ASCE Los Angeles Section

Riverside, CA

In the field of civil engineering there is a full range of branches in this discipline that include projects that are not just construction projects but also planning efforts, such as water resource planning. Such projects can reflect a scale and positive impact that are as complex and difficult as any concrete and steel construction project. In addition, one can say that such planning documents have even far more of an impact on society’s quality of life as any one water supply, road improvement, or wastewater project. The OWOW 2.0 plan effectively reflects ASCE’s Vision of Civil Engineering in 2025 by demonstrating a project and process that helps to create a sustainable world” and supports civil engineers in working “collaboratively”, a “planners”, as “stewards of the natural environment”, as “integrators”, as “managers of natural events”, and as “leaders shaping public environmental and infrastructure policy”.
The integrated regional water management (IRWM) plan for the Santa Ana River Watershed led by the Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority (SAWPA) reflects such a monumental project covering 2650 sq miles and a population of over 6 million that will have long term beneficial consequences for the western portions of San Bernardino and Riverside counties as well as the northern portion of Orange County for the next 20 years. The water resources challenges faced in the watershed are intense and represent a major shift in how civil engineering in the field of water resources must be conducted for the 21st century. The plan reflects water demands and supplies, water quality and the environmental issues including climate change and extended drought conditions now facing our entire state and not just the watershed. The plan also provides new advanced technological and GIS tools to evaluate progress towards goals and objectives as well as tools to assist individual project managers design their projects to ensure sustainability and risk management.

Across the State of California, over 48 IRWM areas have been designated and recognized by the CA Dept of Water Resources. One of those IRWM regions covering the ASCE Branch area and northern Orange County is the Santa Ana River Watershed. In the early stages of the planning process, unlike most other IRWM regions, SAWPA engaged the watershed stakeholders and experts to assist in actually writing the plan rather than hiring a single civil engineering consulting firm to prepare it with stakeholder input. This innovative design reflects a broad and diverse pool of water resource expertise tapping the expertise of civil engineers from public agencies and non-profits from multiple fields related to water including groundwater, imported water, wastewater, recycled water, stormwater, water quality, environmental, recreation, land use planning, disadvantaged communities and Native American Tribes. The OWOW governance is led by a Steering Committee composed of public officials from counties and cities in the watershed, representatives from the environmental, regulatory, and business communities, and representatives from SAWPA. The Steering Committee is supported by technical experts grouped into ten disciplines (known as Pillars or workgroups of water resource management), ranging from water supply and quality, to climate change, to environmental justice. Each pillar is in turn led by two pillar co-chairs each with expertise in the water resource strategy associated with the pillar. Their focus was on identifying problems and challenges in their areas, barriers to overcome, and then developing potential conceptual solutions and future projects. Over a 2 ~year process starting in Sept. 2011, each pillar prepared a chapter of the OWOW 2.0 plan. Further their collaboration was not limited to just their own pillar but often involved cross pollination or integration among other pillars to develop multi-benefit solutions to the community thus leveraging resources that may be available to implement the solutions for the future.
The OWOW 2.0 plan by its name recognizes that all types of water are viewed as components of a single water resource, inextricably linked to land use and habitat, and by planning together we can limit impacts natural hydrology. One of the most effective solutions based on the planning process will be in water demand reduction or water use efficiency. By more effectively living within our means in this semi-arid environment, the water we do have can be more effectively used through low impact development, transitioning from front year green lawns to California friendly native landscaping, and implementation of efficient water use technologies. By this transition, water quality benefits will be realized downstream along with energy savings and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. The ultimate vision for the watershed is a sustainable, drought-proofed and salt-balanced watershed by 2030, and in which water resources are protected and water is used efficiently and supports economic and environmental viability.

The OWOW 2.0 plan was challenging and complex by the very nature of its development. Not always efficient in using the collaborative process in developing solutions, it was recognized as still the most effective in the long run. This transparent, and watershed-wide view embraced by the OWOW planning process from the onset, builds upon previous planning efforts in the watershed and changes the way in which water and other environmental resources are managed in the watershed, moving from reliance on large centralized infrastructure projects to a systems approach that complements existing centralized infrastructure with decentralized facilities (e.g. groundwater desalination), technology, natural infrastructure, and human capital. In addition to the challenge of obtaining buy-in and support by over 350 diverse stakeholders who worked together with SAWPA staff in creating the plan, new approaches were established to address some of our most intense challenges, climate change and extreme drought conditions, as population and development continues to grow. The plan identifies necessary multi-benefit and multi-jurisdictional solutions to deal with these challenges.

The OWOW 2.0 Plan reflects a collaborative planning process that is unique among IRWMs and across the State. The plan reflects a new suite of innovative approaches that instead of relying solely on continued imported water deliveries to meet growing water demands in the region, is leading with a water demand reduction strategy. These approaches include 1) multi-beneficial projects and programs that are linked together for improved synergy, 2) proactive, innovative, and sustainable solutions, 3) integrated regional solutions supporting local reliability and local prioritization, 4) watershed based project and programs that effectively leverage limited resources, promote trust and produce a greater bang for the buck, 5) coordinates resources so that water is used multiple times, 6) manages stormwater for drinking water, 7) treats wastewater for irrigation and groundwater replenishment, 8) builds or modifies parks to support water efficiency, ecosystem habitat, and stormwater capture, 9) improves water quality pollution prevention and 10) addresses energy and water nexus.

The OWOW 2.0 Plan also reflects an innovative funding approach through partnership of funds by the SAWPA member agencies, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) through the Proposition 84 IRWM Planning Grant program, and from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) through their Basin Studies program. Work with Reclamation, the State, local and non-profit organizations provided the OWOW 2.0 Plan with the necessary resources to expand outreach and support that ultimately will create more cost effective integrated water resource management solutions.

The planning project received an Honorable Mention by the San Bernardino and Riverside Counties Branch for Outstanding Public Sector Project of the Year.

See attached document.

The Santa Ana River Watershed “One Water One Watershed” Integrated Regional Water Management Plan addresses the water resources challenges faced in the Santa Ana River watershed and provides a suite of innovative approaches to a sustainable, drought-proofed and salt-balanced watershed by 2030, and in which water resources are protected and water is used efficiently and supports economic and environmental viability.

The Santa Ana River Watershed “One Water One Watershed” Integrated Regional Water Management Plan addresses the water resources challenges faced in the Santa Ana River watershed and provides a suite of innovative approaches to a sustainable, drought-proofed and salt-balanced watershed by 2030, and in which water resources are protected and water is used efficiently and supports economic and environmental viability. These approaches include 1) multi-beneficial projects and programs that are linked together for improved synergy, 2) proactive, innovative, and sustainable solutions, 3) integrated regional solutions supporting local reliability and local prioritization, 4) watershed based project and programs that effectively leverage limited resources, promote trust and produce a greater bang for the buck, 5) coordinates resources so that water is used multiple times, 6) manages stormwater for drinking water, 7) treats wastewater for irrigation and groundwater replenishment, 8) builds or modifies parks to support water efficiency, ecosystem habitat, and stormwater capture, 9) improves water quality pollution prevention and 10) addresses energy and water nexus.