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273 Pages·2017·18.81 MB·English

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THE OC PLAN 

Integrated Regional Water Management for 
the North and Central Orange County 
Watershed Management Areas 

March 2018
The OC Plan Contacts

County of Orange
Orange County Watersheds
Orange County Department of Public Works
2301 N. Glassell Street
Orange, California 92865
www.ocwatersheds.com

Orange County Water District
18700 Ward Street
Fountain Valley, California 92708
[phone]
www.ocwd.com

Orange County Sanitation District
10844 Ellis Avenue
Fountain Valley, California 92708
[phone]
www.ocsd.com

March 2018
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County

TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................................................. TOC-1
LIST OF ACRONYMS ...................................................................................................................... AC-1
1 REGIONAL PLANNING, OUTREACH, GOVERNANCE AND COORDINATION........................................ 1-1
1.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 1-1
1.2 History of Integrated Regional Water Management Planning in the North and Central Orange
County Watershed Management Areas ...................................................................................... 1-5
1.3 IRWM Plan Development and Governance .................................................................................. 1-7
1.3.1 IRWM Plan Development................................................................................................. 1-9
1.3.1.1 IRWM Plan Development Process ........................................................................... 1-10
1.3.1.2 IRWM Plan Adoption ............................................................................................... 1-11
1.3.2 Regional Water Management Group ............................................................................. 1-11
1.3.3 Advisory Committee to the Regional Water Management Group ................................ 1-12
1.3.4 Planning Group .............................................................................................................. 1-13
1.3.5 Stakeholders Group ....................................................................................................... 1-14
1.3.6 Ad Hoc Working Groups ................................................................................................ 1-14
1.3.7 Roles and Responsibilities for Regional Water Management ....................................... 1-14
1.3.7.1 Jurisdictional Participants in the IRWM Region ...................................................... 1-14
1.3.7.2 Additional Organization Outreach and Participation in the IRWM Region ............. 1-15
1.3.8 Framework for Decision Making .................................................................................... 1-18
1.3.9 Appropriateness of Region and Geographic Boundaries ............................................... 1-18
1.3.10 Watershed Management Challenges ............................................................................ 1-19
1.3.11 Plan Focus ...................................................................................................................... 1-21
1.4 Outreach ..................................................................................................................................... 1-22
1.5 Coordination ............................................................................................................................... 1-22
1.6 Technical Analysis ....................................................................................................................... 1-25
2 REGION DESCRIPTION .................................................................................................................. 2-1
2.1 North and Central Orange County IRWM Region ......................................................................... 2-1
2.1.1 Watersheds, Adjoining IRWM Regions and Overlapping Efforts ..................................... 2-1
2.1.2 North Orange County Watershed Management Area ..................................................... 2-5
2.1.2.1 Anaheim Bay-Huntington Harbour Watershed ........................................................ 2-6
2.1.2.2 Lower San Gabriel River/Coyote Creek Watershed ................................................. 2-6
2.1.2.3 Santa Ana River Watershed ....................................................................................... 2-9
2.1.3 Central Orange County Watershed Management Area ................................................ 2-11
2.1.3.1 Newport Bay Watershed ......................................................................................... 2-14
2.1.3.2 Newport Coast Watershed ...................................................................................... 2-14
2.1.4 Integrated Watershed Management in Region ............................................................. 2-15
2.1.5 Social and Culture .......................................................................................................... 2-20
2.1.6 Economic Conditions ..................................................................................................... 2-21
2.2 Water Supplies of the Region ..................................................................................................... 2-22
2.2.1 Groundwater .................................................................................................................. 2-22
2.2.2 Imported Water ............................................................................................................. 2-29
2.2.3 Recycled Water .............................................................................................................. 2-31
2.2.4 Projected Water Supplies .............................................................................................. 2-35
2.2.5 Potential New Water Supplies ....................................................................................... 2-38
March 2018 AC-1
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County

