been a loss of eelgrass in Upper Newport Bay, for
example, and there are contaminated fish and invertebrate stocks due to sediment and
water pollution.
3.3.4 Flood Management
a. Areas within the Region are not fully protected from a 100-year flood. Some Orange
County regional and local facilities cannot convey the 100-year storm discharge. Many
sub-regional facilities are also deficient. There are aging facilities in the Region that do not
meet current standards. Several existing flood control facilities are approaching or have
exceeded their expected useful life, making the threat of flood damage from these
facilities imminent, requiring upgrades to adequately manage risk of floods.
b. Regulatory permits are required for the County, cities, and Orange County Flood Control
District (OCFCD) to improve and provide capital improvements, maintenance and repairs
to its flood control facilities. Maintenance is needed to ensure that flood control facilities
can continue to convey their designed discharges. Repairs are needed for frequently
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occurring problems such as bank erosion and invert aggradation or degradation.
Oftentimes improvements are designed to maintain the same right-of-way without
purchasing private property. Most permits require mitigation for soft bottom or earthen
slopes, which require a wider right-of-way. The facilities are in urban or suburban settings
where right-of-way is limited. Other regulatory requirements burden the design process,
cause delays, and add to the cost of improvements.
c. Limited funding is available for flood control capital improvement projects. Property tax
revenue is the main source of funding for flood control capital improvement projects. A
portion of the funding comes from agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA), or state-sponsored grants. Current economic conditions may further
delay the flood control improvements.
d. Reducing scour and erosion on canyons and channels while supporting natural systems
and minimizing use of concrete and riprap is essential yet can be challenging to
accomplish.
e. Obtaining right-of-way for naturalization efforts is extremely challenging.
3.3.5 Quality of Life in Orange County
a. Orange County has a strong outdoor recreation legacy because of its pleasant climate,
natural beauty, diversity of natural habitats, and fish and wildlife resources. Open space
set aside for water resource protection, storage, or extraction are often suitable for
recreational use. These include protected watershed lands, floodways, and reservoirs.
b. The Region is continually growing, which means that there is a higher demand for potable
water, a greater amount of wastewater generated, and the need for additional
recreational resources. Economic stability relies on implementing cost-effective solutions
to these growth-related issues. Land-use decisions play a key role in developing a
sustainable region.
c. Residents including, disadvantaged communities, along with other communities, utilize
the waters within the Region as recreational locales. Waters within the Region include
area beaches, local creeks and streams, and wetland environments. Water quality of the
watersheds can impact these recreational opportunities. Furthermore, disadvantaged and
low-income water customers may face affordability problems. Pricing decisions should
consider equity as well as efficiency.
d. Environmental justice highlights the fact that disadvantaged and low-income members of
the community tend to disproportionately endure environmental pollution and unhealthy
conditions.
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e. Addressing environmental disparities and increasing access to natural places for urban
communities reflect a commitment to promoting healthy environments for vulnerable
populations. Orange County’s extensive regional parks system comprises 39,000 acres in
25 urban and wilderness parks, including seven regional historic sites, 7,000 acres of open
space and 230 miles of regional riding and hiking trails.2 The policy report, Healthy Parks,
Schools and Communities, Green Access and Equity for Orange County,3 mapped and
analyzed park access and equity. The report identifies significant disparities in access to
green space between North and South Orange County. Densely populated northern
communities have less green space and public transportation to parks and beaches than
Southern communities, where more affluent residents live. The wide-ranging benefits
associated with access to parks and recreational areas include increased physical activity,
better health, enhanced community and cultural pride, economic vitality and
environmental conservation. The January 2011 report found that green space is an
economic stimulus that creates jobs, boosts local businesses and raises property values. It
also reports that being located near green space adds five to ten percent to the total value
of a home, in both high-income and low-income communities.
f. Water education and awareness helps individuals understand where they fit within the
larger world of water. Once they identify their watershed address and discover their role
in the water cycle, it becomes easier for them to recognize that water knows no
boundaries. It flows throughout the world and connects everyone. Knowledge helps
people to think about the actions they take individually and collectively – and that
understanding the real value of water promotes the management, conservation and
protection of the resource.4
g. Prevention of flooding - minor or major, improves quality of life by protecting residents’
homes and properties.
3.3.6 Climate Change
a. Climate change will influence water resources, particularly water supply availability for
human and habitat needs. Addressing these issues now will help the Region prepare for
current and future impacts.
b. Climate change has affected the length of the fire season, extending it longer into the
year, increasing the demand on potable water and the need to maintain sufficient
infrastructure to fight fires. Recent statewide response to wildfires has been substantial.
2 Orange County, Regional Wilderness & Parks, http://www.ocgov.com/visitors/wilderness
3 http://kresge.org/news/low-income-park-poor-communities-californias-north-orange-county-stand-benefit-
increased-access , https://www.cityprojectca.org/blog/archives/8175 and https://www.cityprojectca.org/blog/wp-
content/uploads/2011/03/CityProject_OCreport_ENGLISH1.pdf
4 Dennis Nelson, CEO & President, Project WET Foundation, Using Water Education to Conserve Water, 2011
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c. The California Water Plan recognizes climate change as a threat to water supply reliability
and remains a key issue as state experts work to determine how to best incorporate a
changing climate into water management planning, including flood planning due to sea
level rise, peak flow changes and a reduced snowpack.
d. Changing climate is expected to shift precipitation patterns and result in sea level rise,
impacting water resources and ecosystems. The areas of concern for California include the
reduction in the Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountain snowpack, increased intensity and
frequency of extreme weather events, and sea level rise leading to increased risk of
coastal flooding and levee failure in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, a major source of
water supply to the Region.
e. Climate change also adds complexities and questions regarding environmental impacts in
the future. For example, rising water temperatures are attracting invasive species to
waterways in which they have not previously lived and, according to a 2013 study by the
UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences, 82 percent of California’s 121 native fish species
could have critically low numbers.
f. Climate change is causing changes in weather patterns that affect both energy demand
and energy supply, with reduced reliability and efficiency. Weather changes also effects
water demand and supply. Energy efficiency reduces use of fossil fuels. However, energy
efficiency can address some of the energy sector’s vulnerabilities to climate change
impacts.
g. A 2013 report issued by the Columbia University Water Center, in conjunction with Veolia
Water and Growing Blue, raises an additional concern to add to future projections of
water scarcity. The study clearly shows that decision makers need to be thinking beyond
the problems of water scarcity to the way drought will affect regions that are already
facing problems. Droughts will create an additional impact that needs to be understood,
because drought magnifies the effects of scarcity.
h. The Earth’s atmosphere contains carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases
(GHGs) that act as a protective layer, causing the planet to be warmer than it would
otherwise be. If the level of CO2 rises, mean global temperatures are also expected to rise
as increasing amounts of solar radiation are trapped inside the “greenhouse.” The level of
CO2 in the atmosphere is determined by a continuous flow among the stores of carbon in
the atmosphere, the ocean, the earth’s biological systems, and its geological materials. As
long as the amount of carbon flowing into the atmosphere (as CO2) and out (in the form
of plant material and dissolved carbon) are in balance, the level of carbon in the
atmosphere remains constant. Human activities—particularly the extraction and burning
of fossil fuels and the depletion of forests—are causing the level of GHGs (primarily CO2)
in the atmosphere to rise. In the past 150 years, human industrial activity has accelerated
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the rate of change in the climate due to the increase in GHGs (carbon dioxide, methane
and nitrous oxide). Scientific studies describing this climate change continue and impacts
continue to be assessed.
i. The California Environmental Protection Agency has found temperatures in the state have
risen by about 1.5 degrees since 1895. Looking ahead, temperatures could rise by 2.7
degrees and its sea levels by 55 inches in the next 40 years, according to the California
Energy Commission and the California Natural Resources Agency. These are among the
ongoing issues North and Central Orange County face as they grapple with climate
change.
j. Climate Change is considered in The OC Plan objectives as it impacts all elements of
watershed management. All applicable RMSs also considered the effects of Climate
Change on the IRWM region.
k. Climate change impacts threaten our health by affecting the food we eat, the water we
drink, the air we breathe, and the weather we experience. These impacts will be felt
inequitably by vulnerable populations and may force changes to social and livelihood
strategies. The OC Plan includes the most vulnerable when considering climate change
adaptation and the cost of impacts. Such unequal impacts may include:
1) Vulnerable populations with fewer resources have the hardest time stabilizing after
wildfire events that damage homes and force evacuation.
2) Extreme weather events can be especially devastating for vulnerable populations,
worsening existing issues linked to social determinants of health, such as availability of
healthy housing, access to health care and food affordability.5 Extreme heat’s link to
heat waves and air pollution makes conditions ripe for more heat-related illness, such
as heat stroke, asthma and heart attacks.
3) Cool green spaces - Vegetation and green spaces can be susceptible to increased heat
or dryness, as well as to increased risk for hazards such as flooding. Parks play an
important role in cooling urban areas through temperature decreases. So, while parks
have the potential to help residents adapt to climate change, they are often
distributed inequitably and in a manner that is difficult to address. Increasing plant life
generally, and street trees in particular, has the possibility to both help mitigate
climate change through reduced electricity dependence and help people adapt to
hotter temperatures by lessening the urban heat island effect. Adaptation to the heat
impacts of climate change will be easier for residents who have access to parks and
other public green spaces. The cooling benefits of such areas will likely become
increasingly important to help mitigate the urban heat island effect.
5 “The Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health in the United States: A Scientific Assessment”, U.S. Global
Change Research Program, 2016. https://health2016.globalchange.gov/
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4) Access to safe drinking water will help adapt to urban heat island effects and sudden
heatwaves. Financial assistance, water pricing, and water market policies intended to
influence water management can influence the amount and time of water use,
wastewater volume, and source of water supply.
5) Food access can be unpredictable with potentially significant disruptions in food
production and distribution networks, reducing availability of imported produce,
raising local food prices. Among the community agriculture projects which have been
the most successful in improving food access equity are those whose production is
directly tied to food banks, food pantries or other supplementary food sites which
primarily serve vulnerable populations.
3.4 Regional Goals
Since water is at the core of IRWM planning, there is also a significant connection between
water resources, land uses, and all other aspects of the environment. Coordinating water
resource management and environmental protection in a cost-efficient manner produces
multiple benefits for the greatest number of people. Partnerships make this coordination
possible.
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The OC Plan stakeholders identified six connected goals within the Region in Figure 3-1:
Figure 3-1: The OC Plan Goals
The desired outcomes in The OC Plan regional goals include the following:
GOAL 1. Provide Adequate and Reliable Water Supplies
Outcome: Meet projected water demands through increased local potable and recycled
water supplies, maximized water conservation and water use efficiency strategies,
sustained groundwater resources, and optimized operation of water systems and use of
imported water.
Outcome: Protected and improved water supply reliability.
GOAL 2. Protect and Enhance Water Quality
Outcome: Reliability of water supplies for all communities in the Region through
improved and sustained water quality.
Outcome: Protected and improved water quality within the Region consistent with the
Santa Ana Region Basin Plan.
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GOAL 3. Restore Ecosystems and Improve Native Habitat
Outcome: Protected, restored, and improved stewardship of aquatic, riparian, and
watershed resources within the Region.
Outcome: Balanced competing interests of the community in a way that protects
environmental resources while promoting a healthy economy and recreational
opportunities in the watersheds.
GOAL 4. Integrate Flood Management
Outcome: Reduced flood risk to public and private property, improved public safety, and
improved floodplains.
GOAL 5. Improve the Quality of Life in Orange County
Outcome: Critical water needs – supply and quality – of DAC, low-income, and tribal
communities and other vulnerable populations are met through their participation in
the IRWM process and implementation of multi-benefit projects for their communities.
Outcome: Implemented projects that address safe drinking water and wastewater
treatment needs of DAC, low-income, tribal and other vulnerable communities.
Outcome: Equitable distribution of benefits is ensured to all persons of the Region.
Outcome: Increased acreage and access to open space and enhanced recreational
opportunities that benefit disadvantaged communities
GOAL 6. Address Climate Change
Outcome: Increased energy efficiency, increased biomass per acre to benefit carbon
sequestration6, and adaptive measures implemented to address the effects climate
change.
Outcome: Coordinated, integrated, and balanced flood risk management, water quality,
water supply, and habitat, while the potential impacts of climate change, such as storms
of greater intensity that occur over at less frequent intervals, are documented.
6 It is believed that greenhouse gases are increasing in the atmosphere and contributing to climate change.
Scientists, policy makers, and citizens are trying to determine how to decrease and possibly reverse the emission of
greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide (CO2). Carbon sequestration, a process where CO2 is pulled from the
atmosphere and stored for a long period of time, may be one way to slow or reverse the accumulation of CO2 in
the earth’s atmosphere. Terrestrial sequestration utilizes natural processes in ecosystems to absorb CO2 from the
atmosphere and store it in plants, animals, and soil.
https://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/niacs/carbon/forests/carbon_sequestration/
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3.5 Objectives and Strategies
Meeting The OC Plan goals requires specific achievements. The following objectives and
strategies have been identified that will help achieve the stated goals. A unit of measure is
associated with each strategy to help meet the related objective, which must be measurable in
an IRWM plan. Neither quantitative nor qualitative metrics are considered inherently better.
Goal 1. Provide Adequate and Reliable Water Supplies
Objective WS-1: Meet projected increase in water demands of 49,000 AFY by 2040 within
the Orange County Basin area with consideration of cost-effective strategies.
Strategies Measure
A. Increase local potable water supplies Acre feet
B. Increase recycled water supplies to offset potable water Acre feet
C. Sustainably manage groundwater resources Yes/No
D. Maximize water conservation and water use efficiency strategies and efforts Yes/No
E. Reduce the vulnerability of water systems to interruptions and to the effects of
climate change, including sea level rise Yes/No
F. Optimize use of imported water in times of surplus Acre feet
G. Replace potable water supply lost due to groundwater contamination Acre feet
Objective WS-2: Meet projected increase in water demands of 1,800 AFY by 2040 within
the La Habra Basin area with consideration of cost-effective strategies.
Strategies Measure
A. Increase local potable water supplies Acre feet
B. Increase recycled water supplies to offset potable water Acre feet
C. Sustainably manage groundwater resources Yes/No
D. Maximize water conservation and water use efficiency strategies and efforts Yes/No
E. Reduce the vulnerability of water systems to interruptions and to the effects of
climate change, including sea level rise Yes/No
F. Optimize use of imported water in times of surplus Acre feet
G. Replace potable water supply lost due to groundwater contamination Acre feet
Goal 2. Protect and Enhance Water Quality
Objective WQ-1: Improve water quality consistent with the Basin Plan.
Strategies Measure
A. Meet NPDES and TMDL water quality regulatory requirements Yes/No
B. Attain water quality standards in fresh and marine environments Yes/No
C. Expand the use of water quality treatment systems with a focus on regional projects Measure of
system use
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Objective WQ-2: Maintain groundwater quality to protect water supplies and ensure
reliability.
Strategies Measure
A. Protect and improve groundwater quality consistent with beneficial uses Yes/No
B. Clean up groundwater contamination Acre feet
Goal 3. Restore Ecosystems and Improve Native Habitat
Objective ECO-1: Restore, enhance and expand terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
Strategies Measure
A. Increase functioning habitat that sustains viable populations of native species and
restore habitat for terrestrial and aquatic species Acres impacted
B. Remove invasive species that are a danger to habitat, water supply or other
economic or beneficial use Acres impacted
C. Increase use of water quality treatment systems that also increase wildlife habitat
and wetlands by restoring a natural water balance not dependent on urban runoff
or supplemental water
Yes/No
D. Preserve open space Acres of open
space
Objective ECO-2: Restore, enhance and expand habitat for threatened and endangered
species.
Strategies Measure
A. Increase functioning habitat that sustains viable populations of threatened and
endangered species Acres impacted
B. Remove invasive species that negatively impact threatened and endangered species Acres impacted
Goal 4. Integrate Flood Management
Objective FM-1: Reduce flood risk to public and private property and improve public safety.
Strategies Measure
A. Improve flood protection based on risk management standards Yes/No
B. Improve flood control facilities and remove properties from the FEMA 100-year
floodplain with consideration for climate change on flow
Conveyance
improved and
acres removed
C. Improve storm drain systems where historical flooding exists, when feasible Conveyance
improved
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Objective FM-2: Improve floodplains
Strategies Measure
A. Reduce scour and erosion on canyons and channels while supporting natural
systems and minimizing use of concrete and riprap
Conveyance
maintained
B. Implement stream channel naturalization efforts to promote multiple benefits such
as creation or improvement of habitat and/or improvement in water quality while
protecting public health
Acres impacted
Goal 5. Improve Quality of Life in Orange County
Objective QL-1: Identify and support critical water needs of disadvantaged, low-income,
and tribal communities.
Strategies Measure
A. Increase participation of small, disadvantaged, low-income communities and tribes
in the IRWM process
Number of
participants
B. Develop multi-benefit projects that predominantly benefit affected disadvantaged
and low-income communities
Number of
projects
C. Address public health, flood management, safe drinking water, and wastewater
treatment needs of disadvantaged and low-income communities
Extent of needs
addressed
Objective QL-2: Increase acreage of open space and increase park and recreational
opportunities.
Strategies Measure
A. Increase acres of and access to open spaces Acres of open
space
B. Provide for increased proximity and access to open spaces in disadvantaged
communities Areas impacted
C. Increase recreational opportunities Number of
opportunities
D. Add trail connectors and extensions to provide and improve regional recreational
opportunities
Miles of trails /
connectors
E. Increase recreational opportunities in multipurpose projects and programs Number of
opportunities
F. Increase recreational opportunities in disadvantaged and low-income communities Number of
opportunities
G. Support water quality improvement efforts that enhance public recreation Yes/No
Objective QL-3: Develop and enhance public education programs.
Strategies Measure
A. Incorporate principles of environmental justice and needs of disadvantaged, low-
income and tribal communities in design and construction of projects and programs Yes/No
B. Promote watershed public education Yes/No
C. Increase community involvement in stewardship of water resources Yes/No
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Goal 6. Address Climate Change
Objective ACC-1: Increase Energy Efficiency.
Strategies Measure
A. Maximize production of on-site energy Yes/No
B. Participate in local utility’s green energy program Yes/No
C. Prioritize more passive systems over more active energy consuming systems Yes/No
D. Prioritize lower energy consuming alternatives over lower cost and higher energy
alternatives Yes/No
E. Utilize natural gas, electric, or biofuel based equipment for construction Yes/No
F. Recover construction emissions by generating more energy during the lifetime of
the project
Tons of CO2
reduced
Objective ACC-2: Increase biomass per acre in consideration of carbon sequestration.
Strategies Measure
A. Use higher density vegetation schematics Yes/No
B. Increase square feet of wetlands Square feet
increased
C. Recycle green waste Yes/No
Objective ACC-3: Implement measures and plan for future changes to climate.
Strategies Measure
A. Develop adaptive measures to address the effects of sea level rise on water supply
and water quality conditions Yes/No
B. Implement measures that respond to more intense rain events Yes/No
C. Implement measures that respond to the uncertainty and availability of imported
water Yes/No
D. Implement measures that respond to hotter and drier summers Yes/No
3.6 Prioritization and Weighting of Objectives
For each goal, objectives were identified with specific achievements to help attain the stated
goals. A series of strategies were then developed to identify actions and methods to meet
objectives.
For project prioritization purposes, a score is associated with the relative benefit attained by
the objective and strategy. Appendix G shows the prioritization of objectives relative to the
weighting/ranking, which were developed and approved by the IRWM Region stakeholders.
Section 5 Projects further explains the project scoring process and weighting of the stated
Strategies. The weighting of objectives is included in an appendix to allow for flexibility for the
IRWM RWMG and stakeholders to revise as appropriate.
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3.7 Benefits of Integration to Meet Objectives
North and Central OC agencies and stakeholders place a strong emphasis on watershed
planning and integration. The value of integrated regional planning can be seen when water
management strategies are found to be complementary within a given region and also achieve
multiple regional objectives. Benefits of integration include:
• Sharing knowledge, resources, facilities, and costs;
• Reducing duplicative efforts;
• Achieving broader goals and objectives;
• Improving regional collaboration; and
• Improving local understanding of water resources.
The OC Plan considers IRWM planning concepts, state standards, and resource management
strategies through the integration of projects and programs that incorporate a wide range of
water management strategies. Though projects in this IRWM Plan must address at least one of
the strategies targeting a regional objective, those addressing multiple objectives are typically
the most cost-effective and resource-efficient and are likely to be given higher priority in the
IRWM Plan. Use of single-purpose strategies may ultimately increase total costs within a region
because related impacts are not addressed at the same time. Table 3-3 shows the multiple
resource management strategies that can meet each IRWM Plan objective. This table is also
shown in Section 4 as Table 4-2 with more detail on the Regional Objectives to demonstrate
their relationship to regional water management.
Regional integration allows agencies, cities, and districts to share resources, such as labor and
expenses. Integrating also provides the ability to address a broad range of water management
goals and optimize efforts to achieve goals, while addressing several water-related issues or
needs.
Finally, integration allows for collective planning, increased public participation and shared cost.
The following considers the use of multiple complementary strategies necessary to achieve the
objectives of the IRWM Plan Strategies that may ultimately increase total costs within a region
are, for example, when habitat and flood risk are not addressed at the same time or the
implementation of a local water supply strategy is not planned to prevent resultant flood risk
management issues resulting in the public within the Region paying for both the water project
and additional flood program expenses.
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Water Supply Objectives
Developing local water supplies to reduce imported water demands is costly. Integration of a
local water supply strategy with other water resource objectives may produce greater benefits
such as increase in flood risk management or improved water quality. When a project is
planned with full regional integration, conflicts are minimized, and benefits extend beyond the
planning area. An increased supply of recycled water available in areas where it can be fully
used reduces demand for imported water, reduces wastewater discharge into the ocean, and
conserves water resources in the Bay-Delta and the Colorado River.
Water Quality Objectives
One of the major issues related to watershed management is that land use and other urban
activities in the upper watershed areas affect water quality downstream. Projects and programs
to address this issue must be implemented throughout the Region. Sustained water quality
improvements can be achieved through land use planning, flood control, nonpoint source
pollution control, strategic placement of treatment wetlands, and water conservation. Given
the level of urbanization in the Region and the interrelationships of the issues, single-purpose
strategies will not result in sustained water quality improvements. Treating the symptoms is not
just inefficient or ineffective; if the root causes of water quality problems are left alone it can
exacerbate the problem.
Flood Management Objectives
The level of urbanization within The OC Plan Region makes habitat and ecosystem restoration
particularly challenging, due to competing needs for flood control, recreation, and other urban
land uses. Measurable progress toward achieving regional goals for habitat depends on the use
of multipurpose strategies. Some proposed projects within the Region can serve dual purposes
for flood risk management and habitat when designed and managed with that purpose in mind.
Achieving this balance may further benefit water quality if erosion and sedimentation are
managed to protect receiving waters. To be effective, these multi-function drainage systems
often require greater levels of stormwater management to minimize the impact on the natural
drainages during storm events. A key component of flood management is the use of Geographic
Information Systems (GIS), databases and other data management tools. It promotes the
development, installation, application or updating of flood control and pollutant control data
for protection of waterways. These strategies are integrally linked, and any stand-alone
alternative would not fully achieve the objective or provide long-term regional benefit.
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Quality of Life Objectives
Planning and associated investments to carry the Region through the next 25 years are central
to preserving the quality of life in North and Central OC IRWM Region. The OC Plan
incorporates benefits for disadvantaged, low-income and tribal communities within its projects.
The DAC low-income and tribal community members utilize the waters within the Region as
recreational areas. Waters within the Region include beaches, creeks and streams and wetland
environments. Since many of these waters are accessible to the DACs, and low-income and
tribal community members, projects focused on providing safe drinking water, enhanced water
quality, and access to park and recreational opportunities will benefit these communities.
Water quality greatly impacts the recreational opportunities in the Region. The Regional Water
Board has designated beneficial uses for many of the watershed waters. Proposed projects will
integrate measures that contribute to these beneficial uses, enhancing the opportunities to the
DAC, low-income and tribal communities.
Open space lands set aside for water resource protection, storage, or extraction are sometimes
suitable for recreational use. These include protected watershed lands and reservoirs.
Recreational opportunities that draw Californians outside increases public health. Moreover,
recreation and tourism are economic engines that improve the quality of life, increase property
values, and provide jobs for Orange County residents.
Climate Change Objectives
Integrating strategies to increase energy efficiency, reduce GHG emissions, and combat future
changes to climate can reach across nearly any project. Elements of projects should consider:
1) Potential effects of climate change on the Region and consideration for whether
adaptations to the water management system are necessary;
2) Contribution of the project to adapting the identified system vulnerabilities to climate
change effects on the Region;
3) Changes in the amount, intensity, timing, quality and variability of runoff and recharge;
4) Effects of sea level rise on water supply conditions and suitable adaptation measures;
5) Contribution of the project in reducing GHG emissions as compared to project
alternatives;
6) Project’s ability to help the Region reduce GHG emissions as new projects are
implemented over the 20-year planning horizon; and
7) Reduction in energy consumption achieved by the project, especially the energy
embedded in water use, and resultant reduction in GHG emissions. Further, managing
multiple water demands throughout the Region, adapting water management systems
to the effects of climate change, and potentially offsetting climate change impacts to
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the water supply can be improved an informed relationship between land use and water
planner resulting in integrated projects with greater benefits.
3.8 Potential Climate Change Impacts Considered in Objectives
Climate change is expected to shift precipitation patterns and result in sea level rise, longer fire
seasons, and impact water resources, ecosystems, and greenhouse gas emissions. The areas of
concern for California include the reduction in the Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountain
snowpack, increased intensity and frequency of extreme weather events, and sea level rise
leading to saltwater intrusion, increased risk of coastal flooding, and levee failure in the
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Changes in global climate can affect average temperature,
evaporation, and the amount, frequency, and intensity of precipitation in Southern California.
The Region stakeholders are committed to addressing these by incorporating climate change
considerations into resource management strategies.
Climate change elements most likely to affect water planning of the North and Central OC
IRWM Region include:7
• Snowpack. California’s snowpack, a major part of annual water storage, is decreasing
with increasing winter temperatures. Rising average temperatures throughout California
will ultimately reduce the amount of mountain snowpack as more precipitation will fall
as rain instead of snow and warmer weather will cause more snowpack to melt earlier in
the year. Mountain snowpack acts as a natural water storage reservoir, releasing water
gradually throughout the warmer periods of the year as snow melts. As a prediction of
future conditions, water year 2016 was an average precipitation year, but parts of the
Sierras experienced what has been termed a snow drought, because of warmer
conditions. Reservoirs and groundwater basins that lie downstream of the mountains
will likely experience inflows different from historical patterns and operational rules
may need to be modified to adapt to the variability and to sustain the existing mix of
stream flows and out-of-basin exports from the Delta.
• Hydrologic Pattern. Changes in hydrological conditions due to climate change presents
many uncertainties in the magnitude, pattern, and the rate of potential change. Likely
impacts of changing climatic conditions in the Santa Ana River Watershed include a
decrease of surface water supplies, increase in temperatures, more severe flood events,
and increase dependence on groundwater supplies.
7 California Water Plan Update 2013, Volume 1 – The Strategic Plan, Box 5-2 Sources of Future Change and
Uncertainty
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Section 3
Goals, Objectives, and Strategies
March 2018
3-27
Warmer temperatures and decreasing snowpack cause more winter runoff and less
spring/summer runoff. The existing amount of surface storage in most major streams
and water storage reservoirs in Southern California may provide some capacity to
accommodate shifts in inflows for most years. However, any reduction of runoff
volumes due to declines in precipitation or increase in evapotranspiration would directly
reduce water supplies.
Increased intensity and frequency of major storms, another anticipated effect of climate
change, would further augment flood problems in southern California. With continued
increases in floodplain urbanization, flooding costs from climate change could exceed
those of water supply. The effects of changes in flood flows on ecosystems are less well
studied but could be significant. Larger floods and storms could impact levees in the
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, as well as increasing salinity that reduces water exports
for an extended period of time.
• Rainfall Intensity. Regional precipitation changes remain difficult to predict, but larger
precipitation events could be expected with warmer temperatures in some regions.
Changes in drought persistence and precipitation affect average runoff volume.
Increased flood flows and flood frequencies are possible.
