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OC Watersheds Watershed Management Areas

• WMA
• North OC WMA
• Central OC WMA
• South OC WMA
• Coastal Coalition

In June 2003, per direction from the Board of Supervisors, the County of Orange led a multi-agency task force to develop a countywide Water Quality Strategic Plan. As a result, a new structure for water resource management has evolved based on a new concept of Watershed Management Areas (WMAs). The eleven watersheds in Orange County are grouped by similar characteristics into three Watershed Management Areas: North, Central, and South.

At its essence, the Watershed Management Area is a collaborative framework for municipalities and special purpose agencies to work collaboratively and find synergies across water resource disciplines. Its purpose is to bring together a wide variety of water resource managers in order to achieve more comprehensive and cost effective solutions to Orange County’s water resources needs. Member agencies voluntarily enter into a cooperative agreement that forms the Watershed Management Area. Governance includes a policy committee of elected officials to oversee each Watershed Management Area. Senior staff from each member organization form a management committee to develop a joint work plan and oversee its implementation. Regular stakeholder forums are held to involve the public and share information across organizations within each Watershed Management Area.

Today, throughout Orange County, these groups meet together on a regular basis to collaborate on water resource issues, including water supply, surface water quality, flood management, wastewater, and natural resource protection. Integrated Regional Water Management Plans are under development or update in all three Watershed Management Areas. In the process of developing these plans, goals and solutions specific to each Watershed Management Area are formulated through consensus. Likewise, a custom slate of projects and programs is developed to address the water resource needs of each Watershed Management Area.

In the future the ability to fund water resource projects will be challenging. With the collaborative process, Orange County continues to be a leader in meeting those challenges. Watershed Management Areas and Integrated Regional Water Management Plans are key tools to accessing federal, state and local grant opportunities to help offset the investment necessary to sustain the water resource needs of the region.