FAQs

In 2002, Senate Bill 1672 created the Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) Act to encourage local agencies to work cooperatively to manage local and imported water supplies to improve the quality, quantity, and reliability. Overseen by the Department of Water Resources, IRWM is a collaborative effort to identify and implement water management solutions on a regional scale that increase regional self-reliance, reduce conflict, and manage water to concurrently achieve social, environmental, and economic objectives.

There are numerous IRWM’s throughout the state. The T-Stan IRWM represents the Tuolumne-Stanislaus region which encompasses the Upper Tuolumne River, Upper Stanislaus River, and Upper Rock Creek-French Camp Slough watersheds traversing eastern Stanislaus County, all of Tuolumne County, and Calaveras County to Highway 4 and southwestern Alpine County.

The T-Stan IRWM is organized through a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) and therefore is referred to as the T-Stan IRWM Authority (IRWMA). The JPA is an entity created under California law that enables two or more public authorities, and Tribes, to jointly exercise power common to all of member entities. The JPA is the policy arm of the IRWMA and is advised by a broad and diverse technical group called the Watershed Advisory Committee (WAC).

The IRWMA engages in integrated regional water management planning as outlined in the T-Stan IRWM Plan. The IRWMA also assists members in the development of water management projects and/or grant applications for projects included in or consistent with the Plan.

The JPA Board meets, at least, quarterly. The WAC meets no less than quarterly, but often monthly.

The majority of the budget is comprised of funds contributed by the member organizations of the JPA Board on an equal pro-rata basis. Each member organization of the WAC contributes $200 per fiscal year.

To date, the T-Stan IRWM region has been awarded $22 million in state grant funds for projects being implemented by IRWMA members.

To become a member of the WAC, an organization completes a membership form and pays the $200 annual membership fee. Membership on the JPA Board is subject the process outlined in the “Protocol for Joining the Tuolumne-Stanislaus JPA Board of Directors”.

All T-Stan IRWMA meetings are open to the public and are noticed on the website and at the meeting location. You can also request to be placed on the electronic mailing list to directly receive meeting information.