• Sea Level Rise. Sea level rise is increasing the threat of coastal flooding and saltwater
intrusion. The Delta region is a critical component of Orange County’s current water
supply system and any levee failures will disrupt water exports. Sea level rise may
increase the potential of saltwater intrusion in the Delta and will require higher
freshwater outflows to sustain the present low-salinity zone standards (also known as
the X2 standard in San Francisco Bay). The use of freshwater flows used for low-salinity
zone maintenance may have an effect on the volume of water available for export for
the SWP to transport to Southern California. Sea level rise, combined with winter
storms, will increase the risk of levee failure and adversely affect the water quality in the
Delta, particularly during extreme events.
Sea level rise could increase the potential for salt water intrusion, negatively affecting
groundwater, a major source of local water supply in the Region. Additional impact
could be increased coastal erosion harming coastal infrastructure and ecological
resources such as estuaries and tidal wetlands.
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation conducted a study in collaboration with SAWPA of the
potential impacts to water resources due to climate change in the Santa Ana River
Watershed. (USBR, 2013)8 The purpose of the study was to refine the watershed’s water
8 http://www.sawpa.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Appendix-F2-Technical-Memorandum-No.-86-68210-2013-
02-Climate-Change-Analysis-for-the-Santa-Ana-River-Watershed-Santa-Ana-Watershed-Basin-Study-California-
Lower-Colorado-Region.pdf
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Section 3
Goals, Objectives, and Strategies
March 2018
3-28
projections and identify potential adaptation strategies considering projected effects of
climate change. Results of the study indicate that increasing temperatures will melt ice
sheets and glaciers and cause thermal expansion of ocean water, increasing the volume
of water in the oceans and raising sea levels. Regional mean sea level along the
Southern California coast is projected to rise by 1.5 to 12 inches by 2030, 5 to 24 inches
by 2050, and 16 to 66 inches by 2100. Regional sea level rise may be higher or lower
than global mean sea level rise due to regional changes in atmospheric and ocean
circulation patterns. Sea level rise is likely to increase the coastal area vulnerability to
flooding during storm events.9
Based on 2013 modeling simulations to evaluate the potential effects of projected sea
level rise on coastal Orange County groundwater conditions,10 including the Talbert and
Alamitos injection barriers, where future sea level rise could affect barrier injection
requirements and how these existing barriers are to be operated. The study found that
a 3-foot sea level rise will increase the potential for shallow groundwater to be closer to
ground surface, which could lead to property damage such as seepage into foundations
and utilities, potentially causing structural problems, corrosion, mold, and various
geotechnical issues such as increased liquefaction potential.
At both barriers, shallow groundwater concerns and the need to avoid injection-induced
artesian conditions could limit injection rates to less than those necessary to achieve
protective groundwater elevations and prevent intrusion. Additional mitigation
measures could be required, such as extraction wells systems seaward of the barrier,
which would lower the protective elevation requirement while still preventing intrusion.
The feasibility and effectiveness of these additional measures still need to be evaluated.
• Water Demand. Plant evapotranspiration (ET) increases with increased temperature.
Therefore, potential increase in water demands will occur for landscape use due to
higher temperatures, although this will likely be limited by available supplies. The most
important effect across the state is likely to be on landscape irrigation demands in urban
areas and agricultural water demands. Landscape irrigation accounts for half or more of
residential water use in southern California. While agricultural demands constitute
nearly 80 percent of the state’s water demand, the Region’s agricultural water demands
constitute only approximately one percent of the Region’s total water demand.
Droughts occur slowly over a multiyear period and impacts increase with the length of a
drought, as carry-over supplies in reservoirs are depleted and water levels in
9 OCWD Groundwater Management Plan 2015 Update, Section 7.5, Evaluation of Potential Impacts Due to Climate
Change, pg. 7-9
10 Technical Memorandum, Potential Effects of Sea Level Rise on Coastal Groundwater Conditions and Seawater
Intrusion, Orange County Water District, Tim Sovich, Li Li, February 27, 2013;
https://www.ocwd.com/media/6386/seawater-intrusion-tech-memo.pdf
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Section 3
Goals, Objectives, and Strategies
March 2018
3-29
groundwater basins decline. Droughts in the western United States are often persistent;
the recent period constituted one the most severe droughts over the past millennium.
Although the change in precipitation that led to the recent drought was not tied to
climate change, the slightly warmer temperatures resulted in higher ET from the
landscape and increased the severity of the drought.
While the Region’s reliance on imported water from throughout the state makes
drought awareness one of the Region’s highest concerns, of equal importance to the
Region are local Basin water supplies that are affected during prolonged periods of
drought, including the need for water supplies due to the increased frequency and
intensity of wildfires. During a drought, flexibility to manage pumping from the basin
becomes increasingly important. OCWD typically experiences a decline in the supply of
recharge water (local supply of Santa Ana River water and net incidental recharge) of up
to 55,000 afy or more during drought.11
In addition, recent trends in water supplies used to recharge the groundwater basin
show a decline in Santa Ana River base flow, which may be a result of increased
recycling, drought conditions, declining per capita water use, and changing economic
conditions in the upper watersheds. The volume of stormwater that can be recharged
into the basins is highly dependent on amount and timing of precipitation in the upper
watersheds, which is highly variable.12
• Aquatic Life and Forest Health. Higher water temperatures in streams and reservoirs
are expected to have a negative effect on native species. Higher temperatures overall
will increase water temperatures throughout the system, including inflows into
reservoirs, water stored within reservoirs, and water flowing downstream. Such
increases will significantly affect ecosystem uses of the water system. Most species have
evolved to survive within a specific temperature range. Increased water temperature
can also reduce the amount of dissolved oxygen that it holds, affecting aquatic
organisms. Because of warmer temperatures in streams, water quality standards related
to aquatic life may require greater reservoir outflows, requiring a careful balance
between human needs for drinking water and maintaining healthy ecosystems. Climate
change planning must consider a balance of human consumptions needs with water
quality strategies for aquatic life.
Forests are an important component of the local watershed. The recent drought has
significantly affected the health of forests in California making them susceptible to pests
and diseases. Due to the recent drought, nearly 100 million trees may be dying.13 The
11 OCWD Groundwater Management Plan 2015 Update, Section 10.8, Drought Management, pg. 10-15
12 OCWD Groundwater Management Plan 2015 Update, Section 5.2, Sources of Recharge Water Supplies, pg. 5-7
13 http://www.fs.fed.us/news/releases/new-aerial-survey-identifies-more-100-million-dead-trees-california,
November 2016
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Section 3
Goals, Objectives, and Strategies
March 2018
3-30
presence of these dead trees has the potential to significantly enhance wildfire risk in
the near term and increase the risk of erosion and adverse water quality over the
slightly longer term. To the degree that the recent drought is indicative of future drier
and warmer conditions, it may be a significant threat to California’s forests as well as its
water supply.
• Greenhouse Gas Emissions — Carbon Intensity or Carbon Footprint. Storage, transport,
and treatment of water involves substantial amounts of energy, which in most cases
result in the release of greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.
Each water management strategy should be evaluated for its contribution to the
accumulation of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere by reducing energy consumption.
Proposed projects will also be evaluated on its ability to reduce GHG emissions as
compared to a project alternative over the 20-year planning horizon, and the project’s
ability to reduce energy consumption, particularly the energy embedded in water use,
and the resultant reduction in GHG emissions.
Within the numerous state policies and legislation dealing with climate change, three
are particularly important regarding the State’s response to climate change, providing
guidance on how IRWM planning efforts can analyze climate change on a project level.
Executive Order (EO) S-3-05 and the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006
(AB 32; amending California Health and Safety Code Division 25.5, §38500, et seq.) laid
the foundation for California’s response to climate change, while SB 97 directed the
Governor’s OPR to develop CEQA Guideline amendments for the analysis of climate
change in CEQA documents for the approval of the Natural Resources Agency.
EO S-3-05 made California the first state to formally establish GHG emissions reduction
goals. EO S-3-05 includes the following GHG emissions reduction targets for California:
By 2010, reduce GHG emissions to 2000 levels;
By 2020, reduce GHG emissions to 1990 levels; and
By 2050, reduce GHG emissions to 80 percent below 1990 levels.
AB 32 further details and codifies the mid-term GHG reduction target established in EO
S-3-05. AB 32 also identifies the California Air Resources Board (CARB) as the state
agency responsible for the design and implementation of emissions limits, regulations,
and other measures to meet the target. CARB was required to and did develop a Scoping
Plan in 2008 that describes the approach California will take to GHGs to achieve the goal
of reducing emission to 1990 levels by 2020.14 The first update was in 2014. In 2016, the
Legislature passed SB 32, which codifies a 2030 GHG emissions reduction target of 40
14 https://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/scopingplan/scopingplan.htm
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Section 3
Goals, Objectives, and Strategies
March 2018
3-31
percent below 1990 levels. With SB 32, the Legislature passed companion legislation AB
197, which provides additional direction for developing the Scoping Plan.
The 2017 Climate Change Scoping Plan Update: The Proposed Strategy for Achieving
California’s 2030 Greenhouse Gas Target was released in January 2017,15 which reflects
the 2030 target set by Executive Order B-30-15 and codified by SB 32. The final emission
target of 80 percent below 1990 levels in 2050 would put the state’s emissions
consistent with the global consensus of the scale of reductions needed to stabilize
atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations at 450 parts per million carbon dioxide
equivalent, and reduce the likelihood of catastrophic climate change. Currently, global
levels are at just above 400 parts per million.
The strategies in the Scoping Plan Update will be considered when identifying different
ways to meet The OC Plan objectives. These strategies include potential actions to
enhance carbon sequestration and reduce greenhouse gases, including land
management actions – protection of land and land use; manage and restore land to
secure and increase carbon storage and minimize GHG and black carbon emissions in a
sustainable manner; and innovate biomass utilization pathways.
These strategies require choices that can forestall the impacts of climate change, while
also making our communities and economy more resilient – and more equitable at the
same time.
15 https://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/scopingplan/2030sp_pp_final.pdf
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Section 4
Regional Water Management
March 2018
4-1
SECTION 4. REGIONAL WATER MANAGEMENT
The OC Plan was developed with information that was currently available at the time and is
meant to be adaptable when new data are available and changed conditions occur. The OC Plan
identifies resources and strategies needed to meet future challenges to reduce vulnerability.
This section describes the Region’s plan to adapt to changing conditions and to develop projects
that can be implemented to achieve regional sustainability.
4.1 Process to Consider Resource Management Strategies
As introduced in Section 3.2, the Resource Management Strategies (RMSs) described in Volume
3 of the California Water Plan (CWP) Update 2013 were evaluated for applicability to the
Region. As explained in Section 3, the intent of RMSs is to encourage diversification of water
management approaches to mitigate for uncertain future circumstances in compliance with
Water Code §10541(e)(1). RMSs, as defined in the CWP Update 2013, are techniques,
programs, or policies that help local agencies and governments manage their water and related
resources.
The 30 RMS strategies are organized under eight management objectives, shown in Table 4-1,
which describe their primary objective and emphasis while recognizing interdependencies. The
RMS that will be implemented to achieve the objectives of The OC Plan are shown in Table 4-2.
This table is consistent with Table 3-3 and shows the detail of the Regional Objectives to
demonstrate their relationships to regional water management. A brief explanation of how the
RMS are applicable to the Region is provided in Section 4.2. Resource management strategies
that are not applicable to the Region are discussed in the Section 4.3.
In many instances, regional strategies can address multiple IRWM planning objectives. For
example, in addition to addressing the objective to protect and create aquatic and riparian
habitat, ecosystem restoration can also help reduce controllable pollutant sources to receiving
waters and improve recreation and open space. The remainder of this chapter describes the
RMSs selected for inclusion in the IRWM Plan and is organized into the same groupings as the
RMSs are in the CWP.
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Section 4
Regional Water Management
March 2018
4-2
Table 4-1
CWP Update 2013 Resource Management Strategies
Reduce Water Demand
• Agricultural Water Use Efficiency • Urban Water Use Efficiency
Improve Flood Management
• Flood Risk Management
Improve Operational Efficiency and Transfers
• Conveyance – Delta – Not Applicable
• Conveyance – Regional/Local
• System Reoperation
• Water Transfers
Increase Water Supply
• Conjunctive Management and Groundwater
Storage
• Desalination (Brackish and Sea Water)
• Precipitation Enhancement – Not Applicable
• Municipal Recycled Water
• Surface Storage – CALFED/State – Not
Applicable
• Surface Storage – Regional/Local
Improve Water Quality
• Drinking Water Treatment and Distribution
• Groundwater/Aquifer Remediation
• Matching Water Quality to Use
• Pollution Prevention
• Salt and Salinity Management
• Urban Stormwater Runoff Management
Practice Resources Stewardship
• Agricultural Land Stewardship
• Ecosystem Restoration
• Forest Management
• Land Use Planning and Management
• Recharge Area Protection
• Sediment Management
• Watershed Management
People and Water
• Economic Incentives (Loans, Grants and
Water Pricing)
• Outreach and Engagement
• Water and Culture
• Water-Dependent Recreation
Other Strategies
• Crop Idling for Water Transfers – Not
Applicable
• Dewvaporation/Atmospheric Pressure
Desalination – Not Applicable
• Fog Collection – Not Applicable
• Irrigated Land Retirement – Not Applicable
• Rainfed Agriculture – Not Applicable
• Snow Fences – Not Applicable
• Waterbag Transport/Storage Technology –
Not Applicable
• Climate Change
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Section 4
Regional Water Management
March 2018
4-3
Table 4-2
Relation of RMS to The OC Plan Regional Objectives
√ = Supports attainment of
the IRWM Plan Objective Regional Objectives
Resource Management
Strategies
California Water Plan
Update 2013 WS
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Reduce Water Demand
Agricultural Water Use
Efficiency √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Urban Water Use Efficiency √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Improve Flood Management
Flood Risk Management √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Improve Operational Efficiency and Transfers
Conveyance – Regional/Local √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
System Reoperation √ √ √ √ √ √
Water Transfers √ √ √ √ √
Increase Water Supply
Conjunctive Management and
Groundwater Storage √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Desalination √ √ √ √ √
Municipal Recycled Water √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Surface Storage –
Regional/Local √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Improve Water Quality
Drinking Water Treatment and
Distribution √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Section 4
Regional Water Management
March 2018
4-4
Table 4-2
Relation of RMS to The OC Plan Regional Objectives
√ = Supports attainment of
the IRWM Plan Objective Regional Objectives
Resource Management
Strategies
California Water Plan
Update 2013 WS
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Groundwater /Aquifer
Remediation √ √ √ √ √
Matching Water Quality to Use √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Pollution Prevention √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Salt and Salinity Management √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Urban Runoff Management √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Practice Resources Stewardship
Agricultural Lands Stewardship √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Ecosystem Restoration √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Land Use Planning and
Management √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Recharge Areas Protection √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Sediment Management √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Watershed Management √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
People and Water
Economic Incentives Policy √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Outreach and Engagement √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Water and Culture √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Water-Dependent Recreation √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Section 4
Regional Water Management
March 2018
4-5
4.2 Resource Management Strategies Applicable to the Region
While projects may support only one objective, those that address multiple objectives are given
higher priority in this IRWM Plan.
The RMSs deemed applicable to the Region were incorporated into the development of the
IRWM Plan. The following describes the applicability of RMS to the IRWM Region.
Reduce Water Demand
Water use efficiency has become a viable long-term supply option in the Region because it
saves considerable capital and operating cost for utilities and consumers, avoids environmental
degradation, and creates multiple benefits.
Agricultural Water Use Efficiency (WUE) RMS: Water use efficiency is defined by California
Water Code (CWC) Section 10817 as “the efficient management of water resources for
beneficial uses, preventing waste, or accomplishing additional benefits with the same amount
of water.” Improvements in agricultural WUE are expressed as yield improvements for a given
unit amount of water and can be estimated over individual fields or entire regions. Although
the amount of agricultural land is relatively small in the Region, Efficient Water Management
Practices (EMWPs) have been developed to improve agricultural water use and management.
EWMPs include installing infrastructure to improve on-farm irrigation systems and regional
distribution systems, improving water management through use of new technologies, and
reducing crop evapotranspiration.
Urban WUE RMS: Multiple water suppliers in the Region are signatory to the California Water
Efficiency Partnership (CalWEP [formerly the California Urban Water Conservation Council])
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding urban WUE and are committed to
implementing Best Management Practices (BMP) and Demand Management Measures (DMM)
to support the 20x2020 Water Conservation Plan, among other local, regional and statewide
water conservation goals. BMPs include indoor and outdoor water saving methods, pricing and
management tools, and public education programs. Alternative water sources, such as recycled
water, desalinated water, gray water, and rainwater are also considered in urban water
demand reduction.
Improve Operational Efficiency and Transfers
California’s water system is designed to move water from where it originates to where it is
needed.
Conveyance—Regional/Local RMS: Imported water accounts for more than 25 percent of the
Region’s potable water supply and is obtained through the regional wholesale agencies. The
Region obtains imported water supply from Metropolitan, the SWP contractor, through
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MWDOC and the cities of Anaheim, Fullerton and Santa Ana. Imported water is sourced from
the Bay-Delta (via the SWP) and the CRA. The Region’s demand on imported water indirectly
impacts the conveyance system of the Delta.
System Reoperation RMS: The Region considers system reoperation1 as it relates to increased
water supply, reliability and efficiency. System reoperation allows for better management and
movement of existing water supplies and could increase water supplies during dry years.
Water Transfers RMS: Water transfers refer to purchasing water from a willing seller to meet
local water demands. Transfers can be temporary or long-term, and between adjacent water
districts or across the state. Water transfers are also a method for sharing water during
emergencies. Interconnections with other agencies result in the ability to share water supplies
during short-term emergency situations or planned shutdowns of major imported water
systems. Transfers of water can alleviate short-term outages and can also be long-term water
exchanges to manage droughts or other water shortages. The Region considers both local and
regional transfer as exchange opportunities that promote reliability within their systems.
Increased Water Supply
The Region’s communities are finding innovative ways to generate new water supplies.
Conjunctive Management & Groundwater RMS: Conjunctive management or conjunctive use
refers to the coordinated and planned use and management of both surface water and
groundwater resources to maximize the availability and reliability of water supplies in a region,
in an economically and environmentally responsible manner, to meet various management
objectives.
In the Region, groundwater supplies and surface water supplies are conjunctively managed.
OCWD maintains groundwater storage levels on a long-term basis within a specified operating
range to prevent the groundwater basin from becoming over-drafted. Short-term excursions
from the operating range due to extreme drought or other factors are not expected to cause
adverse impacts but would need to be monitored closely and be of limited duration.2 The CWP
Update 2013 (p. SC-77) supports this method of groundwater basin management as a
recognized and acceptable approach to conjunctive water management - utilization of
groundwater in storage during years of diminishing surface water supply, followed by active
recharge of the aquifer when surface water or other alternative supplies become available.
1 System reoperation is generally defined as changing the operational and management procedures of existing
water system facilities to obtain water resources related benefits. Reoperation is considered an alternative to
constructing major new facilities, although it may consist of physical modification of existing facilities. DWR,
System Reoperation Program, Phase 1 - Plan of Study, 2011, p. 1.
http://www.water.ca.gov/system_reop/docs/system_reop_phase1_plan_of_study_6-2011.pdf
2 OCWD Groundwater Management Plan Update 2015, p. 10-3
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Conjunctive management of water supplies in the Region is a long-established practice. Surface
water diversion of the Santa Ana River into recharge basins dates to the 1940s. OCWD
continuously evaluates and implements projects to improve the capacity of recharge facilities
to increase groundwater replenishment. Additionally, OCWD reviews opportunities to increase
sources of recharge water. Such projects are evaluated for their reliability and cost
effectiveness.
Additionally, impediments to conjunctive use of surface and groundwater supplies in Orange
County have been characterized and opportunities to remove those impediments are being
implemented or considered, such as:3 1) Declining Santa Ana River baseflow reduces available
recharge water for the groundwater basin – Opportunity: Operation of the GWRS for new
source of recharge, and maintaining water purchase reserve account for flexibility to purchase
imported water in large quantities when available; 2) Limited imported water supply increases
demands on groundwater supplies and decreases the supply to recharge the groundwater basin
– Opportunity: Operation of the GWRS provides a new source of water to replace imported
water, and managing the groundwater basin within operating safe yield allows for water
storage in the basin during wet years for use during dry years when imported water deliveries
are reduced; and 3) Flash storms produce river flows that overwhelm the recharge system –
OCWD is unable to capture all stormflows, resulting in loss of potential water supply –
Opportunity: Work with the USACE to change operation of Prado Dam to allow increased
temporary storage of stormflows behind dam to allow for greater capture in recharge basins
and minimize losses to the ocean.
Desalination – Brackish & Seawater RMS: Desalination is the process of removing salt from
water supplies for beneficial uses. Reverse osmosis is the primary technology used in California
to remove salts. Benefits of desalination include diversification of local water supplies and
improved reliability during dry years. Options for the Region to expand its water supply
portfolio include remediating brackish groundwater and ocean water desalination.
A major component of OCWD’s sustainable basin management is to operate seawater intrusion
barriers to prevent the encroachment of seawater into fresh groundwater zones along the
coast. Future efforts may include expansion of existing barriers and construction of new
barriers.
Developing local supplies, including ocean desalination, is part of Metropolitan’s Integrated
Regional Plan goal of improving water supply reliability in the Region and reducing pressure on
imported supplies from the SWP and Colorado River. Metropolitan’s Local Resources Program
includes incentives for locally produced seawater desalination projects that reduce the need for
imported supplies.
3 OCWD Groundwater Management Plan Update 2015, see Table 10-4 for more.
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As discussed in Section 2.2.5, a seawater desalination project in the Region is proposed to
produce up to 50 MGD (56,000 AFY) of drinking water.
Recycled Municipal Water RMS: Orange County is a water recycling leader in California, in both
quantity and innovation. Recycled water is widely accepted as a water supply source
throughout the Region, providing water for groundwater replenishment and landscape
irrigation.
The Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS), OCWD’s water purification system in
operation since 2008, uses wastewater that would otherwise be discharged to the Pacific
Ocean. The wastewater is purified using a three-step process (microfiltration, reverse osmosis,
and advanced oxidation/disinfection) to produce high-quality water used to recharge the
Orange County Groundwater Basin and for injection into the Talbert Seawater Intrusion Barrier.
The plant produces up to 103,000 AFY of recycled water. Design of the GWRS final expansion
that will produce an additional 31,000 AFY of recycled water is underway.
Surface Storage—Regional/Local RMS: Surface storage is the term for the use of man-made,
above-ground reservoirs to collect water for later use or release when needed. Surface storage
has played a key role in California where the quantity, timing, and location of water demand
frequently does not match the natural water supply availability. Benefits include water quality
management, system operational flexibility, power generation, flood management, ecosystem
management, sediment transport management, recreation, water supply augmentation, and
emergency water supply. Many California water agencies rely on surface storage as a part of
their water distribution systems.
Metropolitan maintains three major reservoirs and a group of six smaller reservoirs, combined
with a total capacity of 1.68 million acre-feet (MAF). The Region continues to explore
development of surface storage projects for emergency and supplemental water supply
purposes.
Improve Water Quality
Improved water quality can directly improve the health of Californians and natural ecosystems.
Drinking Water Treatment and Distribution RMS: Providing a reliable supply of safe drinking
water is the primary goal of public water systems in the Region. To achieve this goal, public
water systems must develop and maintain adequate water treatment and distribution facilities.
Standard treatment for surface water can involve filtration and disinfection to make water
suitable for potable uses. Groundwater supplies may need treatment when water filtered does
not meet drinking water standards.
The reliability, quality, and safety of raw water supplies are critical to achieving this goal. In
general, public water systems depend on other entities to help protect and maintain the quality
of the raw water supply. Many agencies and organizations have a role in protecting water
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March 2018
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supplies in the Region. For example, the Regional Water Board’s Basin Plan recognizes the
importance of this goal and emphasizes protecting both groundwater and surface water
supplies.
Groundwater/Aquifer Remediation RMS: Efforts to protect the groundwater basin and to assess
the potential threat to public health and the environment from contamination in the Santa Ana
River Watershed and within Orange County is vital to the Region. Remediation of groundwater
contamination is an important management strategy as groundwater is a primary water supply
in the Region. One of the Orange County Groundwater Basin Management objectives is
“Contamination Prevention and Remediation” to meet the goal to protect and enhance
groundwater quality. OCWD’s broad activities include: to implement the District’s Groundwater
Quality Protection Policy and evaluate and implement projects to address groundwater
contamination.4
Groundwater remediation involves extraction and treatment of contaminated groundwater
from point and nonpoint sources. Treated water can be used for beneficial uses or injected
back into the aquifer. Groundwater contaminants can include nitrate, organic compounds,
heavy metals, and TDS or salinity.
There is an extensive program in the Region to monitor groundwater quality as described in
detail in the Basin 8-1 Alternative Plan (Appendix C). Two major groundwater contamination
plumes are in the process of remediation and projects to complete the clean-up will be an
important component in this strategy. In addition, the U.S. Navy is actively remediating
groundwater contamination caused by their past operations in the Region.
OCWD does not have the regulatory authority to require responsible parties or potentially
responsible parties to clean up pollutants that have contaminated groundwater. However, in
some cases, OCWD has pursued legal action against entities that have contaminated the
groundwater basin to recover OCWD’s monitoring and remediation costs. In other cases, OCWD
coordinates and cooperates with regulatory oversight agencies that investigate sources of
contamination.
OCWD also uses financial incentives to encourage pumping and treatment of groundwater that
does not meet drinking water standards to protect water quality by reducing the spread of
poor-quality groundwater.
Matching Quality to Use RMS: Matching water quality to use is a management strategy
recognizing that not all water uses require the same water quality. One common measure of
water quality is its suitability for an intended use; a water quality constituent often is only
considered a contaminant when that constituent adversely affects the intended use of the
water. Agricultural, commercial, landscape, and residential water uses have different water
4 OCWD Groundwater Management Plan 2015 Update and Basin 8-1 Alternative, OCWD, January 2017
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quality standards. High-quality water sources can be used for drinking and industrial purposes
that benefit from higher quality water and lesser quality water can be adequate for some uses.
The Region considers this strategy in its goals as agencies seek to meet the water quality
requirements and beneficial uses set forth by the Regional Water Board. In addition, efforts to
increase water reuse include urban and stormwater runoff treated to recycled water standards
for non-potable water uses. Recycled water can be substituted for potable water when uses do
not require potable water quality. Blending water sources is often an effective means to match
water quality to water uses and improve the quality of lesser quality sources.
Pollution Prevention RMS: Pollution
prevention protects the water quality
of surface water and groundwater
sources for beneficial uses. The
SWRCB has identified 23 beneficial
uses of water, including fish and
wildlife, recreation, and drinking
water.
Pollution prevention aims to control
pollution from both point and non-
point sources. Managing point source
pollution involves source water
quality control measures and
treatment techniques. Non-point sources of pollution are one of the primary concerns of the
SWRCB and Regional Boards. Non-point source pollutants are generated from a variety of
sources, including land use activities associated with agricultural operations and livestock
grazing, urban runoff, deposition of airborne pollutants, hydromodification, and discharges
from marinas and recreational boating activities. The Orange County Stormwater Resource Plan
(Appendix D) identifies nonpoint source pollution control as a main water quality benefit of
increasing filtration and/or treatment of runoff. The Region implements point source and non-
point source pollution controls through source and structural BMPs for urban users, and
Efficient Water Management Practices for agricultural users. The Regional Water Board is
adopting TMDLs to control both point and non-point pollution sources.
Salt and Salinity Management RMS: Within the Region, efforts to control seawater intrusion are
vital to protect the water quality of the groundwater basin. Two seawater intrusion barriers are
in operation to maintain a protective barrier against intrusion of high-saline water into fresh
water aquifers. Expansion of the existing barriers and the need for new seawater intrusion
barriers are under active consideration.
Three desalters are in operation within the Region, one in Irvine and two in Tustin. The Tustin
desalters are used to treat pumped groundwater to remove nitrates and TDS and the Irvine
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4-11
desalter operates to remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from contaminated
groundwater that is used for irrigation and to remove excess nitrate and TDS for drinking water
purposes.
The North and Central OC IRWM Region is part of a Santa Ana River Watershed-wide salt and
nutrient management program under the oversight of the Regional Water Board. As presented
in Section 2.4, a task force conducted a study to evaluate the impacts to groundwater quality of
elevated levels of Total Inorganic Nitrogen (TIN) and TDS in the watershed. Formation of the
Task Force was in response to concerns by the Regional Water Board that water quality
objectives for nitrogen and TDS were being exceeded in some groundwater basins in the
watershed. This nearly 10-year effort involved collecting and analyzing data in 25 newly defined
groundwater management zones in the watershed to recalculate nitrogen and TDS levels and to
establish new water quality objectives.
