Stakeholders in Ventura County Collaborate in Addressing Water Management Challenges Through IRWM Planning Process

摘要

Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) and watershed-based water resources planning are approaches becoming more commonplace today in California as a means to manage the state's limited water resources. This paper will discuss the history, successes, lessons learned and future vision for water management in Ventura County, a mid-sized urban county on the coast in Southern California. The Watersheds Coalition of Ventura County (WCVC) is a stakeholder group focused on IRWM planning and implementation. The WCVC has been very successful in bringing together diverse interests to adopt an IRWM Plan, develop implementation projects, apply for and receive grant funding, collaborate to reduce conflicts, and develop solutions to the region's water challenges. Collaborative IRWM planning has resulted in more reliable water supplies and a better environment for county residents and businesses. In the future the WCVC will build on past successes and work towards further integration of water supply reliability, environmental stewardship, public access, mitigation of flood impacts, and water quality improvement objectives within the Region.