2.2.6 Projected Water Demands............................................................................................. 2-40
2.3 Water Related Objectives and Conflicts ..................................................................................... 2-43
2.4 Water Quality of the Region ....................................................................................................... 2-45
2.5 Jurisdictional Boundaries ............................................................................................................ 2-65
2.6 Open Space and Land Use........................................................................................................... 2-71
2.7 Parks, Forests, Refuges, and Areas of Special Biological Significance ........................................ 2-73
2.8 Ecosystem Processes, Habitat and Vegetation ........................................................................... 2-77
2.8.1 Geology and Hydrology .................................................................................................. 2-78
2.8.2 Soils ................................................................................................................................ 2-84
2.8.3 Biological Resources ...................................................................................................... 2-86
2.8.4 Wildlife ........................................................................................................................... 2-88
2.9 Climate Change Impacts on the Region .................................................................................... 2-88
3 GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND STRATEGIES .......................................................................................... 3-1
3.1 Regional Vision, Mission and Goals .............................................................................................. 3-1
3.2 Methodology for Determining Goals and Objectives .................................................................. 3-2
3.3 Water Management Issues ......................................................................................................... 3-10
3.3.1 Water Supplies ............................................................................................................... 3-10
3.3.2 Water Quality ................................................................................................................. 3-10
3.3.3 Ecosystems and Native Habitat ..................................................................................... 3-11
3.3.4 Flood Management ........................................................................................................ 3-12
3.3.5 Quality of Life in Orange County .................................................................................... 3-13
3.3.6 Climate Change .............................................................................................................. 3-14
3.4 Regional Goals............................................................................................................................. 3-17
3.5 Objectives and Strategies ........................................................................................................... 3-19
3.6 Prioritization and Weighting of Objectives ................................................................................. 3-23
3.7 Benefits of Integration to Meet Objectives ................................................................................ 3-23
3.8 Potential Climate Change Impacts Considered in Objectives ..................................................... 3-26
4 REGIONAL WATER MANAGEMENT ................................................................................................ 4-1
4.1 Process to Consider Resource Management Strategies ............................................................... 4-1
4.2 Resource Management Strategies Applicable to the Region ...................................................... 4-5
4.3 Resource Management Strategies Not Applicable to the Region .............................................. 4-19
4.4 Regional Strategies ..................................................................................................................... 4-20
4.4.1 Provide Adequate and Reliable Water Supplies Strategies ........................................... 4-21
4.4.2 Protect and Enhance Water Quality Strategies ............................................................. 4-22
4.4.3 Restore Ecosystems and Improve Native Habitat Strategies ........................................ 4-23
4.4.4 Integrate Flood Management Strategies ....................................................................... 4-24
4.4.5 Improve the Quality of Life in Orange County Strategies .............................................. 4-25
4.4.6 Address Climate Change Strategies ............................................................................... 4-26
4.5 Impacts and Benefits .................................................................................................................. 4-28
4.5.1 Regional and Inter-Regional Benefits ............................................................................ 4-28
4.5.2 DAC/Environmental Justice Benefits ............................................................................. 4-28
4.5.3 Environmental Impacts and Benefits to Other Resources ............................................. 4-31
5 PROJECTS ..................................................................................................................................... 5-1
5.1 Project Solicitation and Prioritization Framework ........................................................................ 5-1
5.2 Ranking Criteria Development ...................................................................................................... 5-2
March 2018 AC-2
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County

5.2.1 Regional/Local Objectives Weighting .............................................................................. 5-4
5.3 Contribution to State Agency Priorities ........................................................................................ 5-5
5.3.1 The OC Plan and State Agency Priorities ......................................................................... 5-7
5.4 Project Integration ........................................................................................................................ 5-8
6 IMPLEMENTATION ....................................................................................................................... 6-1
6.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 6-1
6.2 Finance ......................................................................................................................................... 6-1
6.2.1 Funding ............................................................................................................................ 6-1
6.3 Data Management ........................................................................................................................ 6-3
6.3.1 Data Collection and Needs Within the Region ................................................................ 6-4
6.3.2 Data Gaps ......................................................................................................................... 6-5
6.3.3 Data Management System and Dissemination ................................................................ 6-6
6.3.4 State Data Management Programs ................................................................................. 6-9
6.4 Plan Performance and Monitoring ............................................................................................. 6-12
6.4.1 Plan Implementation and Performance Through Measurable Objectives .................... 6-14
6.4.2 Adaptive Management and Climate Change ................................................................. 6-15