The Basin Plan charges the agencies of the new Basin Monitoring Program Task Force formed
by SAWPA with implementing a watershed-wide TDS/Nitrogen management program. Task
Force members agreed to fund and participate in a process to recalculate ambient water quality
every three years in each of the 25 groundwater management zones and to compare water
quality to the water quality objectives to measure compliance with the Basin Plan.
The Basin Plan contains TDS concentration objectives for the Santa Ana River and the
groundwater management zones (GMZ), and a plan to manage TDS concentrations pursuant to
those objectives. The Basin Plan TDS concentration objective is 700 milligrams per liter (mg/L)
for baseflow discharge of the Santa Ana River at the USGS gaging station below Prado Dam
(Santa Ana River below Prado Dam)—the so-called Reach 3 TDS concentration objective. The
purpose of the Reach 3 TDS concentration objective is to protect the beneficial uses of the
Santa Ana River (SAR) in the Orange County Groundwater Management Zone (GMZ)—the
primary use being groundwater recharge.
In 2009, the SWRCB adopted the Recycled Water Policy (State Water Board Resolution No.
2009-0011) to protect groundwater resources and increase the beneficial use of recycled water
from municipal wastewater sources in a manner consistent with state and federal water quality
laws and regulations. The Policy provides direction regarding the appropriate criteria to be used
by the SWRCB and the Regional Boards in issuing permits for recycled water projects. The Policy
recognizes the potential for increased salt and nutrient loading to groundwater basins because
of increased recycled water use, and therefore, requires regional or sub-regional salt and
nutrient management planning.
Urban Stormwater Runoff Management RMS: Urban stormwater runoff management aims to
protect waterways from increased pollutant loading and impacts of urbanization. Urban
stormwater runoff management is a broad series of activities to manage both stormwater and
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for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Section 4
Regional Water Management
March 2018
4-12
dry-weather runoff. Dry-weather runoff occurs when, for example, excess landscape irrigation
water flows to the storm drain.
Traditionally, urban stormwater runoff management was viewed as a response to flood control
concerns resulting from the effects of urbanization. Concerns about the water quality impacts
of urban runoff have led agencies and cities in the Region to look at watershed approaches to
control runoff and provide other benefits, including the use of stormwater diversions to provide
increased groundwater recharge and improve water quality. Best management practices have
been developed to manage pollutant loads and flows into waterways. Impacts to water quality
from urban and stormwater runoff is managed under the federal Clean Water Act.
Effective runoff management can help improve ecosystems, improve riparian and fish habitat,
prevent flooding, protect groundwater and surface water quality, decrease sedimentation, and
improve recreation. On the other hand, removal of these flows in some cases may have an
unintended consequence of drying up a channel that provides wildlife habitat.
Practice Resource Stewardship
The IRWM Plan recognizes the importance of protecting the beneficial uses of water resources.
Ecosystem Restoration RMS: Ecosystems can be threatened as physical changes occur, including
those associated with erosion of levees and banks, poor water quality, temperature, dissolved
oxygen levels and pollutants, and non-native invasive species. Ecosystem restoration focuses on
restoration of aquatic, riparian, and floodplain ecosystems. These natural systems are most
directly affected by water and flood management actions and are particularly vulnerable to the
impacts of climate change. Ecosystem restoration can provide habitat for native plants and
animals and improve the aesthetic value of land for current and future generations. Benefits of
restored ecosystems also include increased connectivity of habitat, endangered species habitat,
increased stormwater capture and storage, groundwater recharge, flood control and
protection, water quality protection, water supply reliability, and recreation. The Region
includes ecosystem restoration in its Restore Ecosystem and Improve Native Habitat objectives.
Orange County Coastkeeper manages an extensive program to maintain and restore healthy
coastal ecosystems through projects such as expanding eelgrass habitats and restoring
populations of Olympia Oysters, to name a few. Reconstruction of Burris Basin (an OCWD
groundwater recharge basin) included the implementation of a comprehensive habitat
management plan to remove non-native trees and vegetation, planting of native habitat,
creation of bird habitat, and construction of a small freshwater marsh habitat on the basin’s
edge.
The Nature Reserve of Orange County (NROC) was formed in 1996 as a result of conservation
planning by federal and state wildlife agencies, county and city governments, major landowners
The OC PLAN
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and the environmental community. The partnership was formed to establish a Natural
Community Conservation Plan/Habitat Conservation Plan (NCCP/HCP) for the Central and
Coastal sub-region of Orange County. The result is a 37,000-acre regional open-space reserve
that permanently protects a wide range of local wildlife and natural habitats. NROC manages
monitoring and restoration programs throughout the reserve, which is in two nearly equal
sections – the Coastal Reserve extends from Newport Bays through Dana Point and north to
Irvine, and the Central Reserve in the county’s foothills, extend north of Irvine to the Santa Ana
River.
An exceptional representation of collaboration, the NROC Board of Directors is composed of
public and private owners of reserve land, wildlife agencies, local governments and community
representatives including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the California Department of Fish &
Game, the California Department of Parks and Recreation, the County of Orange, IRWD,
Metropolitan, the University of California at Irvine, the Transportation Corridor Agencies, the
City of Irvine, The Irvine Company, Headlands Reserve, LLC, the California Department of
Forestry, the Coastal Greenbelt Authority, and the Orange County Fire Authority, as well as
three at-large public members representing the environment, business and recreation
communities.5
Agricultural Lands Stewardship RMS: Agricultural land stewardship means farm and ranch
landowners — the stewards of the state’s agricultural land — producing public environmental
benefits in conjunction with the food and fiber they have historically provided while keeping
land in private ownership (CWP Update 2005, Agricultural Land Resource Management
Strategy).
Agricultural land stewardship aims to preserve the Region’s agriculture while managing the
lands for multiple benefits, including water management improvements, and maintaining
agricultural land in private ownership. Agriculture can provide multiple benefits to the Region,
including economic benefits, employment, local food supplies, open space preservation, and
habitat value. Implementation of agricultural land stewardship practices can protect
environmentally sensitive habitat, increase groundwater recharge, provide water for wetlands,
and support flood management efforts.
The Region is predominately urban with limited agricultural land, although the Region
maintains a rich agricultural history. While agriculture is not a high-profile industry, the Region
practices this RMS and contributes more than $200 million to the Orange County economy.
When all economic factors are considered, including payroll, purchase of goods and
transportation, agriculture has a total value to the local economy of $1 billion.6 In addition to
the value to the economy, the farmers of Orange County maintain tracts of open space, plant
5 http://irwd.com/about-us/nature-reserve-of-orange-county
6 https://www.ocfarmbureau.org/about
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trees and crops that help improve air quality, provide a harvest of locally grown products and
help preserve the legacy of old Orange County.
Land Use Planning and Management RMS: Local land use and water supply planning are
implemented and coordinated through a patchwork of existing state and local laws and policies.
Cities and counties set policies in General Plans, zoning ordinances, or other planning
documents that identify current and future land uses within their boundaries. Water-related
projects can be included in the General Plan elements for conservation, open space, and safety.
Projects should be coordinated with these documents for appropriate implementation.
Regional wholesalers, such as Metropolitan, base their water supply plans on regional growth
projections developed by local and regional planning agencies. Many local agencies also use a
land use planning methodology based on land use or population for calculating water demand
projections. One of the most important elements of any water supply analysis is the demand
projection methodology. Choosing a methodology should be predicated on the land use plan
that is being examined and the prevalence of relevant information. Each methodology has
limitations and each final demand calculation is essentially a future prediction.
Land use planning is also essential for determining potential water rights and for beneficial use.
All water rights are limited by Article X, Section 2 of the California Constitution which requires
that water be reasonably used for beneficial purposes. It is unclear whether the reasonableness
of use of water refers only to wasteful use of water or may include some water use that is
merely less than optimal. Where water is scarce, the reasonableness of a particular beneficial
use may be compared against other beneficial uses.
The Endangered Species Act – although not a “water right” – is another regulatory mechanism
that can affect a jurisdiction’s ability to use water under its rights and entitlements.
Recharge Areas Protection RMS: Recharge areas protection addresses lands that are an
important source for groundwater recharge, which provide the primary means of replenishing
groundwater. Good natural
recharge occurs in areas
where good quality surface
water can percolate through
sediment and rock to the
saturated zone, containing
groundwater. Recharge areas
include stream beds and
offstream areas which allow
water to permeate into the
ground. Stream beds can be
used for natural recharge or
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managed recharge by increasing flow volume or decreasing velocity. Offstream recharge sites
include ponds, basins, or injection wells to artificially recharge groundwater. Open ponds or
basins can provide important bird or wildlife habitat.
If recharge areas cease to function properly, it will limit groundwater replenishment and/or
groundwater quality for storage or use. Recharge areas should be protected for water supply,
water quality, and environmental purposes and can be protected through land use planning,
land conservation or habitat protection programs. Recharge areas protection can also prevent
open spaces from being developed for urban infrastructure.
OCWD operates an extensive network of recharge basins to increase recharge of surface water
into the groundwater basin to support groundwater production. Recharge occurs by natural
percolation of precipitation and through active managed aquifer recharge in a network of
recharge facilities. OCWD monitors the groundwater basin by collecting groundwater elevation
and quality data from nearly 700 wells, including over 400 OCWD-owned monitoring wells; it
manages an electronic database that stores water elevation, water quality, production,
recharge and other data on over 2,000 wells and facilities within and outside OCWD
boundaries. While the Santa Ana River is a major source of groundwater recharge in the basin,
an OCWD-operated water recycling plant provides up to 100 mgd of advanced tertiary-treated
wastewater for recharge operations and a seawater intrusion barrier operated to protect the
basin’s water quality. OCWD also recharges surface water within the Santiago Creek bed and in
recharge basins located adjacent to the creek following the Basin Plan water quality objectives.
Sediment Management RMS: The key to effective water-sediment management is to address
excessive sediment in watersheds. The Orange County Stormwater Resource Plan includes
sediment and flow control to return to a more natural condition as an objective for protecting
and enhancing natural resources and community benefits.
Watershed Management RMS: Understanding a watershed’s ecological processes is a critical
factor to successful watershed management and can allow for adaptive management of the
watershed. A primary objective of watershed management is to increase and sustain a
watershed’s ability to provide for the diverse needs of the communities that depend upon its
resources, including local, regional, state, federal, and tribal stakeholders. Actions which can
degrade watershed health include altering land uses to affect runoff and flood flows, increasing
pollutant loads in water bodies, fragmenting habitat and wildlife corridors, and introducing
invasive species. Watershed management planning encompasses a broad perspective on
resource management and seeks to balance the various functions of a watershed, including
water resources, ecosystems, open space, and community needs. Watershed management
promotes multi-benefit projects and often requires the involvement of multiple stakeholders.
The IRWM Region seeks to accomplish this objective through the development and
implementation of this IRWM Plan.
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Improve Flood Management
The OC Plan promotes and practices integrated flood management to provide multiple benefits
including better emergency preparedness and response, increased flood protection, more
sustainable flood and water management systems, and enhanced floodplain ecosystems.
Flood Management RMS: Flood management provides safety and economic benefits by
reducing the risk to human life, property, and infrastructure from flood damage. Flood
management can also protect ecosystems and agricultural lands by reducing development in
floodplains and preserving natural habitat and open spaces. Allowing seasonal flooding of some
areas could improve habitat values and increase groundwater recharge.
The Flood Management RMS has been subdivided into four approaches: nonstructural,
restoration of natural floodplain functions, structural, and flood emergency management. This
RMS is considered in The OC Plan’s Integrate Flood Management objective. The Orange County
Flood Control District (OCFCD) is tasked with the goal of protecting the county from the threat
of floods by designing and constructing channels, storm drains, dams, pump stations and other
drainage related facilities. The OCFCD Regional Backbone Flood Control Infrastructure provides
the primary flood control protection for the County and comprises channels, dams, retarding
basins, pump stations and levees. Figure 2-17 in Chapter 2 shows the regional flood control
infrastructure and includes more than the OCFCD-owned facilities. OCFCD’s goal is to provide
100-year storm event protection to its regional flood control Infrastructure.
People & Water
Economic Incentives (Loans, Grants, and Water Pricing) RMS: Economic incentives implemented
by the Region include financial assistance, water pricing, and water market policies intended to
influence water management. Economic incentives can influence the amount and time of water
use, wastewater volume, and source of water supply. Examples of economic incentives include
low interest loans, grants, and water rates and rate structures. Free services, rebates, and the
use of tax revenues to partially fund water services also have a direct effect on the prices paid
by water users.
Outreach and Engagement RMS: Outreach and engagement for water management in
California includes tools and practices by water agencies to facilitate input by public individuals
and groups toward good water management outcomes. Members of The OC Plan region
actively perform outreach and engagement through numerous programs, including educational
programming for professional, worker and student opportunities, as well as elected officials
and regulatory personnel as appropriate to support the goals of the IRWM Plan.
MWDOC strives to provide a variety of services and outreach programs that provide benefit to
its stakeholders and constituents of all ages, aimed at increasing awareness of rebates and
water use efficiency. Their outreach efforts focus on water use efficiency awareness and
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rebates, public information, legislative advocacy, water education, and emergency
preparedness.
OCWD is committed to community engagement and hosts/sponsors events to educate and
inform stakeholders about critical and emerging issues; maintains an H2O Learning Center on
its website, which contains information on water reuse, water use efficiency, resources,
publications, fact sheets and reports; and provides an all-day event called the Groundwater
Adventure Tour that takes participants to OCWD’s H2O Learning Center, Groundwater
Replenishment System, Advanced Water Quality Assurance Laboratory, Anaheim Recharge
Basins, and Prado Wetlands. Further, each water supplier in the Region has individual outreach
programs.
Retail water suppliers also promote water use efficiency through various outreach methods
including, but not limited to, websites, social media, mailers, billing inserts, programs, events
and classes, online and field trainings, and rebates.
In addition, the Water Advisory Committee of Orange County was formed and meets monthly
to facilitate discussion on current and emerging water issues affecting Orange County. The
Orange County Water Summit is held annually to bring together business professionals,
academics, elected officials and water industry representatives to talk about water issues,
projects and emerging technologies.
The SAWPA Disadvantaged Community Involvement (DCI) Program is designed to ensure the
involvement of DACs and economically distressed areas (EDAs), or underrepresented
communities (collectively referred to as DACs) in IRWM planning efforts. The SAWPA DCI
Program is exploring the strengths and needs of overburdened communities in the watershed,
through engagement and education, to uncover and share the needs and capacities within the
water agencies and communities, and to assure integrated water management projects are
supported by communities and made ready for implementation and prioritized in the OWOW
Plan Update 2018.
Water and Culture RMS: Water and culture are connected in a multitude of ways, with subtle
and complex implications for water management in California. Some cultural relationships to
water are so pervasive, they may be easy to overlook, such as subsistence activities including
traditional hunting, fishing, and collecting plants for food sources; and recreation activities that
include swimming, surfing, boating, kayaking, as well as water providing the scenic backdrop for
hiking, wildlife viewing, and picnicking. Other cultural considerations are less apparent and may
be difficult to recognize, such as spiritual activities including outdoor baptisms, sweat lodges,
lakeside weddings, and Native American ceremonies. The historic preservation to maintain the
legacy of the past by protecting historical features may be challenged by water management
projects and activities, for example, receding waterlines at lakes or reservoirs could expose
protected historic features. Increasing the awareness of how cultural values, uses, and practices
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are affected by water management, as well as how they affect water management, will help
inform policies and decisions.
Water-Dependent Recreation RMS: Water-dependent recreation includes opportunities to
access beaches, lakes, river corridors, or wetlands. Orange County, California, has beautiful
beaches, scenic vistas, and pristine wilderness areas that are visited year-round by residents
and out-of-town guests. The Region offers a variety of water-dependent recreation
opportunities in any season,
enhanced by interpretive signs
and educational facilities. Each
year, millions of California
residents and visitors come to the
Region’s lakes, rivers, and
beaches seeking recreation
experiences, including boating,
surfing, scuba diving, beach
activities, hiking, bird watching,
and many other experiences.
Upper Newport Bay is an
important natural feature that
many enjoy by kayaking,
canoeing, and enjoying that natural environment. Other water-dependent recreation areas
include Newport Harbor, Huntington Harbour, Bolsa Chica State Beach and the Bolsa Chica
Ecological Reserve, Del Mar State Beach, Huntington Beach, and numerous other beaches,
along with some marine protected areas for fishing.
Monitoring activities for the Orange County coastal recreation waters are conducted by the
County Health Care Agency and OCSD. The Orange County Ocean Water Protection Program
ensures that all public recreational waters meet applicable water quality standards for
swimming and shellfish harvesting. The Health Care Agency and OCSD routinely conduct
microbial monitoring of ocean waters, responds to sewage spills and other unauthorized
discharges of waste, closes ocean and bay waters, posts warning signs, responds to illness
complaints, and issues health advisories. Improving water-dependent recreation contributes to
watershed stewardship in the Region.
Other Strategies
Climate Change: Climate Change is considered in The OC Plan objectives as it impacts all aspects
of watershed management, such as:
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Climate change impacts on urban water supplies include:
• Warming temperatures, resulting in increased water usage, particularly for outdoor
irrigation.
• Decreasing snowfall, reducing the natural water storage found in the Sierra Nevada
snowpack.
• Precipitation shifting from snow to rain, requiring a change in water supply
management.
• Rising sea levels: Threatening water supply infrastructure in coastal communities,
increasing seawater intrusion into coastal freshwater aquifers, reducing water exports
from the Delta.
• Increasing frequency of floods, droughts, and wildfires damaging watersheds that
provide water to urban communities.
Climate change affects water-dependent resources that currently support many cultural
activities and recreational activities. Changes in temperature and precipitation may affect
ecosystems throughout the Region and affect the subsistence activities that these ecosystems
support. Changes in surface runoff and volume, greater salinity intrusion associated with sea
level rise, and warmer water temperatures may also affect recreation and spiritual practices
associated with water as water levels, stream flows, and water quality are reduced. Historic
preservation activities may also be affected, with important cultural sites being at greater risk
as a result of exposure during extended drought periods, such as inundation, or physical
damage during extreme flood events. More frequent and intense wildfires could also affect all
of these cultural activities.
All applicable RMSs also considered the effects of Climate Change on the IRWM region.
4.3 Resource Management Strategies Not Applicable to the Region
Resource Management Strategies that are applicable within the IRWM region and related
Objectives are discussed in Section 4.1 and shown in Table 4-2 above. The following RMSs do
not apply to the Region since they are either directed toward implementation by State agencies
or the legislature, or they are not considered in the Region as noted below:
Conveyance – Delta and Surface Storage CALFED RMS: This RMS is not directly applicable to the
Region, as most of the Region’s conveyance issues are related to local infrastructure and the
Region does not own or operate conveyance in the Delta region or surface storage facilities in
the CALFED region.
Precipitation Enhancement RMS: Precipitation enhancement, commonly called “cloud seeding,”
artificially stimulates clouds to produce more rainfall or snowfall than they would produce
naturally. Cloud seeding injects substances into the clouds that enable snowflakes and
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raindrops to form more easily. Precipitation enhancement is the one form of weather
modification done in California. The Region currently does not practice this.
Forest management RMS: Forest management is not applicable to the Region due to a lack of
forest-zoned land use.
Crop idling for water transfers RMS: Does not apply due to the limited agricultural land and
farming that occurs in the Region; crop idling does not occur.
Dewvaporation RMS: Atmospheric pressure desalination is not used within the Region;
however, reverse osmosis desalination is implemented and addressed accordingly.
Fog collection RMS: This practice is not applicable due to the limited rainfall and precipitation
within the Region.
Irrigated land retirement RMS: Less than one percent of the Region has agricultural farming;
retirement of irrigated agricultural land would have little impact on water supplies in the
Region.
Rainfed Agriculture RMS: Due to limited regional rainfall and limited agricultural land, this
practice is not applicable.
Snow Fences RMS: The Region does not experience snow of any accumulation; therefore, snow
fences are not considered in the IRWM Plan objectives.
Waterbag Transport/Storage Technology RMS: This technology is not an applicable practice in
the Region and has not been explored; above-ground reservoir storage facilities are utilized for
water storage.
4.4 Regional Strategies
The OC Plan considers IRWM planning concepts, State standards, and the State’s resource
management strategies through the integration of projects and programs that incorporate a
wide range of water management strategies resulting in a synergistic approach to the Region’s
watershed management.
The OC Plan includes proposed projects that will implement regional strategies. Projects that
address multiple objectives are typically the most cost-effective and resource-efficient and are
given higher priority in The OC Plan. Integration of the regional strategies enhance the benefits
of project implementation throughout the Region. As discussed in Section 3.7, the value of
integrated regional planning is a direct result of the extent to which water management
strategies are determined to be complementary within a given region and then further
identified to achieve multiple regional objectives. Benefits of integration include:
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• Sharing knowledge, resources, facilities, and costs;
• Reducing duplicative efforts;
• Achieving broader goals and objectives;
• Improving regional collaboration; and
• Improving local understanding of water resources.
To understand selection of the Region’s strategies, it’s important to understand the Region’s
goals and objectives, which are explained in Section 3.
Further, interregional projects have substantial benefits for the IRWM Region, particularly
collaborating among agencies across the entire Santa Ana River Watershed that reaches
beyond the regional boundaries. Benefits to implementing interregional projects include
increased opportunity for project implementation, collective planning as opposed to
confinement with in political boundaries, increased participation and cooperation by the public,
and shared costs.
4.4.1 Provide Adequate and Reliable Water Supplies Strategies
The OC Plan Strategies:
WS-1&2 A. Increase local potable water supplies
WS-1&2 B. Increase recycled water supplies to offset potable water
WS-1&2 C. Sustainably manage groundwater resources
WS-1&2 D. Maximize water conservation and water use efficiency strategies and efforts
WS-1&2 E. Reduce the vulnerability of water systems to interruptions and to the effects of
climate change, including sea level rise
WS-1&2 F. Optimize use of imported water in times of surplus
WS-1&2 G. Replace potable water supply lost due to groundwater contamination
To meet Objectives WS-1 and WS-2, Meet projected increase in water demands of 49,000 AFY
by 2040 in the Orange County Basin with consideration of cost effective strategies and Meet
projected increase in water demands of 1,800 AFY by 2040 in the La Habra Basin with
consideration of cost-effective strategies, respectively, WS-1 A through G and WS-2 A through G
were developed.
These strategies implement water development, savings and benefits including improvements
in technology and management of water. Importantly, conjunctive management enables the
Region to coordinate use of both surface water and groundwater resources to maximize the
availability and reliability of water supplies in the Region to meet various objectives. Managing
both resources together allows water managers to use the advantages of both resources for
maximum benefit. Implementation of conjunctive management will increase pumping and
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needed treatment of local groundwater for water supply, consistent with sustainability and
conjunctive use with other supplies.
In wet years, the use of imported supplies increases, allowing imported water to be used to
replenish the groundwater basin in addition to direct domestic use. In dry years, there is a shift
to greater pumping from the groundwater basin to meet demands. Groundwater recharge is
essential in conjunctive use projects to increase stored groundwater, and can occur naturally,
in-lieu7, or through artificial means, such as recharge ponds or injection wells.
4.4.2 Protect and Enhance Water Quality Strategies
The OC Plan Strategies:
WQ-1 A. Meet NPDES and TMDL water quality regulatory requirements.
WQ-1 B. Attain water quality standards in fresh and marine environments.
WQ-1 C. Expand the use of water quality treatment systems with a focus on regional
projects.
WQ-2 A. Protect and improve groundwater quality consistent with beneficial uses.
WQ-2 B. Clean up groundwater contamination.
The IRWM Region stakeholders considered surface and groundwater quality during the
development of the IRWM Plan’s goals, objectives, and strategies.
Surface Water Quality
To meet Objective WQ-1, Improve water quality consistent with the Basin Plan, strategies WQ-1
A through C were developed.
These management strategies will promote sub-regional and regional BMPs, to address non-
point-source pollutants during both wet and dry weather. Each project’s performance would
typically be measured by the number and area of sites affected; estimated reduction in
nuisance and/or storm runoff volume or rate; and/or estimated reduction in quantity of key
pollutants potentially exposed to discharge to the environment, compared to pre-project or
conventional conditions.
7 According to the California Water Code: "In-lieu recharge" means accomplishing increased storage of
groundwater by providing interruptible surface water to a user who relies on groundwater as a primary supply, to
accomplish groundwater storage through the direct use of that surface water in lieu of pumping groundwater.
Satisfying the demand of a user with additional surface water eliminates the need to pump groundwater, thus
increasing the amount of groundwater available for other uses or to remain in storage.
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Groundwater Quality
To meet Objective WQ-2, Maintain groundwater quality to protect water supplies and ensure
reliability, strategies WQ-2 A and B were developed.
Groundwater quality protection projects and activities will help prevent contamination of
aquifers by sewage, industrial or other wastes. In some cases, groundwater remediation is
necessary to improve the quality of degraded groundwater for beneficial use. Drinking water
supply is the beneficial use that typically requires remediation when groundwater quality is
degraded. Implementation of this strategy also protects recharge of groundwater aquifers in a
cost-effective manner consistent with minimizing socioeconomic and environmental impacts.
4.4.3 Restore Ecosystems and Improve Native Habitat Strategies
The OC Plan strategies:
ECO-1 A. Increase functioning habitat that sustains viable populations of native species and
restore habitat for terrestrial and aquatic species.
ECO-1 B. Remove invasive species that are a danger to habitat, water supply or other
economic or beneficial use.
ECO-1 C. Increase use of water quality treatment systems that also increase wildlife habitat
and wetlands by restoring a natural water balance not dependent on urban runoff
or supplemental water.
ECO-1 D. Preserve open space.
ECO-2 A. Increase functioning habitat that sustains viable populations of threatened and
endangered species.
ECO-2 B. Remove invasive species that negatively impact threatened and endangered
species.
To meet Objective ECO-1, Restore, enhance and expand terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems,
strategies ECO-1 A through D were developed. To meet Objective ECO-2, Restore, enhance and
expand habitat for threatened and endangered species, strategies ECO-2 A through B were
developed.
These strategies implement ecosystem restoration of aquatic, riparian, and floodplain
ecosystems. The Region desires to increase functioning habitat for native terrestrial, aquatic,
threatened and endangered species; remove invasive species; and restore a natural water
balance not dependent on urban runoff by reducing negative impacts of surface runoff on
riparian eco-systems, and beneficial uses.
These natural systems are most directly affected by water and flood management actions and
are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Ecosystem restoration can provide
habitat for native plants and animals and improve aesthetic value of the land for current and
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future generations. Protecting receiving waters and marine ASBS to the extent feasible is
important. Implemented projects may have a number or acreage of sites retrofitted with
control measures and/or measure estimated reduction in daily or storm discharges to the
receiving waters or ASBS. Projects may also be considered that protect and enhance natural
resources re-establishing native aquatic, riparian and transitional biotic communities.
Further, this objective includes a strategy to preserve open space to provide opportunities for
controlled recreational access and enjoyment of aquatic ecosystem areas while minimizing the
environmental impacts of uncontrolled use.
4.4.4 Integrate Flood Management Strategies
The OC Plan Strategies:
FM-1 A. Improve flood protection based on risk management standards.
FM-1 B. Improve flood control facilities and remove properties from the FEMA 100-year
floodplain with consideration for climate change on flow regimes.
FM-1 C. Improve storm drain systems where historical flooding exists, when feasible.
FM-2 A. Reduce scour and erosion on canyons and channels while supporting natural
systems and minimizing use of concrete and riprap.
FM-2 B. Implement stream channel naturalization efforts to promote multiple benefits
such as creation or improvement of habitat and/or improvement in water quality
while protecting public health.
To meet Objective FM-1, Reduce flood risk to public and private property and improve public
safety, strategies FM-1 A through C were developed. To meet Objective FM-2, Improve
floodplains, strategies FM-2 A and B were developed.
Flood management practices recognized by The OC Plan include, but are not limited to:
maintaining flood protection, improving flood control facilities, improving sub-regional facilities
and local storm drain systems, reducing scour and erosion on canyon and channel stability, and
stream channel naturalization efforts to promote multiple benefits.
Project performance would typically be measured by protection and conveyance improved
acres cleared in 100-year floodplain, and acres of stream channel naturalization. This would
also be accomplished by managing development through the planning process (County and
cities) to match pre- and post-project flows.
