03-01-2013 Item D - Laserfiche WebLink

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WATER ENERGY L ( FE RIVERSIDE PUBLIC UTILITIES Board Memorandum PUBLIC UTILITIES BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES DATE: March 1, 2013 ITEM NO: D SUBJECT: PUBLIC HEARING - INTENT TO ADOPT THE "ONE WATER ONE WATERSHED" INTEGRATED REGIONAL WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN ISSUE: The item for Board of Public Utilities consideration is to conduct a public hearing on the Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority's(SAWPA)Integrated Regional Water Management Plan(IRWMP)titled"One Water One Watershed" (OWOW). RECOMMENDATIONS: That the Board of Public Utilities: 1. Conduct a public hearing on the Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority's Integrated Regional Water Management Plan, "One Water One Watershed"; and 2. Recommend that City Council adopt the"One Water One Watershed" Integrated Regional Water Management Plan. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION: The Water Committee was presented with an overview of the OWOW IRWMP at its February 15, 2013, meeting and unanimously recommended that the plan be brought to the full Board of Public Utilities for its consideration. BACKGROUND: Formed in 1975, the SAWPA is a Joint Powers Authority between five regional water agencies. SAWPA was formed to coordinate water related activities in the Santa Ana Watershed. The City of Riverside participates in SAWPA through Western Municipal Water District. In November 2006, California voters approved Proposition 84, which authorized bond funding for various water projects throughout the State. Chapter 2 of the Proposition includes $1 billion in funding for Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) projects. Of that, approximately $114 million in grant funding is set aside for IRWM projects in the Santa Ana Watershed. SAWPA is responsible for developing the IRWMP and for recommending projects to be funded. SAWPA began developing an IRWMP and titled it OWOW. On May 12, 2009, the City Council adopted Resolution 21830 supporting the development of the OWOW IRWMP. Former Riverside Mayor Ron Loveridge and several Riverside Public Utilities (RPU) staff members participated in committees to help form the OWOW IRWMP. SAWPA adopted the OWOW IRWMP in 2010. Only those projects that are incorporated into the OWOW IRWMP may be considered for Proposition 84 funding.