A key component of flood management is the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS),
databases and other data management tools to support data development and manage the
watersheds in the Region. This promotes the development, installation, application, or updating
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of flood control and pollutant control data, methods of measurement and management to
protect waterways. Short-term project performance may be measured by expansion of
catalogued data, confirmation of previous data conclusions, identification of erosion and
sedimentation sources, and identification of accurate and rapid source tracking methods. Long-
term per-project performance would typically be measured by estimated reduction in nuisance
runoff volume or rate discharged to beaches; and/or estimated reduction in concentration or
quantity of pathogens or indicator pollutants discharged compared to project conditions.
4.4.5 Improve the Quality of Life in Orange County Strategies
The OC Plan Strategies:
QL-1 A. Increase participation of small, disadvantaged, low-income communities and
tribes in the IRWM process.
QL-1 B. Develop multi-benefit projects that predominantly benefit affected
disadvantaged and low-income communities.
QL-1 C. Address public health, flood management, safe drinking water, and wastewater
treatment needs of disadvantaged and low-income communities.
QL-2 A. Increase acres of and access to open spaces.
QL-2 B. Provide for increased proximity and access to open spaces in disadvantaged
communities.
QL-2 C. Increase recreational opportunities.
QL-2 D. Add trail connectors and extensions to provide and improve regional recreational
opportunities
QL-2 E. Increase recreational opportunities in multipurpose projects and programs.
QL-2 F. Increase recreational opportunities in disadvantaged and low-income
communities.
QL-2 G. Support water quality improvement efforts that enhance public recreation.
QL-3 A. Incorporate principles of environmental justice and needs of disadvantaged and
low-income communities in design and construction of projects and programs.
QL-3 B. Promote watershed public education.
QL-3 C. Increase community involvement in stewardship of water resources.
To meet Objective QL-1, Identify and support critical water needs of disadvantaged, low-
income, and tribal communities, strategies QL-1 A through C were developed. To meet
Objective QL-2, Increase acreage of open space and increase park and recreational
opportunities, strategies QL-2 A through G were developed. To meet Objective OL-3, Develop
and enhance public education programs, strategies QL-3 A through C were developed.
Strategies and associated investments to carry the Region through the next 25-year planning
horizon are central to preserving the quality of life in North and Central OC. The IRWM
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stakeholders have made it a priority to incorporate quality of life strategies into The OC Plan
and within projects, particularly benefiting disadvantaged, low-income and tribal communities.
The communities utilize the waters within the Region as recreational destinations, including
area beaches and harbors, local creeks and streams, and wetland environments. Since many of
these waters are accessible to the disadvantaged, low-income and tribal communities where it
is safe to provide public access, projects focused on providing safe drinking water and enhance
water quality will promote recreational and educational opportunities, and stewardship of
water resources for all communities in the Region.
Through addressing water quality issues in areas of recreational use, the IRWM Plan
incorporates principles of environmental justice in a way that provides every resident equal
opportunity and fair treatment in the regional water planning process. Disadvantaged, low-
income and tribal communities will continue to be engaged to ensure their active involvement
in the IRWM Plan and in IRWM Plan projects recognized to provide benefits to these
communities within their areas of influence.
4.4.6 Address Climate Change Strategies
The OC Plan Strategies:
ACC-1 A. Maximize production of on-site energy.
ACC-1 B. Participate in local utility’s green energy program.
ACC-1 C. Prioritize more passive systems over active energy consuming systems.
ACC-1 D. Prioritize lower energy consuming alternatives over lower cost and higher energy
alternatives.
ACC-1 E. Utilize natural gas, electric, or biofuel-based equipment for construction.
ACC-1 F. Recover construction emissions by generating more renewable energy during the
lifetime of the project.
ACC-2 A. Use higher density vegetation schematics.
ACC-2 B. Increase total square feet of wetlands.
ACC-2 C. Recycle green waste.
ACC-3 A. Develop adaptive measures to address the effects of sea level rise on water
supply and water quality conditions.
ACC-3 B. Implement measures that respond to more intense rain events.
ACC-3 C. Implement measures that respond to the uncertainty and availability of imported
water.
ACC-3 D. Implement measures that respond to hotter and drier summers.
To meet Objective ACC-1, Identify and support critical water needs of disadvantaged, low-
income, and tribal communities, strategies ACC-1 A through F were developed. To meet
Objective ACC-2, Increase acreage of open space and increase park and recreational
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opportunities, strategies ACC-2 A through C were developed. To meet Objective ACC-3, Develop
and enhance public education programs, strategies ACC-3 A through D were developed.
The Region’s vulnerabilities to climate change as well as the corresponding regional goals and
objectives for both adapting to and mitigating against climate change impacts were analyzed in
Section 2.9 and discussed in Chapter 3. Climate change strategies were identified, as listed
above, to meet the climate change objectives and address regional vulnerabilities.
As stated in Section 2.9, statewide efforts to address climate change are in progress and it is
understood that local governments and agencies play an essential role in fulfilling California’s
emissions reduction targets and in reducing the local effects of climate change in the Region.
Local governments have broad influence and, in some cases, exclusive authority over activities
that contribute to significant direct and indirect GHG emissions through their planning and
permitting processes, local ordinances, outreach and education efforts, and municipal
operations. Local governments have primary authority to plan, zone, approve, and permit how
and where land is developed to accommodate population growth and the changing needs of
their jurisdictions. Decisions on how land is used will have large impacts on the GHG emissions
that will result from the transportation, housing, industry, forestry, water, agriculture,
electricity, and natural gas sectors.
While the majority, if not all, of the RMSs listed in Table 4-2 above and the specific strategies
listed above will help to adapt to climate change, the Region acknowledged additional
strategies that would specifically mitigate against climate change through a reduction in energy
consumption and GHGs: optimize sanitary sewer systems; improve efficiency of drinking water
treatment and distribution systems; develop an inventory of emissions from water and
wastewater systems; and increase the use of renewable energy sources.
4.5 Impacts and Benefits
4.5.1 Regional and Inter-Regional Benefits
Implementation of the IRWM Plan and its projects will guide the North and Central OC IRWM
Region toward a future with a reliable supply of water, improved and protected water quality,
and achievement of the statewide priorities and program preferences for integrated regional
planning.
As the IRWM Plan is implemented and benefits of water supply and water quality are realized,
so will the adjacent areas and regions benefit from these efforts. To emphasize the advantages
of implementing projects with interregional benefits as stated earlier, benefits include
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increased opportunity for project implementation, collective planning to monitor regional
changes and facilitate refinements for implementation, increased participation and cooperation
by the public, shared costs, and cooperative land-based planning as opposed to confinement
within political boundaries. Individual projects that are implemented and produce beneficial
results may also be used as pilot projects that are transferable to other regions.
Development and enhancement of the Region’s local water supplies safeguards reliability of
imported water suppliers for other regions.
Long-term attainment and maintenance of water quality standards within the watersheds will
result in enhanced local supplies, habitat restoration, pollution control, and outdoor
recreational opportunities. Pollution reduction in impaired water bodies and sensitive habitat
benefits wildlife habitat. Overall watershed health realized in the Region provides greater
opportunities for communities to enjoy the area in which they live, including beach activities,
hiking, biking, bird watching, horseback riding, and other activities that thrive in this region.
Elements of the IRWM Plan and the Region’s cooperative framework present a potential model
for other regions and areas of the State, particularly with the coastal influence and a significant
groundwater basin. Regional planning presents the opportunity for collective and collaborative
planning in a logical and beneficial process. Prioritization of projects within the Region provides
the greatest benefits both regionally and inter-regionally.
Regional solutions are necessary to achieve both statewide priorities and regional objectives for
water supply reliability, groundwater management, water conservation, and water quality. In
certain cases, integrated projects have been defined where appropriate to implement a single
strategy across the entire region that would involve all participants on a phased, as-needed
funding basis. Regional solutions are being addressed throughout the objectives.
Collaboration will achieve enhanced regional benefits, increase opportunity for project
implementation, facilitate collective planning, and increase participation and cooperation by
the public, which will also benefit adjacent areas.
4.5.2 DAC/Environmental Justice Benefits
The OC Plan has prioritized incorporating benefits for DAC, low-income and tribal communities
within its projects and programs, where possible. Area beaches, local creeks and streams, and
wetland environments provide recreational opportunities for residents including DACs, and
low-income and tribal communities.
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Projects focused on providing safe drinking water, enhanced water quality, and access to park
and recreational opportunities, will benefit these communities. Also, projects will contribute to
beneficial uses such as agricultural supply, contact and non-contact water recreation, warm
freshwater habitat, and wildlife habitat, enhancing opportunities to residents in DACs. Figure 2-
10 depicts the DACs throughout the Region.
Coastal Benefits
The many miles of public beaches and parks, wetland and refuge habitat areas, as well as creeks
and preserves located along regional stream/river courses serve as community gathering places
for DACs and are used year-round. Many of the recreational areas, as noted above under
Water-Dependent Recreation RMS, are accessible via public transit and often do not charge an
entrance fee for walk-in visitors. Many recreational areas are also handicap accessible.
Within the limited space of the coastline, population density far exceeds the nation as a whole.
Today, the beaches in the Region draw millions of visitors year-round to swim, surf, fish,
birdwatch, and provide a variety of other recreational activities. It is important for the Region
to consider projects focused on improving water quality that will benefit these recreational
areas that serve all communities and DACs equally. DACs will continue to enjoy the beach and
ocean resources because of fewer beach closure days due to higher water quality. Water
quality is a key consideration for the Region to ensure protection of the health and safety of the
entire population in the area, especially for the disadvantaged community residents that do not
have the means to travel to other areas of the state or country.
Inland Benefits
The OC Plan includes projects that would meet multiple objectives and provide multiple
benefits for the DACs, including recreational and aesthetic benefits and increased water supply
reliability.
Projects listed include the following: creek/channel restoration and stabilization; water quality
improvements; natural treatment systems; habitat restoration; storm drain improvements;
wildlife corridors; aquatic habitat; and trail projects.
These projects would meet multiple objectives and provide multiple benefits, including
recreational and aesthetic benefits and increased water supply reliability, which provide
enjoyment of the Region’s natural systems for residents including DACs and low-income
communities. Expanded opportunities for recreational benefits include contact and non-contact
water recreation, walking paths, bird watching, nature study, painting and photography, and
other passive activities.
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In addition, educational and public outreach activities increase residents’ understanding and
appreciation of wetlands and other areas of significance, including how human interaction
impacts habitat areas and other natural resources. Educational programs currently being
implemented as part of the outreach efforts in the Region are designed to inspire broad
implementation of water quality and water conservation improvements across the community.
Benefits of Disadvantaged Community Participation
Through addressing water quality issues in areas of recreational use, The OC Plan incorporates
environmental justice in a way that provides every resident equal opportunity and fair
treatment in the regional water planning process.
The RWMG will conduct outreach to stakeholders, including disadvantaged communities and
tribal representatives, throughout the Region, for an opportunity to participate in meetings and
workshops. Outreach may include communication of information by email, newsletters, fact
sheets, and the County’s ocwatersheds.com website. Native American Tribal representatives
will be invited to participate at the level of input most appropriate for their tribes in IRWM Plan
implementation elements. Additionally, The OC Plan projects have recognized the benefits to
support DACs within their areas of influence.
The OC Plan strives to ensure equitable distribution of benefits to the entire region through
involvement of community members and implementation of a wide variety of projects.
Environmental justice brings to light the fact that minority members of the community tend to
disproportionately endure environmental pollution and unhealthy conditions. Specifically, the
Region has prioritized projects that:
• Increase the participation of DACs and small communities in the IRWM process;
• Develop multi-benefit projects with consideration of affected DAC and vulnerable
populations;
• Contain projects that address safe drinking water and wastewater treatment needs of
DACs; and
• Address critical water supply or water quality needs of California Native American Tribes
within the Region.
Since the water quality protection benefits of The OC Plan and its projects significantly protect
the recreational beaches and waterways of the North and Central OC IRWM Region that many
members of DACs and those from other regions frequently use, The OC Plan and
implementation of its projects will benefit the Region’s DACs and support regional and inter-
regional environmental justice.
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4.5.3 Environmental Impacts and Benefits to Other Resources
The regional watersheds contain a wide variety of environmental resources, extending from
headwaters to ocean, and from urban landscape to forested mountaintop. These resources
include water, wildlife, and cultural and physical landscapes.
Currently, local watersheds are suffering from a variety of water resource and related land
resource problems. Most of these are related to widespread changes in the watersheds,
including changes in the hydrologic regime, channel instability, habitat loss, ecosystem
degradation, urban impacts to water quality, threats to recreational resources, and others.
While change is a part of the evolution of any landscape, dramatic change from a balanced
historic state often results in undesirable consequences.
All proposed projects within the IRWM Plan are individually evaluated under CEQA guidelines to
identify potential impacts (both negative and beneficial) to the following:
• Aesthetics • Noise
• Air Quality • Population and Housing
• Biological Resources • Public Services
• Cultural Resources • Recreation
• Geology and Soils • Transportation and Traffic
• Hazardous Materials • Utilities and Service Systems
• Hydrology and Water Quality
• Land Use and Planning
• Effects on Tribal Cultural Resources
and Consultation with California
Native American Tribes
Where significant potential negative impacts are identified, the CEQA process will implement
appropriate mitigation measures into the project. Responsibility for mitigation measures lies
with the individual project sponsor(s). Where there are potential impacts to jurisdictional
waters, habitats or species, mitigation requirements are determined within permitting
processes with the Regional Water Board, CDFW, USACE and others as appropriate. Federal
anti-degradation policies for surface water quality and "no net loss" policies for wetlands are
typically reflected in the permit requirements. The data management methods identified in
Section 6 will work in conjunction with environmental impact analysis and ongoing project
monitoring to identify potential impacts.
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SECTION 5. PROJECTS
The OC Plan does not commit any resources to implementation of any project nor does its
creation constitute a commitment by the RWMG or any member entity or stakeholder to carry
out any of the proposed projects. Determinations to proceed with individual projects and
required environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) will be
performed by the individual agencies prior to approval of funding.
Some additional State grant programs require projects be listed in an IRWM plan to be eligible
for funding. Project inclusion in The OC Plan, and subsequently the SAWPA One Water One
Watershed (OWOW) Plan, would satisfy this requirement. While the North and Central OC
Region remains within the SAWPA OWOW Plan, projects will also be transmitted to SAWPA for
inclusion in the OWOW Plan for funding eligibility. If the North and Central OC Region, under
The OC Plan, becomes a DWR-approved IRWM region, the project list will be kept current
within The OC Plan for future funding opportunities.
5.1 IRWM Plan Project Solicitation and Prioritization Framework
The purpose of IRWM planning is to identify and implement water management solutions on a
regional scale that increases self-reliance and manages water to achieve social, environmental
and economic objectives. Projects should help meet the goals, objectives, and strategies of The
OC Plan (Section 3):
1. Provide adequate and reliable water supplies
2. Protect and enhance water quality
3. Restore ecosystems and improve native habitat
4. Integrate flood management
5. Improve the quality of life in Orange County
6. Address climate change
During development of The OC Plan, project lists from the 2011 North OC WMA IRWM Plan and
the 2012 Central OC WMA IRWM Plan were reviewed. A large percentage of the proposed
projects in the plans were either completed, no longer being considered by the sponsoring
agency, or needed updated information. In addition, some projects lacked an identified project
sponsor. For these reasons, stakeholders were requested to re-submit proposed or new
projects and project ideas for inclusion in The OC Plan.
The project solicitation was conducted in early 2018. All regional stakeholders were asked to
submit proposed projects and project ideas for consideration of inclusion in The OC Plan and
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the OWOW Plan. An application form was provided to project proponents to submit projects.
Appendix H includes a copy of the solicitation and project application form.
The invitation informed stakeholders about the purpose of IRWM planning, IRWM plan update
process, regional goals, and project solicitation for The OC Plan and the OWOW Plan. It
emphasized that soliciting projects for The OC Plan and the OWOW Plan is a stimulus for new
project ideas, encourages partnerships, and can result in regional projects that meet the
Region’s goals and objectives, while establishing the strength to successfully compete for
limited grant funds and bring additional funds to invest in the Region.
The projects included in the IRWM Plan Project List (Appendix F) are listed based on the ranking
criteria described in Section 5.2.
5.2 Ranking Criteria Development
Planning efforts typically include an established process for ranking projects in relation to the
IRWM Plan goals and objectives. The point of an integrated plan is to move beyond a single
focus and to collaborate and rank across programs and jurisdictions. This effort is challenging,
specifically when balancing objectives.
The Stakeholder Group formed an Ad Hoc Committee to propose ranking criteria for the
established goals, objectives, and strategies that would be applied to proposed projects. Any
stakeholder who wished to participate in this effort was invited to be part of the Ad Hoc
Committee. The Ad Hoc Committee met several times during the months of June and July 2017
to assign ranking criteria for projects using a matrix based on the plan’s goals, objectives, and
strategies. The Ad Hoc Committee considered four main categories of criteria that are relevant
to projects in the Region:
• Regional/local objectives
• Regulatory compliance
• Project factors
• State objectives
These categories considered DWR plan standards in development of the ranking criteria for
projects that would support goals, objectives, strategies (see Section 4.4 and Appendix G). The
Ad Hoc Committee assigned a weighting factor for each goal and each supporting strategy
based on its importance to the region. These weighting factors were first discussed in Section
3.6 and are shown in Appendix G. The OC Plan emphasizes regional and local water resource
goals. Although IRWM planning does recognize the nexus among water resources, land uses,
environmental stewardship, and the economy, the primary focus remains on water resources.
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The prioritization methodology has two main purposes:
First, to generate scores for an entire list of projects within the Region based on all the
considerations that are imbedded in the scoring matrix. The most important function of this
tool is to help the Region identify and agree on priorities. Then the combined influence of
the community can promote projects that address the priorities that will result in multiple
benefits. Ranking each proposed project against all the criteria will inform the Region of
which projects should be most heavily promoted based on providing the greatest impact for
the Region.
Second, to refine additions to lists of future projects. Dividing the criteria into categories
allows the ranking to be readily updated or refined in the future. Each category can be
turned on or off when scoring projects for different purposes, performing sensitivity
analyses, or for other reasons. Separate scoring can be performed for projects that are
driven solely by TMDLs, by Measure M funding from the Orange County Transportation
Authority, or by any desired future factors. Goals and strategies can be turned off or their
assigned weights can be adjusted to answer specific questions. Adjustments of strategies
and weights will facilitate prioritization for different purposes, which is useful when
applying for project funding. However, for the ranking of projects in this IRWM Plan, all
categories have been used. The ranking of projects, which are included in Appendix F, is for
overall regional priorities, not for specific funding programs at this time.
Weighting factors were developed for each goal and each strategy:
Goal Scoring: Each of the IRWM Project Ad Hoc Committee members assigned a number
between 1.0 and 5.0 (1.0 being the lowest) to rank each goal in relation to the other goals.
The ranking scores of all Ad Hoc Committee members were averaged to create an overall
score for each goal.
Strategy Scoring: The process was repeated to score each of the strategies in relation to the
others under each goal. The individual score for each strategy was then calculated by
multiplying the score of the goal by the score of the strategy. The resulting scores ranged
from 13 to 22.
The Ad Hoc Committee also developed a system to apply weighting criteria to calibrate the
relative value of the projects in relation to each other based on the quantification of benefits
and the scale of the projects submitted. For example, project proponents who claim a benefit
of increased local potable water supply (WS1-A) would be scored in relation to all other
projects that claim a benefit of increased local potable water supply. If the water supply
projects submitted for the IRWM Plan ranged from an increase of 1 AF to 1,000 AF of new
water, the smaller benefit project would receive a lower score than the larger benefit project.
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The impact weights for each of the strategies are determined after the projects are submitted
or when projects are to be scored in preparation for a grant application.
In addition to establishing six goals for The OC Plan, the Ad Hoc Committee ranked a category
considered as Project Administration. Strategies under this category allow for weighting of
project factors such as: 1) Readiness of project construction – status of project financing,
funding match committed, and ready to proceed. The more “shovel-ready” a project is, the
more weight it will receive; 2) Status of regulatory compliance for the watershed relevant to
local, state, and federal laws, generally related to water supply and water quality, including
CEQA and permitting; 3) Project partners are identified; and 4) Cost-effectiveness is
demonstrated. This “Project Administration” goal and related strategies is only for project
scoring and was not included in The OC Plan overall goals, objectives, and strategies in Section
3.
The work product of the IRWM Project Ad Hoc Committee, the proposed ranking criteria, was
presented to the Stakeholder Group for discussion and comments. The Stakeholders accepted
the proposal, which was finalized for inclusion in The OC Plan. Section 5.2.1 shows the project
ranking criteria weighting and scores.
5.2.1 Regional/Local Objectives Weighting
Regional/Local Objectives ranking criteria are tied directly to the stated goals. As detailed in
Section 3, goals are divided into six categories: water supplies, water quality, ecosystems and
native habitat, flood management, quality of life, and climate change.
The process described above resulted in a relative priority of The OC Plan Goals and Strategies,
along with the additional Project Administration category for this section. The following lists the
goals in priority order, with the ranking criteria scoring detail contained in Appendix I.
1. Providing Adequate and Reliable Water Supplies
2. Protect and Enhance Water Quality
3. Restore Ecosystems and Improve Native Habitat
4. Integrate Flood Management
5. Improve the Quality of Life in Orange County
6. Address Climate Change
Additional Project Goal: Project Administration
The Project Application Form is designed to calculate a total score based on the weighting of
each goal and strategy. On the Project Application Form, the ability to meet an Objective is
indicated by “yes” or “no”, with a number 1 corresponding to “yes” and a zero corresponding to
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“no”. The 1/0 values (yes/no) are then multiplied by their assigned weighting factor. For project
prioritization purposes, the Project Application Form also assigns a score associated with the
relative benefit attained by the objective and strategy.
Table 5-1 shows the framework used for project weighting. Appendix I shows the actual
prioritization of objectives relative to the weighting/ranking, which were developed and
approved by the Region stakeholders, consistent with Section 3.6. Inclusion of the weighting of
objectives in an appendix allows for flexibility for the RWMG and stakeholders to revise as
appropriate.
Table 5-1
Basis for Goals and Strategies Weighting and
Scoring for Project Prioritization
Goals, Objectives, and Strategies Weight Strategy
Score IW Total
Points
Goal Range 1-5 (GW) n/a
Objectives Listed (not weighted)
Strategies Listed Range 1-5 (SW) GW x SW
Range 1-5
TBD at Project
Submission
Strategy
Score x IW
This repeats for each of the six goals and related strategies
GW = Goal Weight
SW = Strategy Weight
IW = Impact Weight
5.3 Contribution to State Agency Priorities
As discussed in Section 3.2 and shown in Table 3-1, DWR identified Statewide Priorities based
on the 2014 California Water Action Plan, issued by the California Natural Resources Agency,
California Department of Food and Agriculture, and the California EPA (January 2016).
Efforts to meet the Statewide Priorities and improve water quality conditions have been
underway in the North and Central OC Region for many years, and continually advance as new
technologies and resources become available. Statewide Priorities are incorporated into IRWM
Objectives and RMS, as defined in Sections 3 and 4.
The OC Plan and its proposed projects are consistent with the Program Preferences for IRWM
planning identified in the California Water Code and implementing legislation for Proposition 1,
Chapter 7. It is also consistent with the priorities for projects that support the Basin Plan as
outlined in the 2015 Triennial Review (Santa Ana Regional Board 2015) and assists in
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implementing the TMDLs that have been adopted and are pending for this region. It further
supports implementation of the California Ocean Plan and the non-point source plan for the
state (California Water Board 2009, 2003). The State Program Preferences and 2015 Triennial
Review are listed below.
California Water Code IRWM Program Preferences
• Include integrated projects with multiple benefits
• Support and improve local and regional water supply reliability
• Contribute expeditiously and measurably to the long-term attainment and maintenance
of water quality standards
• Eliminate or significantly reduce pollution in impaired waters and sensitive habitat areas,
including ASBS
• Include safe drinking water and water quality projects that serve disadvantaged
communities
Santa Ana Regional Water Board Basin Plan and 2015 Triennial Review1: Priorities for Grant
Projects that Support the Basin Plan
• Projects that implement approved TMDLs, including studies called for in TMDL
implementation plans
• Projects that support development of scheduled TMDLs
• Projects that address pollutant loadings in urban runoff discharges
• Projects that protect and improve the quality of local groundwater resources
• Removal and prevention of invasive, exotic aquatic and riparian vegetation to enhance
and protect water quality standards, including habitat and recreation beneficial uses
• In support of WARM, COLD, RARE, WILD, SPWN, MAR, SHEL, and EST beneficial uses,
projects that protect, restore, and/or enhance aquatic, wetland, and riparian habitat and
habitat connectivity, particularly habitat of rare, threatened, or endangered species
• Projects that support watershed management planning efforts, especially those that build
local capacity in watershed management through citizen involvement and public
education
• Projects that provide tools managing and/or enhancing access to regional water resources
data, water quality data, and watershed data
1 Santa Ana Region Basin Plan Update and Amendments; and Resolution No. RS-2015-0085, Adoption of FY2015-
2018 Triennial Review Priority List and Work Plan, Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board, July 24, 2015
https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/santaana/water_issues/programs/basin_plan/index.html and
https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/santaana/water_issues/programs/basin_plan/docs/R8-2015-
0085_Triennial_Review_Priority_List_and_Work_Plan_2015-2018.pdf
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• Projects that include opportunities to build or expand organizational capacity to
implement watershed management
• Projects that lead to water quality improvements within the CCAs of the region
• Projects that utilize partnerships among diverse stakeholders and that integrate the
priorities of regional water boards with those established by other watershed
stakeholders
5.3.1 The OC Plan and State Agency Priorities
The OC Plan, its strategies, and the integrated, multi-benefit projects support the State agency
priorities listed above. Implementation of The OC Plan represents progress toward achieving
the stated priorities of the Santa Ana Regional Board, as well as IRWM Program Preferences.
High-priority projects incorporate multiple strategies to achieve results.
As discussed in Section 1, the IRWM region stakeholders represent a diverse group of people,
including municipalities, local water districts, state agencies, environmental organizations,
academic institutions, and the general public. The stakeholders have a long history of
collaboration on projects and studies and have participated in each of the planning efforts
within the watersheds. Through their involvement, they have established regional priorities for
water supply reliability, water quality, ecosystem restoration and habitat improvement, flood
management, climate change, and an improved quality of life in Orange County. The OC Plan
builds on previous efforts, providing a structure for implementation that supports the use of
multiple strategies and the leveraging of resources to increase the level of benefit.
Improving water quality conditions is a priority for the Region stakeholders. Improvements are
made as new technologies and resources become available. The County of Orange’s Drainage
Area Management Plan (DAMP) includes watershed action plans for each watershed, which
were prepared in cooperation with the NPDES stormwater permittees. In 2006, the County of
Orange, in cooperation with the NPDES stormwater permittees, developed Watershed Action
Plans to capture the regional efforts undertaken to provide a watershed-based collaborative
effort to address constituents of concern in a specific watershed. In 2009, the Watershed
Action Plans were incorporated into the Watershed Infiltration and Hydromodification
Management Plans (WIHMPs), integrating stormwater and TMDL efforts. The new draft NPDES
stormwater permit for the portion of Orange County regulated by the Regional Water Board
will require the creation of Watershed Master Plans, which will integrate water quality,
hydromodification, water supply, and habitat.
Similar to the efforts to improve water quality described above, the water agencies within the
Region have worked together over many years to ensure water supply reliability and enhance
local water supplies to meet the water demands associated with the significant growth that has
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occurred. The efforts include groundwater management and treatment programs,
infrastructure improvements, indoor and outdoor water conservation and water use efficiency
programs, and an extensive recycled water system. Water conservation and quality programs
are included, to address the disposal of pharmaceutical products that are adversely affecting
wastewater. The objectives and projects of The OC Plan support IRWM preferences for
integrated regional planning to improve the reliability of the local and regional water supply
and ensure safe drinking water supplies for disadvantaged communities.
The Region’s objectives are consistent with these priorities and preferences, and the proposed
projects will provide measurable contributions toward their attainment. The OC Plan is
intended to be used as a regional and local planning tool. To ensure that it remains an effective
tool for project planning and funding, a basic tenet of The OC Plan is to support the State’s
goals for integrated regional water management planning.
5.4 Project Integration
The OC Plan’s approach to integration includes the use of several strategies for implementing
the projects in a manner that supports synergistic watershed management. Full integration is
achieved through well-planned implementation of the various projects. Although the projects
must incorporate at least one of the strategies, the majority incorporate several
complementary strategies, often to achieve multiple objectives. For example, projects that
assist with increasing water supply by offsetting imported water supply needs may also include
incentive programs to enhance WUE and reduce GHG emissions through use of energy efficient
technologies. Full integration is achieved through the identification of an appropriate mix of
projects that incorporate multiple strategies to achieve multiple objectives. Such projects are
typically the most cost-effective and resource-efficient, and are given higher priority in The OC
Plan.
The watershed issues identified for the North and Central OC WMAs are inherently integrated.
For example, several of the issues refer to land use as an underlying element of several
challenges associated with water resources. Overlap is prevalent among the issues. For
instance, the loss of marine habitat is identified as a habitat issue, but water quality
degradation contributes to this habitat loss.
The OC Plan addresses integration from two perspectives: 1) in the development of goals,
objectives and strategies; and 2) in the scoring and weighting of projects. This rewards projects
that meet more than one goal and have multiple agency partners. For example, projects that
incorporate water use efficiency may also benefit the Region by:
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• Reducing wastewater and/or runoff
• Increasing water supply reliability and imported water offset
• Reducing imported water supply needs
• Improving environmental and habitat protection by using recycled water supplies
• Using land use planning to effectively address water issues and identify ways to
incorporate water use efficiency measures in proposed development
The project review process itself allows an open exchange and dialogue of existing and future
plans. As discussed above, projects are ranked based on numerous review factors, specifically
the level of contribution in achieving the IRWM Plan strategies and objectives. Since projects
are either derived from existing plans or developed through combining projects from a variety
of plans, the most immediate needs and balanced implementation are identified.
Benefits to implementing interregional projects include increased opportunity for project
implementation, collective planning to monitor regional changes and facilitation of refinements
for implementation, increased participation and cooperation by the public, shared costs, and
cooperative land-based planning as opposed to confinement within political boundaries.
The project prioritization methodology emphasizes integrated projects that address multiple
goals and produce multiple benefits. For example, a project that uses low-impact development
strategies and reduces polluted runoff, enhances local habitat, improves water supply, reduces
peak flows, and reduces flood risk would unquestionably be addressing multiple water
resources objectives and strategies. Such a project would score higher than a project that
addressed only water quality concerns. Placing an emphasis on projects that provide multiple
benefits encourages stakeholders to develop projects that integrate strategies to achieve
multiple goals.
Integration for The OC Plan originates from the criteria that were derived from local-, regional-,
state- and regulatory-related goals, including the State’s RMS. Therefore, The OC Plan, is
integrating its efforts with the State of California, across the Region, and interregionally to
further the state water resource goals.
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SECTION 6. IMPLEMENTATION
6.1 Introduction
The County of Orange will oversee The OC Plan implementation at the staffing level on behalf
of and in collaboration with the RWMG and agencies, organizations and other stakeholders in
the Region. As discussed in Section 1.4, the RWMG will meet, as appropriate, to discuss IRWM
Plan implementation and refinement issues, provide updates to and receive guidance from the
Advisory Committee, and provide recommendations to The OC Plan Stakeholders Group. The
County of Orange will be informed of strategic decisions, project recommendations, and
coordinated project implementation to ensure appropriate implementation of The OC Plan.
Implementation elements presented and discussed in this section include financing, data
management, and plan performance and monitoring.
6.2 Finance
6.2.1 Funding
The RWMG is committed to The OC Plan implementation. A key element of implementation is
funding. As the administering agency, the County of Orange will be accountable to the Advisory
Committee and the RWMG, along with funding agencies that require regional applications and
agreements. The Advisory Committee will make policy decisions and provide direction for the
RWMG for IRWM funding where necessary. Members of the Advisory Committee and those
who attend the meetings fund their own participation.
In an effort to ensure certainty and longevity of funding for The OC Plan and projects, the
RWMG MOU will consider methods toward contribution of funding and/or resources for such
implementation elements as assistance in grant application preparation, public outreach, IRWM
meeting facilitation, interregional IRWM coordination, and long-term IRWM planning. In
addition to these implementation elements, project execution and operation is correspondingly
understood as ‘implementation.’ The MOU will also reflect current practice that “the RWMG
parties shall use their best efforts to aid the lead agencies designated in project implementation
agreements in advocating for funding, including grants, to fund the cost-shared projects.”
Individual projects will be implemented by the respective project proponents. Project
proponents conduct project planning through their individual and collaborative planning
activities among Region stakeholders. Financial development is an essential component of
project planning to ensure project implementation will yield the highest level of benefit in
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terms of efficiency, economies of scale, and cost avoidance. Project financial development also
includes an analysis of the operation and maintenance costs for each IRWM Plan project and
how the costs would be funded and the certainty of that funding.
Securing project funding is key to IRWM Plan implementation. Accordingly, implementation
efforts of the RWMG and Stakeholder Group will, in part, focus on:
• Refining project cost estimates;
• Further evaluating potential impacts and benefits of the projects;
• Ensuring participation of and benefits to DAC;
• Addressing the cost-effectiveness and regional affordability of proposed projects;
• Prioritizing projects; and
• Ensuring adequate funding for IRWM Plan implementation.
The OC Plan, as a foundation of IRWM planning in the Region, may be used as a funding tool
and promote continued pursuit of project partnerships and funding. Implementation of The OC
Plan may be funded by a variety of sources and methods, as appropriate.
The following is a program-level description of the sources of funding that are or could be
utilized for the ongoing funding of The OC Plan.
Local Financing. Local financing, particularly in-kind services provided by members of the
RWMG and stakeholders, is the most important financing resource used to implement the
IRWM Program. All the Region’s program management activities (program administration,
meetings, plan performance monitoring, outreach, and data management), project
development and integration activities, and even funding and financing development are
contributed as in-kind services. The capability of entities to continue to dedicate staff resources
for implementation of The OC Plan is critical to the success of the IRWM Program.
In addition to in-kind services, project implementation and O&M costs are typically funded by
the local project sponsors or partners through ratepayers, operating funds, water enterprise
funds, assessments, fees, and taxes. Even project sponsors who receive grant funds are typically
required to provide local cost share.
Additional local funding opportunities include Metropolitan’s Local Resources Program, On-Site
Retrofit Program Incentives for Recycled Water Use, and other programs, as well as the
possibility of private foundation funding partnerships.
State Financing. The Region will continue to evaluate and apply for state funding opportunities
that may include the following sources:
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• California Department of Water Resources
o Water-Energy Grant Program
o IRWM Implementation Grant Program – Proposition 1 and future IRWM funding
o IRWM Drought Grant Program
o Local Groundwater Assistance Grant Program
o CalConserve Water Use Efficiency Revolving Fund 2015 Loan Program
o Water Desalination Grant Program
o Sustainable Groundwater Planning Grant Program
• California State Water Resources Control Board
o Water Recycling Funding Program Grants and State Revolving Fund (SRF) Loans
o Drinking Water Grants & Loans (Clean, Safe and Reliable Drinking Water)
o Proposition 1 Storm Water Grant Program
o Groundwater Quality Funding Program (Proposition 1 Groundwater
Sustainability)
• California Department of Fish and Wildlife
o Proposition 1 Watershed Restoration & Delta Water Quality and Ecosystem
Restoration Grant
• California Water Commission
o Water Storage Investment Program
Federal Financing. Local agencies may seek federal funding opportunities to fund projects as
they become available. Possible grant funding sources include U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
(USBR) grant programs. The USBR WaterSMART grant program provides funding for various
types of water supply improvement projects, including water and energy efficiency
improvement, system optimization review, and advanced water treatment pilot and
demonstration projects. USBR also operates the WaterSMART Title XVI Program, which
provides grants for water reclamation and reuse. The following lists the potential USBR funding
programs that could be used to leverage state funds to make a project more cost effective:
• WaterSMART: Water-Energy Program
• WaterSMART: Title XVI Reclamation and Reuse Program Funding
• WaterSMART: Development of Feasibility Studies Under Title XVI
• Bay-Delta Restoration Program: Conservation Field Services Program
6.3 Data Management
The OC Plan has been prepared through a collaborative process that has generated and will
continue to generate data and information to support its implementation. This data can be a
valuable resource to stakeholders, regional entities, and the state. The Region’s stakeholders
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can utilize data developed through The OC Plan process to better manage water supply
reliability, water quality monitoring, invasive species removal, aquatic/riparian habitat
management, species of concern, recreation and open space, land-use development, climate
change impacts, and project progress. The proper collection, organization, storage, analysis,
and dissemination of Plan implementation data is essential to the continued success of
implementation of The OC Plan and to the ongoing participation and support of stakeholders.
6.3.1 Data Collection and Needs Within the Region
The objective of data collection is to: 1) define existing conditions; 2) help develop water
management objectives; 3) evaluate project and overall Plan effectiveness; 4) provide a tool for
IRWM planning and decision making; and 5) provide a means to better inform state agencies,
stakeholders, and the general public. Data of many different types and sources is collected
throughout the Region by various governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
Collected data is associated with individual projects and programs, as well as on-going
operations, maintenance, and monitoring of regional infrastructure. Both basic and advanced
hydrologic and hydraulic data sets are also collected for major surface waters and groundwater
basins. Additionally, physical, chemical and biological data sets associated with the North and
Central OC IRWM Region are actively collected.
Water Supply Data Needs. Providing an adequate water supply remains a critical requirement
for the Region. While local water provides most of the potable water supply for Region,
imported water supply remains an important component. The continued collection and analysis
of the Region’s water use data – industrial, agricultural, and domestic – will assist the RWMG
and Stakeholder Group with water needs planning and how and where to focus conservation
efforts.
Water Quality Data Needs. The urbanization of the Region has placed considerable stress on
the quality of its local water resources. Dry and wet weather surface flows have increased due
to a reduction of absorbent landscape and an increase in impermeable coverage. Increased
stream flows often lead to erosion of riparian habitats.
As described in Section 2.1.4, in response to permit requirements from the Regional Water
Board, the County of Orange developed a 2011 Model Water Quality Management Plan
(WQMP) to assist with project development in North and Central OC. The County of Orange is
the principal permittee responsible for compliance with the MS4 permit. As such, the county,
along with the incorporated cities under the jurisdiction of the Regional Water Board, seek to
address the impacts of urbanization by addressing unnatural water balance and geomorphic
issues resultant from urbanization. A Project WQMP is a plan for minimizing the adverse effects
of urbanization on site hydrology, runoff flow rates and pollutant loads. Future data collection
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related to addressing and tracking the status of these high-priority water quality conditions is
discussed in Section 6.3.2.
Streambed and overland flows carry pollutants endemic to urbanized areas, increasing
pollutant loading in local water bodies. Urban runoff is considered to be the major contributor
of pollution to water bodies throughout the Region and the leading cause of water quality
impairments. Effective management will require: 1) data collection focused on better
characterizing the specific sources of polluted runoff; 2) BMPs developed to address the
pollutants generated; 3) monitoring and assessment of water quality improvement strategy
effectiveness; and 4) continual refinement and improvement of strategies. Future data
collection related to addressing coastal and inland receiving water quality is summarized in
Section 6.3.2.
It is the purpose of IRWM planning to provide a regional focus, prevent duplicating data efforts,
and provide access to water and land use plans, GIS data, IRWM planning information, and
various technical data. The Region stakeholders shall continue to promote the collection and
dissemination of data that will provide information valuable to the management, conservation,
and quality of the Region’s limited water supply, and for the continued preservation of the
Region’s delicate ecological resources.
6.3.2 Data Gaps
Many governmental and non-governmental organizations currently collect surface water
quality, surface flow, groundwater, habitat, and water use data within the Region. Despite the
extensive ongoing water resources monitoring within the Region, opportunities exist for
additional data gathering to close existing gaps. Monitoring is generally conducted to support
specific organizational, regulatory, or research objectives rather than within a regional or
integrated framework. As a result, many of the gaps discussed here are related to a general lack
of regional, integrated planning and concomitant data support strategies.
North and Central OC agencies and organizations have extensive data available to the public for
surface and groundwater as well as recycled/potable water; however, there is not one
integrated analysis that assists identifying all potential data gaps for water management. Since
a primary purpose of IRWM planning is to provide a regional focus, it is expected that this
assessment of gaps will be updated and refined substantially over the next several years. Water
supply and groundwater data are collected and posted for public review on a regular basis, and
to answer the primary questions related to water sustainability (e.g. OC Water Reliability
Study).
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Stormwater Runoff Data. Regional stormwater runoff data collection efforts have been
coordinated and managed by the MS4 Permittees, as described in Section 2. To meet MS4
requirements, Watershed Management Plans (WMPs), are currently in development and
includes an extensive effort to identify existing data resources and gaps. Further data analysis
will take place over the next several years with the issuance of a new NPDES permit and
development of the WMPs. Though the WMP will represent a significant data gathering
process, data gaps, overlaps, and interactions will be identified through the development
process. Filling the data gaps and coordinating data collection and management within the
WMAs will continue to be a priority for the RWMG and Stakeholder Group to best assess
regional water management needs and the effectiveness of implemented water management
projects.
Habitat and Natural Resource Monitoring Data. Habitat mapping efforts within the Central OC
WMA are reasonably complete (e.g. NCC mapping); however, additional data collection is
needed to better address habitat health and viability and to update habitat maps across the
entire Region as it relates to other water resources. Additional habitat health, species
composition, and invasive species data are required in all watersheds to provide for a greater
understanding of geographic-, temporal-, and water quality-related trends. Although several
federal, state, and local agencies collect data with respect to the quantity and quality of habitat,
currently no single entity provides a comprehensive assessment of such data.
Monitoring and Assessment Approaches. In some instances, data gaps can be addressed
through modifications to existing monitoring and assessment approaches. For instance,
monitoring approaches that better focus on water quality or environmental “risk”, such as
those being implemented through the ROWDs, rather than static regulatory benchmarks such
as chemical concentrations, could better and more cost-efficiently focus management efforts
toward solutions. Likewise, considerable benefit, including cost-savings, could be achieved
through data gathering approaches that are designed to assess cumulative impacts rather than
those of a single source or project.
Another key issue with respect to monitoring approaches is that of linkages between media.
Although the cycling of many constituents among water supply systems, surface waters,
groundwater, and potentially biota, is well understood from a theoretical perspective, little
real-world data exist to support the development of effect management approaches.
6.3.3 Data Management System and Dissemination
Water and natural resource data are collected throughout the Region by various entities such
as permitted dischargers, NGOs, research institutes, and government agencies. In addition, the
Region stakeholders maintain a wide-ranging list of studies and data sets. Technical information
and data sets are obtained from the planning and technical studies that have been conducted
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within the Region. These targeted studies will be used to support proposed IRWM projects.
In addition, extensive data collection, management and support conducted for OCWD and
MWDOC as part of SAWPA's Prop 84 IRWM Drought Grant Program provided aerial survey
data, land use and water use data by property coding and classification data. These data will
allow The OC Plan proponents to more effectively implement water use efficiency and water
conservation measures throughout the Region in the years ahead.
The responsibility of maintaining and managing this data is typically the responsibility of the
entity collecting it. It is the intent of the RWMG to support data collection throughout the
Region and assist with consistency, management, and dissemination of the data to support
regional decision making, stakeholder interests, and public education and involvement. To
achieve this goal, the RWMG and Stakeholders Group has a geospatial-based Data
Management System (DMS) for tracking implemented IRWM projects, proposed IRWM projects
and other layers of data and made available by the member agencies. The DMS allows for
consistent public access to project information, regional data sets and interactive map-based
exploration of watershed information.
Data dissemination occurs through several means including IRWM Stakeholder meetings,
website postings, email notices, agency contacts, and the online DMS. The CEQA and NEPA
process for implementation projects also provides opportunities for public input, review, and
data dissemination.
IRWM Stakeholder meetings are one primary means for data dissemination where partner
agencies and organizations provide handouts, slideshow presentations, and hold
question/answer periods regarding implemented projects and programs. The OC Plan and
project performance reports are posted within the DMS.
Primary data management functions will continue to reside with the primary data collectors
(data owners). The data owners are responsible for the collection, storage, Quality
Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC), analysis, reporting in compatible formats, and
dissemination of the data to any databases already receiving their data. Data owners are
responsible for ensuring that the data disseminated to the existing state databases, including
California Environmental Data Exchange Network (CEDEN), Surface Water Ambient Monitoring
Program (SWAMP), Water Data Library (WDL), and Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and
Assessment (GAMA), is in a format compatible with those databases. Data will be made
available in the DMS, when feasible.
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The County of Orange shall work with stakeholders to implement a consistent QA/QC program
for data collection and analysis, avoid data redundancy, work to fill data gaps, and ensure data
comparability. The County will host the online DMS, providing geospatial capabilities for
locating and identifying projects in the North and Central OC WMAs. The DMS will also act as a
repository and dissemination site for project data provided to the County, when applicable and
available.
Figure 6-1 shows the process of data collection, storage, and dissemination to IRWM
participants, stakeholders, the public, and the state.
Examples of data to be made available on the County’s website and in The OC Plan DMS
include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Project location and/or footprints;
• Raw verified and validated data sets;
• Project information;
• IRWM planning process information such as meeting schedules, meeting minutes,
agendas, annual reports;
• Plan updates; and
• Other information as available.
All information will be posted in user-friendly electronic formats accessible to the general
public. Other relevant information will be made available on the website such as related web
links and stakeholder and agency contact information. Other monitoring websites will be
identified and utilized as appropriate during implementation of the Plan.
The OC Plan DMS supports the Region’s efforts to share collected data with other interested
parties including local, state, and federal agencies by providing transparency of information and
consistency of data. The data formats will be compatible with state data management
programs to provide widespread access to the general public.
IRWM stakeholders and the general public shall be informed of updates in IRWM planning
procedures and online data availability through email notifications or physical mailings to
interested parties. Consistent outreach with the public will encourage ongoing participation.
Additionally, the DMS will be updated regularly with pertinent data and information about
planning efforts in the WMAs, particularly for project planning.
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Primary Data Collection
(Data Owners)
•Acquisition
•Storage
•QA/QC
•Analysis
•Initial Dissemination
Existing Programs and Databases
•CEDEN
•CASGEM
•SWAMP
•WDL
•GAMA
North and Central OC IRWM Data Management System
(DMS)
•Centralized access for existing data sets and
information
•Centralized information on IRWM projects and
Project List updates
•Centralized geospatial project location information
for project planning
IRWM Stakeholders and the General Public
Figure 6-1: Data Management
6.3.4 State Data Management Programs
To promote data reliability, the Region will implement techniques compatible with State
programs such as the CEDEN, SWAMP, WDL, and the GAMA Program. The following provides an
overview of the State information and data exchange programs:
CEDEN. The California Environmental Data Exchange Network (CEDEN) provides for state-
wide coordinated data sharing. CEDEN is a growing statewide cooperative data exchange
program of various groups involved in the water and environmental resources of the State of
California. Most of CEDEN's data exchange services are custom developed using a robust tool
set which has been used to connect scores of programs into the network. SCCWRP maintains
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the Southern California Regional Data Center for uploading data to CEDEN.1 Surface water
quality monitoring data is submitted to CEDEN and data is posted on the County’s website
from 2001 to present.
CASGEM. California Water Code §10920 et seq. established the California Statewide
Groundwater Elevation Monitoring Program (CASGEM) to monitor, track and report seasonal
and long-term groundwater elevation trends in groundwater basins statewide. Collection and
evaluation of such data on a statewide scale is an important fundamental step toward
improving management of California's groundwater resources. To achieve this goal, the
statute requires collaboration between local monitoring entities and DWR to collect
groundwater elevation data. DWR's role is to coordinate the CASGEM program, to work
cooperatively with local entities, and to maintain the collected elevation data in a readily and
widely available public database. OCWD is the a “Monitoring Entity” for Basin 8-1, the
Coastal Plain of Orange County Groundwater Basin. As a Monitoring Entity, OCWD regularly
collects and uploads groundwater elevation data to the CASGEM Online System for long-term
tracking and reporting. An overview of CASGEM is available on the program web site.2
SWAMP. The Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program (SWAMP) is a statewide ambient
monitoring effort designed to assess the conditions of surface waters throughout the state of
California. Ambient monitoring refers to any activity in which information about the status of
the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the environment is collected to
answer specific questions about the status, and trends in those characteristics. For the
purposes of SWAMP, ambient monitoring refers to these activities as they relate to the
characteristics of water quality. The SWAMP integrates existing water quality monitoring
activities of the SWRCB and the RWQCBs, and coordinates with other monitoring programs.
Responsibility for implementation of monitoring activities resides with the nine RWQCBs that
have jurisdiction over their specific geographical areas of the state.
In accordance with CWA section 305(b), the SWRCB and RWQCBs periodically compile an
inventory of the state's major waters and the water quality condition of those waters, using
monitoring data and other pertinent information. This inventory is known as the Water
Quality Assessment. The Water Quality Assessment is the foundation upon which the TMDL
Program is built.
To better understand the waters of the Region, monitoring and assessment, for both status and
trends, needs to be planned and ongoing. The Regional Water Board uses SWAMP resources
to ensure that monitoring is conducted in each hydrologic unit once in every five-year period.
The Regional Water Board locates monitoring sites on main stem rivers and streams just
above tidal influence; main stem rivers and streams just above the confluence with major
1 http://www.sccwrp.org/Data/DataSubmission/SouthernCaliforniaRegionalDataCenter.aspx
2 http://www.water.ca.gov/groundwater/casgem/
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tributaries; and major tributaries just above the confluence with the main stem rivers and
streams.3
WDL. The Water Data Library (WDL) database4 stores data from various monitoring stations,
including groundwater level wells, water quality stations, surface water stage and flow sites,
rainfall/climate observers, and water well logs. The data is provided by DWR Region offices
and dozens of local and federal cooperators.
GAMA. The Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program is a
comprehensive groundwater quality monitoring program that was created by the SWRCB in
2000.5 It was later expanded by AB 599 - the Groundwater Quality Monitoring Act of 2001,
resulting in a publicly-accepted plan to monitor and assess groundwater quality in basins that
account for 95 percent of the state’s groundwater use. The GAMA Program is based on
interagency collaboration with the SWRCB, DWR, Department of Pesticide Regulations, USGS,
and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, along with cooperation of local water agencies
and well owners. As discussed in Section 2, the Basin 8-1 Alternative Plan (January 2017) was
produced collaboratively by OCWD, the City of La Habra and IRWD for the purpose of
complying with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) for the Orange
County Groundwater Basin.
The main goals of GAMA are to:
• Improve statewide groundwater monitoring and establish ambient groundwater quality
on a basin-wide scale.
• Continue periodic groundwater sampling and groundwater quality studies to
characterize chemicals of concern and identify trends in groundwater quality.
• Centralize and increase the availability of groundwater information to the public and
decision makers to better protect our groundwater resources.
The GAMA Program includes four projects to meet the statutory requirements of
Groundwater Quality Monitoring Act of 2001 and GAMA Program goals. As California’s most
comprehensive and state-of-the-art groundwater research program, these projects inform
citizens, community water systems, environmental groups, and state and federal agencies.
Priority Basin Project. The Priority Basin Project initially focused on assessing the deep
groundwater resource that accounts for over 95 percent of all groundwater used for
public drinking water. To date, the USGS has sampled over 2,500 public supply wells and
has developed a statistically unbiased assessment of the quality of California’s drinking
water aquifers. In 2012, the Priority Basin Project started the second phase of the project
3 http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/swamp/
4 http://www.water.ca.gov/waterdatalibrary/
5 http://waterboards.ca.gov/gama/
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to assess the quality of shallow aquifers typically used for domestic and small community
water supplies. Areas of the state with the greatest densities of households that rely on
domestic wells are prioritized into study units for this phase of the project.
GeoTracker GAMA. The GeoTracker GAMA groundwater information system integrates
and displays water quality data from various sources on an interactive Google-based map.
The system centralizes and increases the availability of groundwater information to the
public and decision makers, a main goal of the GAMA Program. Analytical tools and
reporting features help users assess groundwater quality and identify potential
groundwater issues in California.
Domestic Well Project. The Domestic Well Project samples private wells from volunteer
well owners on a county level, at no cost to the well owners. Since 2002, over 1,100 of the
estimated 600,000 private wells in six counties in California have been sampled for
commonly detected chemicals. The well owners receive the analytical test results and fact
sheets, and the water quality data is placed on GeoTracker GAMA without divulging well
ownership.
Special Studies Project. The Special Studies Project focuses on specific groundwater
quality studies, using state-of-the-art scientific techniques and methods that help
researchers and public policy planners to better understand how groundwater
contamination occurs and behaves. Studies include sources of nitrate, wastewater
indicators, groundwater recharge, detection of pharmaceutical compounds and personal
care products using low-level anthropogenic compounds as tracers, and isotopic
composition as a contamination source tool. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the
project technical lead, has pioneered the use of tritium-helium groundwater age-dating
techniques, which are critical in understanding groundwater sources and flow.
Partnerships and effective coordination with the local agencies will be an important part of
the GAMA Program. Thus, projects implemented as part of The OC Plan that may result in
information beneficial to the comprehensive analysis of groundwater resources will be
coordinated with the GAMA Program.
6.4 Plan Performance and Monitoring
As stated previously, the County of Orange will oversee The OC Plan implementation at the
staffing level on behalf of and in collaboration with the RWMG and agencies, organizations and
other stakeholders in the Region. Plan performance will be implemented and measured to
ensure the IRWM objectives are being met. To this end, the project review process includes
evaluating and ranking each proposed project based on the extent to which it meets The OC
Plan objectives. As IRWM projects are implemented, they will be monitored to comply with all
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rules, laws and permit requirements, as well as tracked with a Data Management System
(DMS), maintained by the County of Orange, or other designated entity, to continuously track
project success, outcomes and overall IRWM Plan implementation. Primary data management
functions will continue to reside with the primary data collectors (data owners).
Some data is available from a number of sources to evaluate Plan performance, including:
• Urban Water Management Plans
• Annual Watermaster Reports
• Groundwater Management Plans
• US Geological Survey (USGS) groundwater monitoring databases
• Basin Studies
• MS4 Permit water quality monitoring
• Stormwater BMP project reporting
• General Plan land use
• MSHCP implementation data
• Stream connectivity and fish passage documentation, as applicable
• Project progress reports
The data and information provided in these sources is expected to come from existing
databases and monitoring efforts with established procedures. The Region assumes that the
agencies and organizations performing these monitoring efforts have validation procedures in
place to ensure accuracy of the data.
State-Funded Projects. Per state funding requirements, the lead agency of each implemented
state-funded project will be responsible for developing project-specific monitoring plans and
activities at the start of project operation/implementation. Therefore, at a minimum, projects
implemented with state funds will include a Project Monitoring and Performance Plan, for
which the project proponent will be responsible. For example, a Project Monitoring and
Performance Plan may include water quality monitoring that will be performed, and lessons
learned will be documented. By implementation of these plans, the RWMG will establish an
effective methodology to evaluate and monitor the project’s and Region’s ability to implement
IRWM projects and meet The OC Plan objectives.
The following are the contents typically required in a project-specific Monitoring and
Performance Plan:
• Clearly and concisely (in a table format) describe what is being monitored for each
project. Examples include monitoring for water quality, water depth, flood frequency,
and effects the project may have on habitat or particular species (before and after
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construction).
• Measures to remedy or react to problems encountered during monitoring. An example
would be to coordinate with the CA Department of Fish and Wildlife if a species or its
habitat is adversely impacted during construction or after implementation of a project.
• Ensure compliance with all rules, laws and permit requirements.
• Location of monitoring
• Monitoring frequency
• Monitoring protocols/methodologies, including who will perform the monitoring
• Data Management System (DMS) or procedures to keep track of what is monitored.
Each project’s monitoring plan will also need to address how the data collected will be
or can be incorporated into statewide databases.
• Procedures to ensure the monitoring schedules are maintained and that adequate
resources (including funding) are available to maintain monitoring of the project
throughout the scheduled monitoring timeframe
A Project Monitoring and Performance Plan will address how the project will result in
measurable improvements in water supply, water quality, watershed condition, capacity for
effective watershed management, and other measurable benefits. In this way, the projects will
meet the objectives of The OC Plan. Data made available by the project proponents will be
included in the DMS.
Section 6.3.4 above describes how the state-compatible data will be available to stakeholders.
6.4.1 Plan Implementation and Performance Through Measurable Objectives
Consistent with the governance model in Section 1, the RWMG operates in accordance with an
executed MOU to oversee the planning and implementation of water management strategies
as established in The OC Plan. The agreement further establishes the responsibility to guide
development, adoption and execution of the Plan, including establishing priorities for water
resource needs, integrating water resource solutions across traditional bounds, and jointly
advocating for policies and funding that assist these goals. The agreement also provides for the
RWMG to engage Region member agencies, stakeholders and other organizations in IRWM
processes and for collective decision-making, including overseeing stakeholder involvement in
project selection for the Plan and grant funding; seek funding for Plan implementation; and
guide future updates to the Plan.
For The OC Plan, the Stakeholder Group, through a series of meetings, collectively developed
the objectives and strategies, and prioritized them according to their water management
responsibilities. Subsequently, the project ranking criteria were developed and agreed upon by
the Stakeholder Group. The steps for weighting and ranking of goals and strategies for use in
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project evaluation and scoring included:
Identification and weighting of goals, objectives and strategies
Ensuring objectives are prioritized based on regional concerns, including: providing
adequate and reliable water supplies, protecting and enhancing water quality, restoring
ecosystems and improving native habitat, integrating flood management, improving the
quality of life in Orange County, and addressing climate change
Identifying and assessing weighted values for goals and strategies and for project
ranking
6.4.2 Adaptive Management and Climate Change
The OC Plan considers long-term regional water resource planning for the Region over the next
20 to 50 years. This approach to watershed planning reflects the regional goals, as described in
Section 3, and sets the foundation for developing the regional objectives. Section 3 provides
further discussion of IRWM stakeholder efforts to meet the diverse set of watershed-scale
goals, balance water needs and resolve potential water issues through development of
objectives. The process of developing objectives considered collaboration, coordination and
implementation of projects through IRWM planning to meet priorities, as well as consideration
of the 2016 IRWM Plan Standards.
In developing The OC Plan goals and objectives, the Stakeholder Group considered regional
conflicts, Basin Plan Objectives, California’s 20x2020 Water Conservation Plan, climate change
impacts, and priorities of the WMAs. Measurable goals were identified for each strategy
category and subsequently used to prioritize projects. The objectives are measurable
milestones that will enable the community to track progress toward maintaining a natural
balance in watershed resources. Objectives provide the foundation for assessment of projects
in The OC Plan; as such, the overarching metrics for the goals and associated objectives (which
provide detail) consider local planning priorities associated with the categories in Table 3-3. The
objectives and strategies are included in Section 3.5.
Adaptive Management
Adaptive management is a systematic process for continually improving management policies
and practices by learning from the outcomes of previously employed policies and practices. It
can be viewed as a structured, iterative process of robust decision making. In this way, decision
making simultaneously meets one or more resource management objectives and, either
passively or actively, accrues information needed to improve future management. Adaptive
management is a tool to both learn about and change a system to improve long-term
management outcomes. The challenge in using the adaptive management approach is to find
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the correct balance between gaining knowledge to improve management in the future and
achieving the best short-term outcome based on current knowledge.6,7
The OC Plan is a living document, and as such is expected to be updated periodically. The
Region will utilize an adaptive management approach to IRWM Plan implementation so that
monitoring results inform future planning and implementation, and allow for improvement and
modification of the Region’s needs, goals, and objectives; RMS and IRWM Plan impacts and
benefits; and project prioritization.
In particular, there is a level of uncertainty in projecting the impacts of climate change that will
require such an approach, and enable the Region to respond to changes in climatic conditions
or new information from climate models. For example, if climate models indicate that
decreases in local surface water flows will reduce the volume of water that can be recharged to
aquifers, the Region may choose to alter its project prioritization scheme to encourage the
implementation of more recycled water projects or water use efficiency projects to increase
local supplies. The implementation framework laid out in this chapter will allow the Region to
respond to these types of changes efficiently and in a manner beneficial to the various
stakeholders in the Region.
Both collaborative local water planning and stormwater resource planning, as described below,
support adaptive management for The OC Plan.
Local Water Planning. It is the intent of The OC Plan to be congruent with local plans and to
include current, relevant elements of local water planning and water management issues
common to multiple local entities in the Region. IRWM planning does not replace or supersede
local planning, but rather incorporates local planning elements.
The RWMG shall coordinate water management activities and information with local water
planners and stakeholders through IRWM meetings, workshops, outreach activities, and email
and website updates. Additionally, The OC Plan strategies and priority projects are planned and
implemented through extensive coordination and cooperation between IRWM members.
Planning activities addressed in this teaming process include (but are not limited to):
▪ Groundwater Management
▪ Urban Water Management
▪ Water Supply Management
▪ Wastewater Management
▪ Watershed Management
6 https://www.greenfacts.org/glossary/abc/adaptive-management.htm
7 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adaptive_management
The OC Plan
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Section 6
Implementation
March 2018
6-17
▪ City and County General Planning
▪ Land Development (including LID)
▪ Flood Protection
▪ Stormwater and Urban Runoff Management (including the OC SWRP)
▪ Ecological Resource Management
▪ Salt and Salinity Management
▪ Emergency Response/Disaster Plans
Many existing plans, including the OC SWRP, Water Supply Master Plans, Groundwater
Management Plans, Watershed Management Plans, Water Reliability Assessments, Recycled
Water Studies, Urban Water Management Plans, and Long-Range Plans contain proposed
projects that are instrumental in meeting the goals and objectives of the Region. Projects within
local and regional plans and studies have been incorporated into The OC Plan, and will continue
to be implemented in coordination with applicable plans.
Although The OC Plan addresses region-wide water management issues, local plans provide
planning guidance and/or goals specific to a local water or natural resource. In the case that a
stated goal or activity of a local plan conflicts with, or is inconsistent with, The OC Plan, the
RWMG will work with stakeholder groups to meet with local governments or agencies to
identify inconsistencies between the plans and resolve any issues. As IRWM planning develops
and progresses, the dynamic relationships between local plans and The OC Plan will continue to
consider and incorporate the following:
• Consistency and coordination regarding local plan content and The OC Plan content;
• Relevant, accurate, and current local plan information and references of which The OC
Plan is based;
• Water management issues and climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies
from local plans into The OC Plan; and
• Limits, levels, management tools or criteria relevant to water management in local plans
that are applicable to The OC Plan.
Both local plans and The OC Plan will periodically be updated to reflect effective, integrated,
and consistent water planning and management. Local plans will also be updated to comply
with relevant compliance requirements. Updates to The OC Plan will consider planning changes
due to compliance mandates (e.g. NPDES, TMDL or WDR) as well as increasing challenges in
managing water resources due to climate change, increasing population and water demand,
uncertainty in the availability of water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, and reduced
surface flows. When The OC Plan is updated, the relevancy of the plans included here will be
reviewed and the most updated or recent plans will be included.
The OC Plan
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Section 6
Implementation
March 2018
6-18
Stormwater Resource Planning. Water Code § 10562 (b)(7) (i.e. SB 985) requires the
development of a stormwater resource plan to receive grants for stormwater and dry weather
runoff capture projects. The RWMG is subsequently required to incorporate applicable SWRPs
into IRWM plans. Per the requirement set forth above, the OC SWRP is included as Appendix C
of The OC Plan and was included in the local planning coordination efforts described above.
Indeed, the OC SWRP utilizes the integrated project prioritization and selection process from
The OC Plan as a model for stormwater projects and aligns with the goals and objectives
contained herein.
Consideration of Effects of Climate Change to Region
The Region’s Stakeholders are aware of the detriment and cost that inaction on climate change
would have on the Region. Snowmelt, either from the Sierra Nevada or the Rockies, is a major
component of the imported water supplies in the Region. A large fraction of the precipitation in
western mountain regions falls on days with temperatures just a few degrees below freezing
(Bales et al., 2008). Thus, warming by even a few degrees might result in a large shift from
snowfall to rainfall, a result of great consequence to the Western US and California, where
snowpack represents a significant component of water storage during the year. In addition to
the shift in storage, there may be impacts caused by the change in the total quantity of
precipitation, and in length and severity of droughts across the large region that supplies
imported water to the Region. A warming California climate would also foster larger brush and
forest fires, especially with the extreme tree mortality from the recent 2012-2015 drought.
Continuing increases in global GHG emissions at current rates would result, by late in the
century, in sea level rising by more than four feet, and a greater incidence of heat wave days.
These impacts will translate into real costs for California, including flood damage and flood
control costs that could amount to billions of dollars in many regions. Water supply costs due to
scarcity and increased operating costs would also increase.
In addition to being affected by climate change, the water sector is a contributor to the GHG
emissions. Greenhouse gases from human activities are the most significant driver of observed
climate change since the mid-20th century.8 The water sector emissions arise from energy used
in the transport of water through the SWP and CRA, in the treatment of municipal supply and in
the treatment of wastewater. Therefore, any effort or specific IRWM projects that lead to
reduced water imports and/or reduced water use and disposal will also have a GHG reduction,
or climate mitigation benefits.
For the above reasons, and because the IRWM Plan Act, CWC §10541(e)(10), states that IRWM
plans must include an evaluation of the adaptability to climate change of water management
8 https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/greenhouse-gases
The OC Plan
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Section 6
Implementation
March 2018
6-19
systems in the region, analysis of climate impacts was done as part of The OC Plan development
process. Although statewide efforts to address climate change are in progress, it is understood
that local governments and agencies within the WMAs play an essential role in fulfilling
California’s emissions reduction targets and in reducing the local effects of climate change in
the Region. Local governments have broad influence and, in some cases, exclusive authority
over activities that contribute to significant direct and indirect GHG emissions through their
planning and permitting processes, local ordinances, outreach and education efforts, and
municipal operations.
Land use planning and urban growth decisions are also areas where successful implementation
of climate change strategies relies on local government. Local governments have primary
authority to plan, zone, approve, and permit how and where land is developed to
accommodate population growth and the changing needs of their jurisdictions. Decisions on
how land is used will have large impacts on the GHG emissions that will result from the
transportation, housing, industry, forestry, water, agriculture, electricity, and natural gas
sectors.
The discussion above and Section 2.9 present a high-level summary of the effects of climate
change in the Region and ongoing adaptation efforts in the context of water supply, which is
inherently a statewide issue given the inter-basin transfers of water that occur through the
southwest. Based on the body of information summarized here, it is envisioned that climate
adaptation through increased water use efficiency and conservation will play a key role in the
selection of future IRWM projects. Further, as understanding of the nature and impacts of
climate change, improves with time, this information will be incorporated in future versions of
The OC Plan.
The OC Plan
For IRWM in North and Central Orange County
March 2018 A‐1
Appendix A
Resolutions/Letters of IRWM Plan Adoption/Acceptance/Support and the
Regional Water Management Group Memorandum of Understanding
The OC Plan Regional Water Management Group (RWMG) is represented by the following three
agencies: Orange County Water District (OCWD), Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD), the
County of Orange (Orange County). The RWMG provides oversight and leadership for The OC
Plan. The RWMG is responsible for adoption and implementation of The OC Plan. Therefore,
each of these three agencies adopted or accepted the IRWM Plan.
In addition, each agency that has a project included in The OC Plan may approve a Resolution of
Adoption or Acceptance of The OC Plan. Other agencies that are not members of the IRWM
Region but are cooperative agencies may support or adopt The OC Plan by resolution or letter.
To meet the Water Code requirement to “participate by means of a written agreement,” the
RWMG entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The MOU provides a framework
for planning water management strategies for The OC Plan implementation and executing an
effective decision‐making process. It establishes the responsibility to guide development,
adoption and execution of The OC Plan, including establishing priorities for water resource
needs, integrating water resource solutions across traditional bounds, and jointly advocating
for policies and funding that assist these goals. Copies of resolutions and letters of adoption,
acceptance or support are included on the following pages.
The OC Plan
For IRWM in North and Central Orange County
March 2018 B-1
Appendix B
The OC Plan Technical Studies/Data Sets
Technical information and data sets are obtained from the extensive planning and technical
studies that have been conducted for the watersheds with the Region.
The OC Plan incorporates adopted master plans for water, wastewater, and recycled water
systems, each of which includes a detailed engineering analysis of current system conditions,
future service demands, and system improvements. The OC Plan has considered extensive local
planning and technical analyses in development of goals, objectives, priorities and projects.
Utilizing existing planning to develop The OC Plan and projects has further provided opportunities
for an informed stakeholder process. Because of this collaborative process, watershed
management issues and conflicts have been clearly identified, the objectives directly respond to
those issues, and implementation of the strategies and projects has been based on the findings
and recommendations of those studies.
Table B-1 lists the technical studies and data sets that have been used to develop The OC Plan.
Table B-1: The OC Plan Technical Studies/Data Sets
Supporting Technical Documents
for The OC Plan or Projects Derived Information and Use Reference or Source
Population Growth Future Population; Calculate
future water demand
United States Census Bureau
2010
Westminster Reconnaissance Study Describes the North OC WMA and
challenges facing the region
United States Army Corps of
Engineers (USACE), 2001
Coyote Creek Watershed
Management Plan
Description of conditions in the
Coyote Creek Watershed County of Orange, 2007
North OC WMA IRWM Plan
Historic and current information
used for basis of the combined
North and Central OC IRWM
Region
Orange County, 2011
Central OC WMA IRWM Plan
Historic and current information
used for basis of the combined
North and Central OC IRWM
Region
Orange County, 2012
Drainage Area Management Plan
Requirements of the countywide
NPDES stormwater permit; Assess
flood risks
Orange County, 2003
The OC Plan
For IRWM in North and Central Orange County Appendix B
March 2018 B-2
Table B-1: The OC Plan Technical Studies/Data Sets
Supporting Technical Documents
for The OC Plan or Projects Derived Information and Use Reference or Source
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Newport Bay/San Diego Creek
Watershed Study
Habitat and environmental
information USACE, 2005
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Special
Area Management Plan for San Diego
Creek Watershed
Habitat and environmental
information USACE, 2009
Newport Coast Watershed
Management Plan
Newport Coast Watershed
information City of Newport Beach, 2007
Newport Harbor Area Management
Plan
Adaptive management in the
Newport Harbor Area City of Newport Beach, 2010
Serrano Creek Collaborative Use Plan
Regional information for erosion
and flood control, recreation and
landscaping improvements,
biological resource enhancements
along Serrano Creek
City of Lake Forest, 1999
Natural Treatment System Plan
Treating dry weather runoff; and
riparian habitat and water-quality
benefits to wildlife
Irvine Ranch Water District
(IRWD), Orange County, and
cities of Irvine, Lake Forest,
Newport Beach, Orange,
Santa Ana, and Tustin, 2005
Water Quality Control Plan, Santa
Ana River Basin (8)
Surface water quality;
Identification of beneficial uses
and impaired water bodies
California Regional Water
Quality Control Board, Santa
Ana Region, 1995
Orange County Great Park
Comprehensive Master Plan Parks and open space information City of Irvine, 2002
Urban Water Management Plans Agency-specific water planning;
water demand projections
North and Central OC Water
Suppliers, 2015
Orange County Reliability Study Water demand and supply
projections within Orange County
Municipal Water District of
Orange County (MWDOC),
2016
OCWD Groundwater Management
Plan
Groundwater management
information for the Orange
County Groundwater Basin
Orange County Water District
(OCWD), 2015
The OC Plan
For IRWM in North and Central Orange County Appendix B
March 2018 B-3
Table B-1: The OC Plan Technical Studies/Data Sets
Supporting Technical Documents
for The OC Plan or Projects Derived Information and Use Reference or Source
Basin 8-1 Alternative Plan
Orange County Groundwater
Basin conditions and operations;
data on sustainable management
of the groundwater basin
OCWD, City of La Habra,
IRWD, 2017
Orange County Stormwater
Resources Plan
Watershed-based planning
information for stormwater
management
Orange County
Environmental Resources,
2017
Watershed Infiltration
Hydromodification Management Plan
(WIHMP) Mapping Tools
Areas susceptible to
hydromodification; Information
for county-wide MS4 compliance
Orange County
Environmental Resources,
2014-15
Natural Community Conservation
Plan/Habitat Conservation Plan for
Central and Coastal Subregion
Wildlife habitat information Orange County, 1996
Southern California Bight Studies Environmental and habitat data
Southern California Coastal
Water Research Project, 2013
- 2017
Re-calculation of Ambient Water
Quality in the Santa Ana Watershed,
for the period 1993-2012
Groundwater basin quality; Salt
and nutrient management in
groundwater
SARWQCB and Basin
Monitoring Program Task
Force; began 1995
Climate Change Handbook for
Regional Water Planning
Climate change information;
development of climate change
objectives
U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency Region 9
and CA Department of Water
Resources (DWR), 2011
DWR Climate Change Action Plan
Climate change information;
development of climate change
objectives
CA DWR, 2012 to current
Using Future Climate Projections to
Support Water Resources Decision
Making in California
Analysis of climate change;
development of climate change
objectives
California Climate Change
Center, 2009
Colorado River Basin Supply and
Demand Study
Water demand and reliability;
evaluation of water supply in the
Region
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
(USBR), 2012
California Adaptation Planning Guide Watershed planning
California Emergency
Management Agency and the
California Natural Resources
Agency, 2012
Cal-Adapt Website Climate change impacts on energy California Energy Commission
The OC Plan
For IRWM in North and Central Orange County Appendix B
March 2018 B-4
Table B-1: The OC Plan Technical Studies/Data Sets
Supporting Technical Documents
for The OC Plan or Projects Derived Information and Use Reference or Source
Climate Change Analysis for the Santa
Ana River Watershed, Technical
Memorandum No. 86-69210-2013-02
Identification of potential impacts
to region due to climate change USBR, 2013
Healthy Parks, Schools and
Communities, Green Access and
Equity for Orange County
Open Space information The City Project, 2011
Residential Runoff and Reduction
Study, MWDOC, 2004.
Water conservation data; assess
reduction in dry-weather runoff
volume and non-point source
pollutants
MWDOC
SmarTimer and Edgescape Evaluation
Study (SEEP), MWDOC, 2008
Water Conservation data; assess
water conservation improvements MWDOC
Residential Runoff Reduction Study,
July 2004
Effectiveness data for
flow/pollutant reduction MWDOC
SmarTimer and Edgescape Evaluation
Program, November 2008
Effectiveness data for
flow/pollutant reduction MWDOC
OCTA Mitigation Funding, 2009 Mitigation and funding activities
conducted by the OCTA Audubon Society, OCTA
SCCWRP 2009
Regional Coastal wetland
restoration grant funding and
report
Audubon Society, SCCWRP
USFWS, Partners for Fish and
Wildlife, 2007
Regional Coastal wetland
restoration strategies Audubon Society, USFWS
Arundo donax Distribution and
Impact Report, March 2011.
Arundo water consumption and
habitat impacts
California Invasive Plant
Council
The OC Plan
For IRWM in North and Central Orange County
March 2018 C-1
Appendix C
Basin 8-1 Alternative Plan
Pursuant to the California Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) (2014, as amended
in 2015) Orange County Water District, the City of La Habra, and Irvine Ranch Water District
completed the Basin 8-1 Alternative. SGMA provides authority for agencies to develop and
implement Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSP) or alternative plans.
The Basin 8-1 Alternative Plan presents an analysis of basin conditions that demonstrates that
the Orange County Groundwater Basin has operated within its sustainable yield over a period of
at least 10 years. In addition, the Alternative Plan establishes objectives and criteria for
management that would be addressed in a GSP and is designed to be “functionally equivalent”
to a GSP.
The Basin 8-1 Alternative Plan can be viewed at:
https://www.ocwd.com/media/4918/basin-8-1-alternative-final-report-1.pdf
The OC Plan
For IRWM in North and Central Orange County
March 2018 D-1
Appendix D
Orange County Stormwater Resources Plan
The Orange County Stormwater Resources Plan (OC SWRP), a functionally equivalent plan,
prepared by Orange County Environmental Resources (March 2017) to meet the requirements
of SB 985 and to provide watershed-based planning for stormwater projects in Orange County.
The OC SWRP can be viewed at:
http://www.ocwatersheds.com/programs/ourws/oc_stormwater_resource_plan
The OC Plan
For IRWM in North and Central Orange County
March 2018 E-1
Appendix E
Federal, State and Local Agencies with Jurisdiction in the IRWM Region
Federal, State and Local Agencies with Jurisdiction in the IRWM Region
STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES, AND JOINT POWERS AUTHORITIES
California Coastal
Conservancy
Partners with local government, other public agencies, nonprofit
organization and private landowners to purchase, protect, restore, and
enhance coastal resources; established in 1976 to protect and improve
natural lands and waterways, help people get to and enjoy the
outdoors, and sustain local economies along the length of California’s
coast and around San Francisco Bay.
California Department of
Fish and Wildlife
CDFW is responsible for conserving, protecting and managing
California’s fish, wildlife, and native plant resources. Per Fish and
Wildlife Code Section 1602, entities are required to notify CDFW of any
proposed activity that may substantially modify a river, stream or lake.
California Department of
Parks and Recreation
The California Department of Parks and Recreation seek to provide for
the health, inspiration and education of Californians by helping to
preserve the state's biological diversity, protecting natural and cultural
resources, and creating opportunities for outdoor recreation. They
have jurisdiction over several natural areas in North and Central OC,
including Bolsa Chica State Park, Corona del Mar State Beach, and
Huntington State Beach.
California Department of
Transportation (Caltrans)
Caltrans manages more than 50,000 miles of California's highway and
freeway lanes and adjacent property within rights of way, provides
inter-city rail services, permits more than 400 public-use airports and
special-use hospital heliports, and works with local agencies.
State Water Resources
Control Board
Oversees regional water boards; manages water rights for surface
waters in the watershed.
State Water Resources
Control Board – Santa Ana
Region
Regulatory agency responsible for the protection and, where possible,
the enhancement of the quality of California’s waters; the Santa Ana
Regions includes the upper and lower Santa Ana River watersheds, the
San Jacinto River watershed, and several other small drainage areas;
the Santa Ana Region covers parts of southwestern San Bernardino
County, western Riverside County, and northwestern Orange County;
Santa Ana Regional Board makes critical water quality decisions for its
Region, including setting standards, issuing waste discharge
requirements, determining compliance with those requirements, and
taking appropriate enforcement actions.
Southern California Coastal
Water Research Project
(SCCWRP)
A pubic agency since 1969, created as a joint powers authority,
SCCWRP is a leading U.S. environmental research institute that works
to develop a scientific foundation for informed water-quality
management of ocean and coastal watersheds in Southern California
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Appendix E
March 2018 E-2
Federal, State and Local Agencies with Jurisdiction in the IRWM Region
and beyond.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service
Habitat and wildlife management, including protection of endangered
species.
United States Army Corps
of Engineers (USACE),
Southern California offices
With environmental sustainability as a guiding principle, the USACE
team is working diligently to strengthen the Nation’s security by
building and maintaining America’s infrastructure and providing
military facilities where our service members train, work and live. They
are protecting and restoring the Nation’s environment. The USACE has
worked closely with OCWD, the County of Orange and other
stakeholders in the North and Central OC WMAs managing waters of
the United States and natural resources, including rivers, dams and
levees.
United States Department
of Agriculture (USDA),
Forest Service, Cleveland
National Forest
The Cleveland National Forest spans 460,000 acres intersecting parts of
Orange and Riverside Counties. The agency’s mission is to sustain the
health, diversity, and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands
to meet the needs of present and future generations. The U.S. Forest
Service provides firefighting, forestry research, as well as technical and
financial help to state and local government agencies, businesses,
private landowners and work government-to-government with tribes
to help protect and manage non-federal forest and associated range
and watershed lands. They have partnerships with public and private
agencies to plant trees, improve trails, educate the public, and improve
conditions in wildland/urban interfaces and rural areas. The U.S. Forest
Service also promotes sustainable forest management and biodiversity
conservation internationally.
U.S. National Park Service Helps communities preserve and enhance important local heritage and
close-to-home recreational opportunities; funding to register, record
and save historic places, create community parks and local recreation
facilities, conserve rivers and streams, and develop trails and
greenways
USDA, Natural Resources
Conservation Service
(NRCS)
Works to improve the health of natural resources while sustaining and
enhancing the productivity of American agriculture; achieved through
strong partnerships with private landowners, managers, and
communities to protect, restore, and enhance the lands and waters
upon which people and the environment depend. Among many
actions, NRCS helps to eliminate and reduce impairments to water
bodies and help prevent the designation of additional water bodies to
the “impaired” list, decrease threats to “candidate” and threatened/
endangered species; strengthen relationships with agriculture,
conservation, and community organizations, and other mission
stakeholders; and help build and support coalitions of public and
private partners based on ecologic and industry needs.
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Appendix E
March 2018 E-3
Federal, State and Local Agencies with Jurisdiction in the IRWM Region
Santa Ana Watershed
Project Authority (SAWPA)
SAWPA is joint power authority under California law, composed of five
member agencies; Eastern Municipal Water District, Inland Empire
Utilities Agency, Orange County Water District, San Bernardino Valley
Municipal Water District, and Western Municipal Water District. The
SAWPA jurisdictional area includes the Santa Ana River Watershed.
COUNTY AGENCIES
County of Orange Manages land use, recreational facilities, stormwater protection, and
water quality. The County of Orange, represented in this process
primarily by OC Public Works, is active in integrated water
management in a variety of ways; both as a landowner and a regional
planner for the area, and engaged in various municipal operations such
as roads and flood control; the County is partnered with each city and
the OCFCD to comply with NPDES MS4 permit requirements; and the
primary coordinator for regional water quality testing, inspection,
education and report compliance. The County has jurisdiction over
County beaches, parks, and facilities including North Tustin, Santa Ana
Heights, and Moro Canyon, and Limestone Canyon/Whiting Ranch
Wilderness Parks, Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve, Newport
Harbor, and Irvine, Mason, and Peters Canyon Regional Parks.
Orange County Flood
Control District
Land use, flood control, stormwater protection, and water quality
throughout the Orange County and control of streams flowing into the
County; mitigates effects of tides and waves and protects harbors,
waterways, public highways, and properties from such waters - OCFCD
is a separate political entity, governed by the County Board of
Supervisors and staffed by OC Public Works. OCFCD’s purpose is to: (1)
control flood and storm waters within the County boundary, and
streams flowing into the County; (2) improve channels to remove or
reduce flood flows to containment within the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) also
known as the 100-year floodplain; (3) improve deficient channels in
accordance with OCFCD criteria to convey the 100-year storm event;(4)
mitigate the effects of tides and waves; and (5) to protect the harbors,
waterways, public highways, and property in the County from such
waters.
Orange County Council of
Governments
Voluntary advisory organization that represents 34 cities, County of
Orange, transportation agencies, sanitation and water districts, as well
as the local air district.
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Appendix E
March 2018 E-4
Federal, State and Local Agencies with Jurisdiction in the IRWM Region
Orange County
Transportation Authority
Funding for water quality projects with a link to transportation
projects.
Orange County
Department of Education
Provides education within the Region.
Orange County Health
Care Agency
Responsible for monitoring water quality at over 150 locations along
the Orange County coastline.
CITIES
Cities listed provide the following unless exception noted: land use,
water service, water conservation, sanitary sewer service, stormwater
protection, water quality, recreational facilities, economic and
community development.
North and Central OC Cities – Divided Boundaries
Population/
% Below Poverty
Line1
City of Costa Mesa Encompasses a total of 16 square miles with its
southernmost border only one mile from the
Pacific Ocean. According to the United States
Census Bureau, the city’s total area is 15.7 square
miles of land and 0.05 square miles (0.29%) is
water. The western half of the city is in the North
OC WMA and the balance is in the Newport Bay
Watershed in the Central OC WMA; Mesa Water
District provides water service and water
conservation for most of Costa Mesa, including
John Wayne Airport; a small portion of Costa Mesa
is provided water and water conservation service
by IRWD; sanitary sewer services provided by
Costa Mesa Sanitary District.
112,822
14.5%
City of Orange Most of the city lies within the North OC WMA; the
balance is in the northern boundary of the
Newport Bay Watershed in Central OC WMA; a
portion is provided potable and recycled water
service, water conservation, wastewater
collection, treatment and reclamation, habitat
protection and restoration, and water quality by
IRWD; a small portion of water service is provided
140,504
13.2%
1 https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/map; estimates as of July 1, 2016
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Appendix E
March 2018 E-5
Federal, State and Local Agencies with Jurisdiction in the IRWM Region
by Serrano Water District.
City of Santa Ana Approximately one-third of the city lies within the
North OC WMA; the balance is in the Newport Bay
Watershed in the Central OC WMA; a portion of
Santa Ana is provided potable and recycled water
service, water conservation, wastewater
collection, treatment and reclamation, habitat
protection and restoration, and water quality by
IRWD.
334,217
22.1%
North OC Cities
Population/
% Below Poverty
Line
City of Anaheim Provides water and electric services; a small
portion of City water and sanitary sewer services
provided by Yorba Linda Water District.
351,043
16.5%
City of Brea Portion of City water and sanitary sewer services
provided by Yorba Linda Water District.
42,471
7.1%
City of Buena Park 83,156
13.4%
City of Cypress Water service and water conservation provided by
Golden State Water Company.
48,906
7.3%
City of Fountain Valley 56,529
8.1%
City of Fullerton 140,721
16.8%
City of Garden Grove Small portion of city water service and water
conservation provided by Golden State Water
Company.
174,858
17.6%
City of Huntington Beach 195,212
9.4%
City of La Habra 61,664
13.2%
City of La Palma Small portion of city water service and water
conservation provided by Golden State Water
Company.
15,774
7.3%
City of Los Alamitos Water service and water conservation provided by
Golden State Water Company.
11,636
11.2%
City of Placentia Portion of city water and sanitary sewer services 52,228
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Appendix E
March 2018 E-6
Federal, State and Local Agencies with Jurisdiction in the IRWM Region
provided by Yorba Linda Water District. 11.4%
City of Seal Beach Small portion of city water service and water
conservation provided by Golden State Water
Company.
24,440
8.1%
City of Stanton Water service and water conservation provided by
Golden State Water Company.
38,644
21.8%
City of Villa Park Potable water is provided to the city by Serrano
Water District.
5,918
3.7%
City of Westminster No recycled water use in city; sanitary sewer
service is provided by Midway City Sanitation
District – collects wastewater to convey
wastewater to Orange County Sanitation District
treatment plants.
91,565
17.8%
City of Yorba Linda Water and sanitary sewer services provided by
Yorba Linda Water District.
68,235
3.6%
Central OC Cities
Population/
% Below Poverty
Line
City of Irvine IRWD provides potable and recycled water service,
water conservation, wastewater collection,
treatment and reclamation, habitat protection and
restoration, and water quality.
266,122
12.3%
City of Newport Beach A portion of Newport Beach is provided potable
and recycled water service, water conservation,
wastewater collection, treatment and reclamation,
habitat protection and restoration, and water
quality by IRWD; a portion of Newport Beach is
provided sanitary sewer service by Costa Mesa
Sanitary District.
86,688
7.1%
City of Tustin IRWD provides water service and wastewater
collection for a portion of Tustin; City of Tustin
Water Services provides water to a portion of the
city and unincorporated North Tustin; East Orange
County Water District owns, operates and
maintains sewer lines in North Tustin and the
western portion of the city; OCFCD, OC Parks, City
of Tustin and IRWD provide habitat protection,
stormwater and water quality management.
80,395
13.6%
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Appendix E
March 2018 E-7
Federal, State and Local Agencies with Jurisdiction in the IRWM Region
Cities Partially in Central OC WMA – Balance in South OC WMA
Population/
% Below Poverty
Line
City of Laguna Hills Divided between Central OC WMA in a portion of
the Newport Bay Watershed and South OC WMA;
a portion of the city is provided potable and
recycled water service, water conservation, and
wastewater collection and treatment by El Toro
Water District.
7,937
(20% in Central OC)
8.5%
City of Laguna Woods Divided between Central OC WMA and South OC
WMA; potable and recycled water service, water
conservation, and wastewater collection and
treatment is provided by El Toro Water District.
16,406
(50% in Central OC)
10.3%
City of Lake Forest Approximately two-thirds of the city lies within the
Newport Bay Watershed in the Central OC WMA,
the balance is in the South OC WMA; a portion of
Lake Forest is provided potable and recycled water
service, water conservation, wastewater
collection, treatment and reclamation, habitat
protection and restoration, and water quality by
Irvine Ranch Water District, and a portion is
provided by El Toro Water District.
192,455
(70% in Central OC)
7.4%
SPECIAL DISTRICTS
North and Central OC Special Districts - Shared
Costa Mesa Sanitary
District
Sanitary sewer service to a 16-square-mile area; includes most of Costa
Mesa, a portion of Newport Beach, and some unincorporated area.
East Orange County Water
District
Retail and wholesale (member of MWDOC) water services;
wholesale distribution system delivers water to five sub-agencies
within its boundaries, including the Golden State Water Company, City
of Tustin, City of Orange, Orange Park Acres Mutual Water Company,
and its own retail zone, which includes portions of the unincorporated
community of North Tustin; 2015 population served - 3,257.
Irvine Ranch Water District Potable and recycled water service, water conservation, wastewater
collection, treatment and reclamation, habitat protection and
restoration, and water quality; serves all of Irvine and portion of the
cities of Tustin, Santa Ana, Orange, Costa Mesa, Lake Forest, Newport
Beach and some unincorporated areas of Orange County; 2015
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Appendix E
March 2018 E-8
Federal, State and Local Agencies with Jurisdiction in the IRWM Region
population served - 379,510.
Mesa Water District Serves most of the City of Costa Mesa, including John Wayne Airport,
portions of the City of Newport Beach and a small portion of
unincorporated Orange County; 2015 population served - 107,588.
Municipal Water District of
Orange County
Imported water wholesaler for 28 member agencies and cities;
administers various water use efficiency programs that also reduce
urban runoff and increase water quality; lead agency implementing a
variety of BMP water use programs on behalf of the member agencies
and cities.
Midway City Sanitation
District
Provides sanitary sewer and solid waste service to all Westminster and
Midway City, an unincorporated area of Orange County.
Orange County Water
District
Manages and replenishes the Orange County Groundwater Basin,
ensures water reliability and quality, prevents seawater intrusion, and
protects Orange County's rights to Santa Ana River water.
Orange County Sanitation
District
Wastewater services in North and Central OC WMAs; intake of urban
runoff from several runoff diversion structures; serves 23 member
cities and three sanitary districts.
North OC Special Districts
Serrano Water District Potable water to the City of Villa Park and a small portion of the City of
Orange; manages Irvine Lake – a large recreation facility in addition to
a water source to both Serrano Water District and Irvine Ranch Water
District; 2015 population served - 6,464.
Yorba Linda Water District Water and sewer services in most of the City of Yorba Linda, parts of
Placentia, Brea, Anaheim and unincorporated areas; 2015 population
served – 74,787.
Golden State Water
Company – West Orange
System
Potable water service and water conservation; located in the
northwest portion of Orange County, the West Orange System serves
most of the Cities of Cypress, Stanton, and Los Alamitos, small portions
of the cities of Seal Beach, Garden Grove and La Palma, and adjacent
unincorporated areas of Orange County including the community of
Rossmoor; 2015 population served – 169,573 (combined with Cowan
Heights system shown below).
Central OC Special
Districts
El Toro Water District Potable and recycled water service, water conservation, and
wastewater collection and treatment; serves Laguna Woods and parts
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County Appendix E
March 2018 E-9
Federal, State and Local Agencies with Jurisdiction in the IRWM Region
of Lake Forest, Laguna Hills in the Central OC WMA, and parts of
Mission Viejo and Aliso Viejo in the South OC WMA; 2015 population
served – 48,797.
Golden State Water
Company - Cowan Heights
Retail water service in Cowan Heights; unincorporated area north of
Tustin; population combined with West Orange System above).
The OC Plan
For IRWM in North and Central Orange County
Appendix F
The OC Plan Project List
BY AGENCY
02/22/2018
Agency Project Title
Primary Project
Goal Project Description Project Status Completion Date
Project Total
Cost
Potential
Regional
Project
City of Anaheim St. College Detention Basin Flood Management
Creation of a detention basin in property at the
southeast corner of St. College Blvd. and
Cerritos Ave. to capture and treat stormwater
flows.
Planning 2022 $5,000,000 Yes
City of Anaheim Anaheim Shallow Aquifer Pumping for
Nonpotable Uses Water Supply
Installation of wells to utilize shallow
groundwater for irrigation at parks and
possibly schools in the area near Euclid
Avenue between Lincoln and Cerritos Avenue.
Planning TBD $5,000,000 No
City of Anaheim Anaheim Right of Way Projects Water Quality
Inclusion of infiltration drywells, basins,
parkway swales, and other similar BMPs in
road projects (widening, reconstruction, etc.)
intended to capture surface flows from roads
and allow treatment and infiltration.
Planning 2022 $2,000,000 Yes
City of Anaheim Richfield Road Storm Drain Flood Management
Construction of storm drain facility with
possible diversion of captured flow from
tributary area into Foster-Huckleberry Basin
for retention, treatment and infiltration.
In Design March, 2021 $3,500,000 Yes
City of Anaheim OCSD Trunkline Repurposing Water Quality
Repurposing of 36" sewer trunkline to capture
stormwater (low flow and/or peak flow).
Includes the construction of a connection from
a regional flood control facility to a tank and
infiltration wells to drain captured water.
Planning 2022 $3,000,000 Yes
City of Anaheim Ball Road Sewer adn Storm Drain
Reconstruction Flood Management
Reconstruction of undersized and deteriorated
sewer lines and reconstruction of stormdrain
facility to include retention/detention for the
treatment of stormwater flows.
Planning TBD $2,000,000 No
City of Anaheim Anaheim South Recycled Water Project Water Supply
Constructing approximately 6 miles of new
recycled water transmission mains and a
pumping station to deliver recycled water from
the Orange County Water District’s
Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS)
to southern portion of Anaheim for irrigation
and o
In Design December, 2020 $16,500,000 No
City of Anaheim Anaheim Bay-Barber Channel Watershed
Stormwater Capture Projects Flood Management
Development of stormwater
capture/treatment/infiltration system projects
in Anaheim Bay-Barber Channel watershed.
Multiple locations are under consideration,
including but not limited to Energy Field Park,
Southern California Edison easements, and
Stodda
Planning 2022 $2,000,000 Yes
E-1
The OC Plan
For IRWM in North and Central Orange County
Appendix F
The OC Plan Project List
BY AGENCY
02/22/2018
Agency Project Title
Primary Project
Goal Project Description Project Status Completion Date
Project Total
Cost
Potential
Regional
Project
City of Anaheim Modjeska Park Detention Basin Flood Management
Creation of a detention basin in Modjeska
Park to address flood management, while also
providing an opportunity to infiltrate some
storm water into the ground water basin,
addressing water quality, and allow the
opportunity to include recreational ameniti
In Design March, 2021 $3,200,000 Yes
City of Anaheim Boysen Park Detention Projects Flood Management
Installation of underground chambers to
capture stormwater runoff from parking lot and
for treatment and infiltration, and/or
reconstruction of the park to lower areas and
connect to the top of a County storm drain box
to allow peak flow to drain to the p
Planning 2022 $2,000,000 Yes
City of Anaheim Anaheim Hills Golf Course Constructed
Wetland Water Quality
A future reconfiguration of the Anaheim Hills
Golf Course to include a constructed wetland
water feature as well as a water reclamation
system.
Planning 2022 $3,000,000 Yes
City of Cypress Installation of Automatic Rectrable Screens
at Various Catch Basin Locations Water Quality Installation of automatic retractable screens at
various catch basins throughout the city.Planning F Y 2018/2019 $18,200 No
City of Fullerton West Coyote Hills Land Acquisition and
Protection Ecosystems and NativAcquire open space Shovel Ready December 2020 $34,000,000 Yes
City of Fullerton Main Plant Water Well #7 Replacement Water Supply Drill new large capacity well Planning December 2020 $4,000,000 No
City of Huntington Beach Trash Removal Project - Phase I Water Quality Design and installation of trash/debris removal
device (Contech CDS unit)Planning 2020 $200,000 No
City of Huntington Beach Trash Removal Project - Phase II Water Quality Design and installation of trash/debris removal
device (Contech CDS)Planning 2021 $200,000 No
City of Newport Beach San Diego Creek Diversion/Trash Removal
Project Water Quality
This project would mirror the Santa Ana-Delhi
Channel Diversion project to (1) capture all dry
weather trash and trash from a first flush
storm, and (2) divert nuisance flows to OCSD
for eventual use in the Groundwater
Replensishment System.
Planning 7/1/2023 $10,000,000 Yes
City of Orange Orange Trash Capturing Devices Water Quality
Install trash capturing devices citywide to meet
state Trash Provision requirements Planning 2028 $2,500,000 No
City of Santa Ana - Public
Works Department
City of Santa Ana street drainage and water
quality improvement project Water Quality
The City of Santa Ana street improvement
focuses on water quality and drainage issues
with an emphasis on capture and reuse
opportunities.
Planning 2024 $30,000,000 Yes
City of Tustin Citywide Installation of Catch Basin BMPs
and/or CDS units Water Quality Installation of catch basin inserts and screens
such as CPS units citywide Shovel Ready ongoing $200,000 Yes
City of Tustin Irvine Boulevard Storm Drain Improvements Flood Management Add several catch basins to eliminate flooding
on Irvine Boulevard Planning $7,800,000 No
City of Tustin Newport Avenue Extension Flood Management
Extend Newport Avenue from Edinger to
Sycamore Planning Yes
City of Tustin Emergency Operations Center and City
Corporate Yard Water Quality Construct new parking lot with swales and
modular wetland and solar panels.Planning $15,830,418 No
E-2
The OC Plan
For IRWM in North and Central Orange County
Appendix F
The OC Plan Project List
BY AGENCY
02/22/2018
Agency Project Title
Primary Project
Goal Project Description Project Status Completion Date
Project Total
Cost
Potential
Regional
Project
City of Tustin Tustin Legacy Linear park Quality of Life in OrangConstruct Linear park as pedestrian and
bicycle corridor with passive recreation areas.Planning $9,034,130 No
City of Westminster Westminster City Wide Trash Capture
Devices Water Quality Installation of trash capture devices such as
screens, inserts, and/or CDS units.Planning ongoing $300,000 No
City of Westminster Proposed Waterline within the Abandoned
Navy Railroad Water Supply
Construct a 12-inch waterline, valves, fire
hydrants, fittings and a 16-foot wide
access/bike path.
Planning 2022 $5,000,000 Yes
City of Westminster Well no. 6 Replacement Water Supply
Abandon an aging existing well no. 6 located
at 14581 Von Circle and construct a new well
at Bowling Green Park located at 14700
Bowling Green Street
Planning 2022 $5,500,000 No
City Tustin Simon Ranch Reservoir Water Supply Replace existing reservoir Planning $9,994,852 No
County of Orange/OC Parks Fullerton Creek Rehabilitation Water Quality Rehabilitation of Fullerton Creek, East of State
College Blvd. and within Craig Regional Park Planning 2022 $1,500,000 No
East Orange County Water
District
Peters Canyon Water Treatment Plant
Reconstruction Water Supply
Reconstruction of the Peters Canyon Water
Treatment Plant (PCWTP) will provide
stormwater treatment, water supply reliability,
financial relief to a Disadvantaged Community,
environmental benefits through green
technology for a regional area.
Planning 4/1/21 $20,000,000 Yes
Irvine Ranch Water District Central Orange County Water Supply and
Water Quality Improvement Project Water Supply
Utilize existing flood control basins for
groundwater recharge and water quality
improvement
Planning 2022 $10,000,000 No
John Wayne Airport John Wayne Airport Stormwater
Harvest/Treat/Reuse Project Water Quality
This proposed project is a harvest and reuse
stormwater project at the Airport's Central
Utility Plant (CUP). The project is anticipated
to improve water quality within the Santa Ana
Delhi Channel. The project also includes
energy efficiency improvements.
Planning 01/01/2022 $25,000,000 Yes
Municipal Water District of
Orange County (MWDOC)
North/Central Orange County Irrigation
Efficiency, Runoff Reduction, and Pollution
Prevention Program
Water Supply
The Municipal Water District of Orange County
(MWDOC) proposes the implementation of a
comprehensive and holistic regional water use
efficiency improvement program targeting
public agency, residential, commercial,
industrial, and institutional properties
Planning 9/2024 $7,075,721 Yes
Orange County Water District NCWMA_OCWD_OCWD Recharge Basins
Rehabilitation Water Supply Rehabilitate existing groundwater recharge
basins to increase infiltration capacity.In Design 2040 $100,000,000 Yes
Orange County Water District NCWMA_OCWD_Recharge in Lower
Santiago Creek Water Supply Increase groundwater recharge in the lower
Santiago Creek bed Planning 2020 $5,000,000 Yes
Orange County Water District NCWMA_OCWD_Desilting Santa Ana River
Flows Water Supply Increase groundwater recharge by removing
suspended sediments in recharge water Planning 2015 $20,000,000 Yes
Orange County Water District NCWMA_OCWD_Chantilly Stormwater
Recharge Water Supply increase groundwater recharge by capturing
storm flows that are lost to the ocean Planning 2025 $5,000,000 Yes
Orange County Water District NCWMA_OCWD_New OCWD Recharge
Basin Water Supply develop a new recharge basin to increase
capacity to recharge the groundwater basin In Design 2025 $5,000,000 Yes
E-3
The OC Plan
For IRWM in North and Central Orange County
Appendix F
The OC Plan Project List
BY AGENCY
02/22/2018
Agency Project Title
Primary Project
Goal Project Description Project Status Completion Date
Project Total
Cost
Potential
Regional
Project
Orange County Water District NCWMA_OCWD_Placentia and Raymond
Basins Improvements Water Supply
improvements to two existing flood retarding
basins to increase recharge capacity for
groundwater recharge
Planning 2022 $8,500,000 Yes
Orange County Water District NCWMA_OCWD_Orange County Seawater
Intrusion Control Program Water Quality comprehensive program to manage seawater
intrusion in Orange County Planning 2015 $50,000,000 Yes
Orange County Water District NCWMA_OCWD_South Basin VOC
Contamination Remediation Water Quality remediate VOC groundwater contamination
plume Planning 2022 $50,000,000 Yes
Orange County Water District NCWMA_OCWD_North Basin VOC
Contamination Remediation Water Quality remediate VOC contamination plume Planning 2022 $50,000,000 Yes
Orange County Water District NCWMA_OCWD_MTBE Contamination
Remediation Water Quality remediate MTBE contamination in the Orange
County Groundwater Basin In Design 2022 $50,000,000 Yes
Orange County Water District NCWMA_OCWD_Groundwater
Replenishment System Final Expansion Water Supply expand GWRS plant from curent treatment
capacity of 100 MGD to 130 MGD Shovel Ready 2030 $229,000,000 Yes
Orange County Water District NCWMA_OCWD_Groundwater
Replenishment System Flow EQ Tanks Water Supply
construction of tanks to store peak wastewater
flows during the day to supplement GWRS
production during off peak hours
Planning 2023 $24,000,000 Yes
Orange County Water District NCWMA_OCWD_GWRS Booster Pump
Station at Burris Basin Water Supply
construct booster pump station to provide
increased capacity to recharge recycled water
into the groundwater basin
In Design 2023 $20,000,000 Yes
Orange County Water District NCWMA_OCWD_Increase Water Supply
through Brine Concentration Water Supply
provide additional treatment to brine produced
by GWRS in order to increase amount of
product water by 11 MGD
In Design 2025 $18,000,000 No
Orange County Water District NCWMA_OCWD_Urban Runoff Diversion
Program to OCSD System Water Supply
capture and divert sewer system flows up to 5
MGD for GWRS treatment to produce
additional recycled water supply
In Design 2025 $10,000,000 Yes
Orange County Water District NCWMA_OCWD_Ranney Recharge Well Water Supply install a Ranney well to recharge GWRS water
into the groundwater basin In Design 2025 $10,000,000 Yes
Orange County Water District NCWMA_OCWD_OC Regional Stormwater
Infiltration Project Water Supply
develop regional stormwater capture and
infiltration system for use as an alternative to
on-site stormwater management
In Design 2022 $1,000,000 Yes
Orange County Water District NCWMA_OCWD_South OC Water Storage
in OCWD Water Supply
store water in the OCWD groundwater basin
for use by interested south Orange County
retail agencies for emergency supply
In Design 2025 $10,000,000 Yes
Orange County Water District NCWMA_OCWD_West Orange County
Wellfield Water Supply construction of extraction wells to reduce
aquifer outflow to Los Angeles County In Design 2024 $60,000,000 Yes
Orange County Water District NCWMA_OCWD_Wildlife Exhibit Quality of Life in Orang
build museum-grade exhibits to display wildlife
specimens and provide watershed education
to the public
Planning 2022 $1,500,000 Yes
Orange County Water District NCWMA_OCWD_Quagga Mussel Research Water Supply
develop method to treat imported water to
eliminate the threat of quagga mussel
infestations in order to increase imported
water recharge in the Santa Ana River and
Santiago Creek
In Design 2020 $500,000 Yes
Orange County Water District NCWMA_OCWD_GWRS Pipeline Turnout
into Burris Basin Water Supply
construction of an outlet to allow for
conveyance of GWRS water into Burris Basin
to increase groundwater recharge
In Design 2022 $2,700,000 Yes
E-4
The OC Plan
For IRWM in North and Central Orange County
Appendix F
The OC Plan Project List
BY AGENCY
02/22/2018
Agency Project Title
Primary Project
Goal Project Description Project Status Completion Date
Project Total
Cost
Potential
Regional
Project
Poseidon Resources Ocean Desalination Water Treatment Plant
and Distribution Project Water Supply
Construction of a 50 mgd ocean desalination
plant and pipelines necessary to distribution
treated water to water agencies in Orange
County
Planning 2025 $800,000,000 Yes
E-5
The OC Plan
For IRWM in North and Central Orange County
Appendix G
Weighting of Goals, Objectives, and Strategies
Weighting of Objectives and Strategies
For each regional goal, objectives were identified with specific achievements to help attain the
stated goals. For each objective, a series of strategies were developed to identify actions and
methods of appropriate ways that objectives could be met.
For project prioritization purposes, a score is associated with the relative benefit to the region
attained by the objective and strategy. Table 1 shows the prioritization of objectives relative to
the weighting/ranking, which were developed and approved by the IRWM region stakeholders
and shown in Section 3 Goals, Objectives and Strategies of The OC Plan. Section 5 Projects
further explains the project scoring process and weighting of the stated Strategies. The weighting
of objectives is included in this appendix to allow for flexibility for the IRWM RWMG and
stakeholders to revised as appropriate.
Goal Weight (GW) (1 [low] – 5 [high]) Strategies Weight (SW) (1 [low] – 5 [high])
Table 1: Objectives Weighting for Prioritization
Goals and Objectives Weight GWxSW
Goal 1. Provide Adequate and Reliable Water Supplies 4.6
WS-1: Meet projected increase in water demands of 49,000 AFY by 2040 within the Orange
County Basin area with consideration of cost-effective strategies
WS-2: Meet projected increase in water demands of 1,800 AFY by 2040 within the La Habra
Basin area with consideration of cost-effective strategies
A. Increase local potable water supplies 4.4 20.2
B. Increase recycled water supplies to offset potable water 4.1 18.9
C. Sustainably manage groundwater resources 4.7 21.6
D. Maximize water conservation and water use efficiency strategies and efforts 3.9 17.6
E. Reduce the vulnerability of water systems to interruptions and to the effects of climate
change, including sea level rise 4.3 19.6
F. Optimize use of imported water in times of surplus 3.6 16.3
G. Replace potable water supply lost due to groundwater contamination 3.7 17.0
Goal 2. Protect and Enhance Water Quality 4.6
WQ-1: Improve water quality consistent with the Basin Plan
A. Meet NPDES and TMDL water quality regulatory requirements 4.7 21.6
B. Attain water quality standards in fresh and marine environments 4.3 19.6
C. Expand the use of water quality treatment systems with a focus on regional projects 3.7 17.0
WQ-2: Maintain groundwater quality to protect water supplies and ensure reliability
A. Protect and improve groundwater quality, consistent with beneficial uses
4.9 22.2
B. Clean up groundwater contamination 4.1 18.9
The OC Plan
For IRWM in North and Central Orange County Appendix G
March 2018 G-2
Table 1: Objectives Weighting for Prioritization
Goals and Objectives Weight GWxSW
Goal 3: Restore Ecosystems and Improve Native Habitat 3.4
ECO-1: Restore, enhance and expand terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems
A. Increase functioning habitat that sustains viable populations of native species and
restore habitat for terrestrial and aquatic species 3.9 13.2
B. Remove invasive species that are a danger to habitat, water supply or other economic
and beneficial use 3.3 11.3
C. Increase use of water quality treatment systems that also increase wildlife habitat, and
wetlands by restoring a natural water balance not dependent on urban runoff or
supplemental water
4.1 14.2
D. Preserve open space 3.0 10.3
ECO-2: Restore, enhance and expand habitat for threatened and endangered species
A. Increase functioning habitat that sustains viable populations of threatened and
endangered species 4.1 14.2
B. Remove invasives that negatively impact threatened and endangered species 3.6 12.2
Goal 4: Integrate Flood Management 3.3
FM-1: Reduce flood risk to public and private property and improve public safety
A. Improve flood protection based on risk management standards 3.7 12.2
B. Improve flood control facilities to remove properties from FEMA 100-year floodplain
with consideration for climate change on flow 3.6 11.7
C. Improve storm drain systems where historical flooding exists, when feasible 3.6 11.7
FM-2: Improve floodplains
A. Reduce scour and erosion on canyons and channels while supporting natural systems
and minimizing use of concrete and riprap 3.4 11.3
B. Implement stream channel naturalization efforts to promote multiple benefits such as
creation or improvement of habitat and/or improvement in water quality while
protecting public health
3.9 12.7
Goal 5: Improve the Quality of Life in Orange County 3.1
QL-1: Identify and support critical water needs of disadvantaged and low-income communities,
and tribal members
A. Increase the participation of small, disadvantaged, low-income communities, and tribes
in the IRWM process 4.0 12.6
B. Develop multi-benefit projects that predominantly benefit affected disadvantaged and
low-income communities 4.0 12.6
C. Address public health, flood management, safe drinking water, and wastewater
treatment needs of disadvantaged and low-income communities 4.3 13.5
QL-2: Increase acreage of open space and park and recreational opportunities
A. Increase acres of and access to opens spaces 3.4 10.8
B. Provide for increased proximity and access to open spaces in disadvantaged
communities 4.0 12.6
C. Increase recreational opportunities 3.4 10.8
D. Add trail connectors and extensions to provide and improve regional recreational
opportunities 3.6 11.2
E. Increase recreational opportunities in multipurpose projects and programs 3.7 11.7
The OC Plan
For IRWM in North and Central Orange County Appendix G
March 2018 G-3
Table 1: Objectives Weighting for Prioritization
Goals and Objectives Weight GWxSW
F. Increase recreational opportunities in disadvantaged or low-income communities 3.7 11.7
G. Support water quality improvement efforts that enhance public recreation 4.1 13.0
QL-3: Develop and enhance public education programs
A. Incorporate principles of environmental justice and needs of disadvantaged and low-
income communities in design and construction of projects and programs 3.7 11.7
B. Promote watershed public education 3.7 11.7
C. Increase community involvement in stewardship of water resources 3.4 10.8
Goal 6: Address Climate Change 3.3
ACC-1: Increase energy efficiency
A. Maximize production of on-site energy 3.3 10.8
B. Participate in local utility’s green energy program 3.4 11.3
C. Prioritize more passive systems over more active energy consuming systems 4.0 13.1
D. Prioritize lower energy consuming alternatives over lower cost and higher energy
alternatives 4.4 14.6
E. Utilize natural gas, electric, or biofuel based equipment for construction 3.1 10.3
F. Recover construction emissions by generating more renewable energy during the
lifetime of the project 2.9 9.4
ACC-2: Increase biomass per acre in consideration of carbon sequestration
A. Use higher density vegetation schematics 2.9 9.4
B. Increase total square feet of wetlands 3.6 11.7
C. Recycled green waste 3.9 12.7
ACC-3: Implement measures and plan for future changes to climate
A. Develop adaptive measures to address the effects of sea level rise on water supply and
water quality conditions 3.7 12.2
B. Implement measures that respond to more intense rain events 3.3 10.8
C. Implement measures that respond to the uncertainty and availability of imported water 4.6 15.0
D. Implement measures that respond to hotter and drier summers 2.7 8.9
Project Administration 3.1
A. Project design readiness (defined in narrative) 4.6 14.5
B. Environmental compliance (CEQA/NEPA) 4.1 13.0
C. Higher local funding match 2.9 9.0
D. Secured local funding match 3.9 12.2
E. Multiple project partners NOT including NGO 3.1 9.8
F. Multiple project partners INCLUDES an NGO 4.5 14.1
G. Greater project benefit area 3.8 11.8
H. Cost effectiveness 4.1 13.0
I. Permit requirements (401, 404, 1600, etc.) 4.1 13.0
The OC Plan
For IRWM in North and Central Orange County
March 2018 H-1
Appendix H
Project Solicitation Notice and Application Form
During development of The OC Plan, project lists from the 2011 North OC WMA IRWM Plan and
the 2012 Central OC WMA IRWM Plan were reviewed. A large percentage of the proposed
projects in the plans were either completed, no longer being considered by the sponsoring
agency, or needed updated information. In addition, some projects lacked an identified project
sponsor. For these reasons, stakeholders were requested to re-submit proposed or new projects
and project ideas for inclusion in The OC Plan.
The project solicitation was conducted in early 2018. All regional stakeholders were asked to
submit proposed projects and project ideas for consideration of inclusion in The OC Plan. An
application form was provided to project proponents to submit projects.
The following pages include a copy of the online solicitation and project application form.
The OC Plan
For IRWM in North and Central Orange County Appendix H
March 2018 H-2
Online Solicitation Notice
https://cms.ocgov.com/gov/pw/watersheds/programs/ourws/wmaareas/wmacentraloc/defaul
t.asp
Efforts to develop a combined Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) Plan for the
North and Central OC Watershed Management Areas began in February 2017. The comment
period for the draft plan (The OC Plan) closed on December 22, 2017. Responses to comments
are being prepared and the final draft plan will be completed by the end of February 2018.
The Call for Projects to build the IRWM Project List is now open through February 21st. Projects
can be submitted via the new North/Central IRWM website/Data Management System (DMS);
instructions for submitting projects are provided below. To provide agencies and stakeholders
additional guidance on submitting projects using the website/DMS, two technical assistance
workshops have been scheduled for the following:
• January 16, 2018, 2:30-3:30 pm
• February 6, 2018, 2:30-3:30 pm
Both workshops will be held at Orange County Public Works, 2301 North Glassell Street in Orange
- Conference Room 2A. The project team will demonstrate how to submit projects using the
website/DMS, assist with project submittal, and answer questions for those needing assistance.
Project Submittal Process
1. Download the IRWM Project Solicitation Excel Score Sheet from the Project Submittal
page of the website/DMS.
2. Complete the IRWM Project Solicitation Excel Score Sheet and save locally using the
designated file nomenclature ("NCWMA_OrgName_ProjectName").
3. Drag and drop saved IRWM Project Solicitation Excel Score Sheet into web submission
box on the left-hand side of the Project Submittal page of the website/DMS. (If you would
like to add more information about an existing, previously funded project, please also use
this process to submit photos, data, reports, etc.).
4. Complete the "Project Submittal Form" online through the Project Submittal page of the
website/DMS, including geospatial project location (dropped pin, lat/lon, or address), and
click "Submit Entry" button.
5. County staff will receive both the Project Submittal Form entry and associated geospatial
data as well as the IRWM Project Solicitation Excel Score Sheet; after these are reviewed
briefly for completeness, they will be added to the IRWM Project Data Explorer map on
the website/DMS and the IRWM Project List. County staff will strive to have all projects
uploaded within three business days of submittal, barring any technical issues.
If you have additional questions regarding the development of The OC Plan and associated Call
for Projects process, please refer to the list of North/Central IRWM Plan FAQ.
Project Title:
Project Lead Agency/Organization:
Lead Agency/Organization Contact:Lead Agency Contact phone: Email:
Project Status: Completed:Ongoing:Planning: Other:
CEQA Complete:Completed: In process:
Project Partners (if applicable):
Project Location:
(Address or Lat/Lon)
Project Benefit Area:
Project Description:
(Please describe the project)
Up to 200 words
Description of Project Benefits:
Up to 200 words
2). Upload the workbook file to the North OC IRWM Website at: https://arcg.is/0qqiqD
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
1). Once you have completed the project information on Tabs 1 and 2, save the workbook locally and use the file name convention as follows: NCWMA_OrgName_ProjectName.
North/Central Watershed Management Area IRWMP - Project Information
(e.g. What does the project entail? Land area, construction, planning etc.)
(e.g. How does it benefit the WMA? How does the project help meet local water needs and align with IRWM objectives.)
(Note: We will need Geospatial data in GIS - To add your project to the project list,
you will be asked to enter an address, LAT/LONG, or drop apoint on a map.)
(e.g., Acres, Stream Miles, Square Miles etc.)
PROJECT TITLE:AGENCY:
1. FILL IN THE YELLOW AREAS ONLY.
(NOTE: If a triangle appears when you click a yellow cell, select from the dropdown menu.)
2. Blue areas will be automatically calculated.
3. Additional sheets in this workbook include the objectives for reference.
4. The DUE DATE for initial list development is February 21, 2018.
GOAL 1. PROVIDE ADEQUATE AND RELIABLE WATER SUPPLIES (WS)
Goal and
Strategy
Weight
Does your project hit any of the following Objectives?WS0 Provide/Describe a metric achieved
Objective WS-1: Meet projected increase in water demands of 49,000 AFY by 2040 within the Orange County Groundwater Basin area with consideration of cost-effective strategies.4.6 Points Per Response 1 Example: mgd produced, afy captured, $ per volume per year, etc.
WS1-A: Increase local potable water supplies 4.4 WS1 0
WS1-B: Increase recycled water supplies to offset potable water 4.1 WS2 0
WS1-C: Sustainably manage groundwater resources 4.7 WS3 0
WS1-D: Maximize water conservation and water use efficiency strategies and efforts 3.9 WS4 0
WS1-E: Reduce the vulnerability of water systems to interruptions and to the effects of climate change, including sea level rise 4.3 WS5 0
WS1-F: Optimize use of imported water in times of surplus 3.6 WS6 0
WS1-G: Replace contaminated groundwater potable water supply 3.7 WS7 0
Objective WS-2: Meet projected increase in water demands of 1,800 AFY by 2040 within the La Habra Groundwater Basin area with consideration of cost-effective strategies. 4.6
WS2-A: Increase local potable water supplies 4.4 WS8 0
WS2-B: Increase recycled water supplies to offset potable water 4.1 WS9 0
WS2-C: Sustainably manage groundwater resources 4.7 WS10 0
WS2-D: Maximize water conservation and water use efficiency strategies and efforts 3.9 WS11 0
WS2-E: Reduce the vulnerability of water systems to interruptions and to the effects of climate change, including sea level rise 4.3 WS12 0
WS2-F: Optimize use of imported water in times of surplus 3.6 WS13 0
WS2-G: Replace contaminated groundwater potable water supply 3.7 WS14 0
GOAL 2. PROTECT AND ENHANCE WATER QUALITY (WQ)
Goal and
Strategy
Weight
Does your project hit any of the following Objectives?WQ0 Provide/Describe a metric achieved
Objective WQ-1: Improve water quality consistent with the Basin Plan. 4.6 Points Per Response 1 Example: kg/day reduced, mg/L target met, mgd captured, etc.
WQ1-A: Meet NPDES and TMDL water quality regulatory requirements 4.7 WQ1 0
WQ1-B: Attain water quality standards in fresh and marine environments 4.3 WQ2 0
WQ1-C: Expand the use of water quality treatment systems with a focus on regional projects 3.7 WQ3 0
Objective WQ-2: Maintain groundwater quality to protect water supplies and ensure reliability.4.6
WQ2-A: Protect and improve groundwater quality consistent with beneficial uses. 4.9 WQ4 0
WQ2-B: Clean up groundwater contamination 4.1 WQ5 0
GOAL 3. RESTORE ECOSYSTEMS AND IMPROVE NATIVE HABITAT (ECO)
Goal and
Strategy
Weight
Does your project hit any of the following Objectives?ECO0 Provide/Describe a metric achieved
Objective ECO-1: Restore, enhance and expand terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. 3.4 Points Per Response 1 Example: acres restored, megagrams carbon sequestered, people served, # jobs, etc.
ECO1-A: Increase functioning habitat that sustains viable populations of native species and restore habitat for terrestrial and aquatic species.3.9 ECO1 0
ECO1-B: Remove invasive species that are a danger to habitat, water supply or other economic or beneficial use.3.3 ECO2 0
4.1 ECO3 0
ECO1-D: Preserve open space 3.0 ECO4 0
PROJECT TOTAL SCORE:0.00
PROJECT SCORING
For County Staff Use Only
USER NOTES
Project Title carried over from Tab 1 Agency carried over from Tab 1
Provide/Describe a metric achieved
0 0
Provide/Describe a metric achieved
0 0
Provide/Describe a metric achieved
0 0
ECO1-C: Increase use of water quality treatment systems that also increase wildlife habitat and wetlands by restoring a natural water balance not dependent on urban runoff or
supplemental water.
There are 6 colored boxes on this sheet. Each colored box contains a list of strategies under goal categories: Water Supply (WS), Water Quality (WQ), Ecosystems/Habitat (ECO),
Flood Management (FM), Quality of Life (QL), and Climate Change (ACC). Click on the yellow area for the strategies that apply to the project. A project score will automatically
be calculated. If a project benefit can be qualitied, enter that information in the box to the right of the list of strategies.
Objective ECO-2: Restore, enhance and expand habitat for threatened and endangered species. 3.4
ECO2-A: Increase functioning habitat that sustains viable populations of threatened and endangered species 4.1 ECO5 0
ECO2-B: Remove invasives that negatively impact threatened and endangered species 3.6 ECO6 0
GOAL 4. INTEGRATE FLOOD MANAGEMENT (FM)
Goal and
Strategy
Weight
Does your project hit any of the following Objectives?FM0 Provide/Describe a metric achieved
Objective FM-1: Reduce flood risk to public and private property and improve public safety. 3.3 Points Per Response 1 Example: acre-feet stored/diverted, acres or linear feet protected, etc.
FM1-A: Improve flood protection based on risk management standards 3.7 FM1 0
FM1-B: Improve flood control facilities to remove properties from the 100-year floodplain with consideration for climate change on flows 3.6 FM2 0
FM1-C: Improve storm drain systems where historical flooding exists, when feasible 3.6 FM3 0
Objective FM-2: Improve floodplains 3.3
FM2-A: Reduce scour and erosion on canyons and channels while supporting natural systems and minimizing use of concrete and riprap.3.4 FM4 0
3.9 FM5 0
GOAL 5. IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN ORANGE COUNTY (QL)
Goal and
Strategy
Weight
Does your project hit any of the following Objectives?QL0 Provide/Describe a metric achieved
Objective QL-1: Identify and support critical water needs of disadvantaged, low-income, and tribal communities. 3.1 Points Per Response 1 Example: acres restored, megagrams carbon sequestered, people served, # jobs, etc.
QL1-A: Increase the participation of small, disadvantaged, low-income communities, and tribes in the IRWM process 4.0 QL1 0
QL1-B: Develop multi-benefit projects with consideration of affected disadvantaged and low-income communities 4.0 QL2 0
QL1-C: Address public health, flood management, safe drinking water, and wastewater treatment needs of disadvantaged and low-income communities 4.3 QL3 0
Objective QL-2: Increase acreage of open space and increase park and recreational opportunities. 3.1
QL2-A: Increase access to existing open spaces 3.4 QL4 0
QL2-B: Provide for increased proximity and access to open spaces in disadvantaged communities 3.6 QL5 0
QL2-C: Increase recreational opportunities 3.7 QL6 0
QL2-D: Add trail connectors and extensions to provide and improve regional recreational opportunities 4.1 QL7 0
QL2-E: Increase recreational opportunities in multi-purpose projects and programs 3.7 QL8 0
QL2-F: Increase recreational opportunities in disadvantaged or low-income communities 3.7 QL9 0
QL2-G: Support water quality improvement efforts that enhance public recreation 3.4 QL10 0
Objective QL-3: Develop and enhance public education programs. 3.1
QL3-A: Incorporate principles of environmental justice and needs of disadvantaged, low-income and tribal communities in design and construction of projects and programs. 3.7 QL11 0
QL3-B: Promote watershed public education.3.7 QL12 0
QL3-C: Increase community involvement in stewardship of water resources.3.4 QL13 0
Goal 6. ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE (ACC)
Goal and
Strategy
Weight
Does your project hit any of the following Objectives?AAC0 Provide/Describe a metric achieved
Objective ACC-1: Increase Energy Efficiency 3.3 Points Per Response 1 Example: acres restored, megagrams carbon sequestered, people served, # jobs, etc.
ACC1-A: Maximize production of on-site energy 3.3 ACC1 0
ACC1-B: Participate in local utility's green energy program 3.4 ACC2 0
ACC1-C: Prioritize more passive energy consuming systems over more active energy consuming systems 4.0 ACC3 0
ACC1-D: Prioritize lower energy consuming alternatives over lower cost and higher energy alternatives 4.4 ACC4 0
ACC1-E: Utilize natural gas, electric, or biofuel based equipment for construction 3.1 ACC5 0
ACC1-F: Recover construction emissions by generating more renewable energy during the lifetime of the project 2.9 ACC6 0
Objective ACC-2: Increase biomass per acre in consideration of carbon sequestration.3.3
ACC2-A: Use higher density vegetation schematics 2.9 ACC7 0
ACC2-B: Increase total square feet of wetlands per acre 3.6 ACC8 0
ACC2-C: Recycle green waste 3.9 ACC9 0
Objective ACC-2: Increase biomass per acre in consideration of carbon sequestration.3.3
ACC3-A: Implement adaptive measures to address the effects of sea level rise on water supply and water quality conditions 3.7 ACC10 0
ACC3-B: Implement measures that respond to more intense rain events 3.3 ACC11 0
ACC3-C: Implement measures that respond to the uncertainty and availability of imported water 4.6 ACC12 0
ACC3-D: Implement measures that respond to hotter and drier summers 2.7 ACC13 0
Provide/Describe a metric achieved
0 0
FM2-B: Implement stream channel naturalization efforts to promote multiple benefits such as creation or improvement of habitat and/or improvement in water quality while protecting
public health.
Provide/Describe a metric achieved
0 0
Provide/Describe a metric achieved
0 0
Strategies Measure
Acre feet
Acre feet
Yes/No
Yes/No
Yes/No
Acre feet
Acre feet
Strategies Measure
Acre feet
Acre feet
Yes/No
Yes/No
Yes/No
Acre feet
Acre feet
A. Increase local potable water supplies.
GOAL 1. PROVIDE ADEQUATE AND RELIABLE WATER SUPPLIES
Objective WS-1: Meet projected increase in water demands of 49,000 AFY by 2040 within the Orange County Basin area with consideration
of cost-effective strategies.
A. Increase local potable water supplies.
B. Increase recycled water supplies to offset potable water.
C. Sustainably manage groundwater resources.
c. Sustainably manage groundwater resources.
a. Increase local potable water supplies.
F. Optimize use of imported water in times of surplus.
G. Replace potable water supply lost due to groundwater contamination.
Objective WS-2: Meet projected increase in water demands of 1,800 AFY by 2040 within the La Habra Basin area with consideration of cost-
effective strategies.
B. Increase recycled water supplies to offset potable water.
C. Sustainably manage groundwater resources.
D. Maximize water conservation and water use efficiency strategies and efforts.
a. Increase local potable water supplies.
d. Maximize water conservation and water use efficiency strategies and efforts.
G. Replace potable water supply lost due to groundwater contamination.
Strategies Measure
Yes/No
Yes/No
Measure of system
use
Strategies Measure
Yes/No
Acre feet
GOAL 2. PROTECT AND ENHANCE WATER QUALITY
Objective WQ-1: Improve water quality consistent with the Basin Plan.
A. Meet NPDES and TMDL water quality regulatory requirements.
B. Attain water quality standards in fresh and marine environments.
Objective WQ-2: Maintain groundwater quality to protect water supplies and ensure reliability.
A. Protect and improve groundwater quality consistent with beneficial uses.
B. Clean up groundwater contamination.
C. Expand the use of water quality treatment systems with a focus on regional projects.
Strategies Measure
Acres impacted
Acres impacted
Yes/No
Acres of open space
Strategies Measure
Acres impacted
Acres impacted
C. Increase use of water quality treatment systems that also increase wildlife habitat and wetlands by restoring a
natural water balance not dependent on urban runoff or supplemental water.
D. Preserve open space.
Objective ECO-2: Restore, enhance and expand habitat for threatened and endangered species.
A: Increase functioning habitat that sustains viable populations of threatened and endangered species
B: Remove invasives that negatively impact threatened and endangered species
GOAL 3. RESTORE ECOSYSTEMS AND IMPROVE NATIVE HABITAT
Objective ECO-1: Restore, enhance and expand terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
A. Increase functioning habitat that sustains viable populations of native species and restore habitat for terrestrial
and aquatic species.
B. Remove invasive species that are a danger to habitat, water supply or other economic or beneficial use.
Strategies Measure
Yes/No
Conveyance improved and
acres removed
Conveyance improved
Strategies Measure
Conveyance maintained
Acres impacted
GOAL 4. INTEGRATE FLOOD MANAGEMENT
Objective FM-1: Reduce flood risk to public and private property and improve public safety.
A. Improve flood protection based on risk management standards.
B. Improve flood control facilities and remove properties from the FEMA 100-year floodplain with consideration for
climate change on flow regimes.
FM2: Improve floodplains
A. Reduce scour and erosion on canyons and channels while supporting natural systems and minimizing use of
concrete and riprap.
B. Implement stream channel naturalization efforts to promote multiple benefits such as creation or improvement
of habitat and/or improvement in water quality while protecting public health.
C. Improve storm drain systems where historical flooding exists, when feasible.
Strategies Measure
Number of participants
Number of projects
Extent of needs addressed
Strategies Measure
Acres of open space
Areas impacted
Number of opportunities
Miles of trails / connectors
Number of opportunities
Number of opportunities
Yes/No
Strategies Measure
Yes/No
Yes/No
Yes/No
E. Increase recreational opportunities in multipurpose projects and programs.
GOAL 5. IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN ORANGE COUNTY
Objective QL-1: Identify and support critical water needs of disadvantaged, low-income, and tribal communities.
A. Increase participation of small, disadvantaged, low-income communities and tribes in the IRWM process.
B. Develop multi-benefit projects that predominantly benefit affected disadvantaged and low-income communities.
C. Address public health, flood management, safe drinking water, and wastewater treatment needs of
disadvantaged and low-income communities.
Objective QL-2: Increase acreage of open space and increase park and recreational opportunities.
A. Increase acres of and access to open spaces.
B. Provide for increased proximity and access to open spaces in disadvantaged communities.
C. Increase recreational opportunities
D. Add trail connectors and extensions to provide and improve regional recreational opportunities.
F. Increase recreational opportunities in disadvantaged and low-income communities.
G. Support water quality improvement efforts that enhance public recreation.
Objective QL-3: Develop and enhance public education programs.
A. Incorporate principles of environmental justice and needs of disadvantaged, low-income and tribal communities
in design and construction of projects and programs.
B. Promote watershed public education.
C. Increase community involvement in stewardship of water resources.
Strategies Measure
Yes/No
Yes/No
Yes/No
Yes/No
Yes/No
Tons of CO2 reduced
Strategies Measure
Yes/No
Square feet increased
Yes/No
Strategies Measure
Yes/No
Yes/No
Yes/No
Yes/No
B. Increase square feet of wetlands.
GOAL 6. ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE
Objective ACC-1: Increase Energy Efficiency
A. Maximize production of on-site energy.
B. Participate in local utility’s green energy program.
C. Prioritize more passive systems over more active energy consuming systems.
D. Prioritize lower energy consuming alternatives over lower cost and higher energy alternatives.
E. Utilize natural gas, electric, or biofuel based equipment for construction.
F. Recover construction emissions by generating more energy during the lifetime of the project.
Objective ACC-2: Increase biomass per acre in consideration of carbon sequestration.
A. Use higher density vegetation schematics.
C. Recycle green waste.
Objective ACC-3: Implement measures and plan for future changes to climate.
A. Develop adaptive measures to address the effects of seal level rise on water supply and water quality conditions.
B. Implement measures that respond to more intense rain events.
C. Implement measures that respond to the uncertainty and availability of imported water.
D. Implement measures that respond to hotter and drier summers.
The OC Plan
For IRWM in North and Central Orange County
March 2018 I‐1
Appendix I
Ranking and Prioritization of Goals, Objectives, and Strategies
Regional/Local Objectives ranking criteria are tied directly to the stated goals. Goals are divided
into six categories, which have been weighted (Appendix G) and shown below, along with the
additional Project Administration category, in priority order with the ranking criteria scoring
detail in the attached spreadsheet.
1. Providing Adequate and Reliable Water Supplies
2. Protect and Enhance Water Quality
3. Restore Ecosystems and Improve Native Habitat
4. Integrate Flood Management
5. Improve the Quality of Life in Orange County
6. Address Climate Change
Additional Project Goal: Project Administration
The Project Application Form (Appendix F) is designed to calculate a total score based on the
weighting of each goal and strategy. On the Project Application Form, the ability to meet an
Objective is indicated by “yes” or “no”, with a number 1 corresponding to “yes” and a zero
corresponding to “no”. The 1/0 values (yes/no) are then multiplied by their assigned weighting
factor. For project prioritization purposes, the Project Application Form also assigns a score
associated with the relative benefit attained by the objective and strategy.
The following pages show the actual prioritization of objectives relative to the
weighting/ranking, which were developed and approved by the Region stakeholders, consistent
with Appendix G.
The OC Plan
For IRWM in North and Central Orange County
March 2018 I‐2
(1) Provide Adequate and Reliable Water Supplies (WS)
Goal Weight (GW) 4.6
Strategies and Corresponding Weights (SW)
SW GW x SW CW Pts.
WS‐1 & 2, A. Increase local potable water supplies 4.4 20.2 0.0
WS‐1 & 2, B. Increase recycled water supplies to offset potable water 4.1 18.9 0.0
WS‐1 & 2, C. Sustainably manage groundwater resources 4.7 21.6 0.0
WS‐1 & 2, D. Maximize water conservation and water use efficiency
strategies and efforts 3.9 17.6 0.0
WS‐1 & 2, E. Reduce the vulnerability of water systems to
interruptions and to the effects of climate change, including sea level
rise 4.3 19.6 0.0
WS‐1 & 2, F. Optimize use of imported water in times of surplus 3.6 16.3 0.0
WS‐1 & 2, G. Replace contaminated groundwater potable water
supply 3.7 17.0 0.0
Total 0
The OC Plan
For IRWM in North and Central Orange County
March 2018 I‐3
(2) Protect and Enhance Water Quality (WQ)
Goal Weight (GW) 4.6
Strategies and Corresponding Weights (SW)
SW GW x SW CW Pts.
WQ‐1, A. Meet NPDES and TMDL water quality regulatory
requirements 4.7 21.6 0.0
WQ‐1, B. Attain water quality standards in fresh and marine
environments 4.3 19.6 0.0
WQ‐1, C. Expand the use of water quality treatment systems with a
focus on regional projects 3.7 17.0 0.0
WQ‐2, A. Protect and improve groundwater quality, consistent with
beneficial uses 4.9 22.2 0.0
WQ‐2, B. Clean up groundwater contamination 4.1 18.9 0.0
Total 0
(3) Restore Ecosystems and Improve Native Habitat (ECO)
Goal Weight (GW) 3.4
Strategies and Corresponding Weights (SW)
SW GW x SW CW Pts.
ECO‐1, A. Increase functioning habitat that sustains viable populations
of native species and restore habitat for terrestrial and aquatic species 3.9 13.2 0.0
ECO‐1, B. Remove invasive species that are a danger to habitat, water
supply, or other economic or beneficial use 3.3 11.3 0.0
ECO‐1, C. Increase use of water quality treatment systems that also
increase wildlife habitat, and wetlands 4.1 14.2 0.0
ECO‐1, D. Preserve open space 3.0 10.3 0.0
ECO‐2, A. Increase functioning habitat that sustains viable populations
of threatened and endangered species 4.1 14.2 0.0
ECO‐2, B. Remove invasives that negatively impact threatened and
endangered species 3.6 12.2 0.0
Total 0
The OC Plan
For IRWM in North and Central Orange County
March 2018 I‐4
(4) Integrate Flood Management (FM)
Goal Weight (GW) 3.3
Strategies and Corresponding Weights (SW)
SW GW x SW CW Pts.
FM‐1, A. Improve flood protection based on risk management
standards 3.7 12.2 0.0
FM‐1, B. Improve flood control facilities to remove properties from
the 100‐year floodplain with consideration for climate change on flow
regimes 3.6 11.7 0.0
FM‐1, C. Improve storm drain systems where historical flooding exists,
when feasible 3.6 11.7 0.0
FM‐2, A. Reduce scour and erosion on canyon and channel stability 3.4 11.3 0.0
FM‐2, B. Implement stream channel naturalization efforts to promote
multiple benefits such as creation or improvement of habitat and/or
improvement in water quality while protecting public health 3.9 12.7 0.0
Total 0
The OC Plan
For IRWM in North and Central Orange County
March 2018 I‐5
(5) Improve the Quality of Life in Orange County (QL)
Goal Weight (GW) 3.1
Strategies and Corresponding Weights (SW)
SW GW x SW CW Pts.
QL‐1, A. Increase the participation of small, disadvantaged,
low‐income communities, and tribes in the IRWM process 4.0 12.6 0.0
QL‐1, B. Develop multi‐benefit projects with consideration of
affected disadvantaged and low‐income communities 4.0 12.6 0.0
QL‐1, C. Address public health, flood management, safe
drinking water, and wastewater treatment needs of
disadvantaged and low‐income communities 4.3 13.5 0.0
QL‐2, A. Increase access to existing open spaces 3.4 10.8 0.0
QL‐2, B. Provide for increased proximity and access to open
spaces in disadvantaged communities 4.0 12.6 0.0
QL‐2, C. Increase recreational opportunities 3.4 10.8 0.0
QL‐2, D. Add trail connectors and extensions to provide and
improve regional recreational opportunities 3.6 11.2 0.0
QL‐2, E. Increase recreational opportunities in multi‐purpose
projects and programs 3.7 11.7 0.0
QL‐2, F. Increase recreational opportunities in disadvantaged
or low‐income communities 3.7 11.7 0.0
QL‐2, G. Support water quality improvement efforts that
enhance public recreation 4.1 13.0 0.0
QL‐3, A. Incorporate principles of environmental justice and
needs of disadvantaged and low‐income communities in design
and construction projects and programs 3.7 11.7 0.0
QL‐3, B. Promote watershed public education 3.7 11.7 0.0
QL‐3, C. Increase community involvement in stewardship of
water resources 3.4 10.8 0.0
Total 0
The OC Plan
For IRWM in North and Central Orange County
March 2018 I‐6
(6) Address Climate Change (ACC)
Goal Weight (GW) 3.3
Strategies and Corresponding Weights (SW)
SW GW x SW CW Pts.
ACC‐1, A. Maximize production of on‐site energy 3.3 10.8 0.0
ACC‐1, B. Participate in local utility's green energy program 3.4 11.3 0.0
ACC‐1, C. Prioritize more passive energy consuming systems over
more active energy consuming systems 4.0 13.1 0.0
ACC‐1, D. Prioritize lower energy consuming alternatives over
lower cost and higher energy alternatives 4.4 14.6 0.0
ACC‐1, E. Utilize natural gas, electric, or biofuel based equipment
for construction 3.1 10.3 0.0
ACC‐1, F. Recover construction emissions by generating more
renewable energy during the lifetime of the project 2.9 9.4 0
ACC‐2, A. Use higher density vegetation schematics 2.9 9.4 0
ACC‐2, B. Increase total square feet of wetlands per acre 3.6 11.7 0
ACC‐2, C. Recycle green waste 3.9 12.7 0
ACC‐3, A. Implement adaptive measures to address the effects of
sea level rise on water supply and water quality conditions 3.7 12.2 0
ACC‐3, B. Implement measures that respond to more intense
rain events 3.3 10.8 0
ACC‐3, C. Implement measures that respond to the uncertainty
and availability of imported water 4.6 15.0 0
ACC‐3, D. Implement measures that respond to hotter and drier
summers 2.7 8.9 0
Total 0
The OC Plan
For IRWM in North and Central Orange County
March 2018 I‐7
Project Administration
Goal Weight (GW) 3.1
Strategies and Corresponding Weights (SW)
S
W GW x SW
I
W
Pts
.
PA-1, A. Project Design Readiness (Define in narrative)4.6 14.5 0
PA-1, B. Environmental Compliance (CEQA/NEPA, etc.)4.1 13.0 0
PA-1, C. Higher Local Funding Match 2.9 9.0 0
PA-1, D. Secured Local Funding Match 3.9 12.2 0
PA-1, E. Multiple Project Partners NOT including NGO 3.1 9.8 0
PA-1, F. Multiple Project Partners Includes an NGO 4.5 14.1 0
PA-1, G. Greater Project Benefit Area 3.8 11.8 0
PA-1, H. Cost Effectiveness 4.1 13.0 0
PA-1, I. Permit Requirements (401,404,1600, etc.)4.1 13.0 0
Total 0