TABLES
Table 1-1: Jurisdictional North and Central OC IRWM Region Members ................................................ 1-15
Table 2-1: OCWD Monitoring Programs for the Orange County Basin ................................................... 2-25
Table 2-2: Orange County Basin Water Budget – Future Projection – Average Rainfall ......................... 2-26
Table 2-3: North and Central OC Targeted New Water Supplies ............................................................ 2-35
Table 2-4: North and Central OC Local (Non-Imported) Potable Water Supply by Water Agency ......... 2-36
Table 2-5: North and Central OC Local Non-Potable (Recycled) Supply Projections .............................. 2-37
Table 2-6: North and Central OC Water Demand Projections by Basin Region ...................................... 2-42
Table 2-7: Beneficial Uses of Water Bodies in North and Central OC IRWM Region .............................. 2-48
Table 2-8: Definition of Beneficial Uses of Water ................................................................................... 2-51
Table 2-9: 2012 Clean Water Act Section 303(d) List of Water Quality Limited Segments Requiring
TMDLs in the North and Central OC IRWM Region by WMA ................................................. 2-54
Table 2-10: Untreated Groundwater Quality in OCWD Service Area 2015-2016 ................................... 2-60
Table 2-11: Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment: Prioritized Issues in the Region ........................ 2-93
Table 2-12: IRWM Plan Standards: Climate Change ................................................................................ 2-97
Table 2-13: Projected Effects of Climate Change on the Region by 2050 and 2100 ............................... 2-98
Table 3-1: Statewide Priorities .................................................................................................................. 3-3
Table 3-2: Statewide Priorities Relevant to North and Central OC IRWM Region .................................... 3-6
Table 3-3: Statewide Resource Management Strategies Relevant to North and Central OC Watershed
Management Areas .................................................................................................................. 3-8
Table 4-1: CWP Update 2013 Resource Management Strategies ............................................................. 4-2
Table 4-2: Relation of RMS to The OC Plan Regional Objectives ............................................................... 4-3
Table 5-1: Basis for Goals and Strategies Weighting and Scoring for Project Prioritization ..................... 5-5

FIGURES
Figure 1-1: North and Central OC Watershed Management Areas ........................................................... 1-2
Figure 1-2: The OC Plan Governance ......................................................................................................... 1-8
March 2018 AC-3
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County

Figure 2-1: North and Central OC IRWM Region and Regional Location ................................................... 2-2
Figure 2-2: Watersheds in the IRWM Region ............................................................................................ 2-3
Figure 2-3: Primary Topographic Features ................................................................................................ 2-4
Figure 2-4: North OC Watershed Management Area Location ................................................................. 2-7
Figure 2-5: North OC Watersheds ............................................................................................................. 2-8
Figure 2-6: Santa Ana River Watershed ................................................................................................... 2-10
Figure 2-7: Central OC Watershed Management Area Location ............................................................. 2-12
Figure 2-8: Central OC Watersheds ......................................................................................................... 2-13
Figure 2-9: Surface Waterbodies ............................................................................................................. 2-16
Figure 2-10: Disadvantaged Community Census Tracts .......................................................................... 2-23
Figure 2-11: Basin 8-1 Boundary .............................................................................................................. 2-24
Figure 2-12: Basin 8-1 Management Areas ............................................................................................. 2-28
Figure 2-13: Major Water Systems Infrastructure ................................................................................... 2-30
Figure 2-14: Wastewater Boundaries and Transmission Lines ................................................................ 2-32
Figure 2-15: Regional Water Quality Control Boards .............................................................................. 2-47
Figure 2-16: Impaired Water Bodies ........................................................................................................ 2-57
Figure 2-17: Production Wells with Arsenic and Perchlorate Concentrations Above the MCL .............. 2-63
Figure 2-18: Areas of Nitrate-N Above the MCL ...................................................................................... 2-64
Figure 2-19: Flood Control Infrastructure ................................................................................................ 2-68
Figure 2-20: City and Unincorporated Jurisdictional Boundaries ............................................................ 2-69
Figure 2-21: OCWD. OCSD and MWDOC Jurisdictional Boundaries ........................................................ 2-71
Figure 2-22: Water Agencies – Cities and Water Districts ....................................................................... 2-72
Figure 2-23: Land Use .............................................................................................................................. 2-74
Figure 2-24: Areas of Special Biological Significance ............................................................................... 2-77
Figure 2-25: Habitat and Vegetation ....................................................................................................... 2-78
Figure 2-26: Potential and Observed Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources in California ......... 2-89
Figure 3-1: The OC Plan Goals.................................................................................................................. 3-17
Figure 6-1: Data Management ................................................................................................................... 6-9

APPENDICES
Appendix A: Resolutions/Letters of IRWM Plan Adoption/Acceptance/Support and the Regional Water
Management Group Memorandum of Understanding
Appendix B: The OC Plan Technical Studies/Data Sets
Appendix C: Basin 8-1 Alternative (https://www.ocwd.com/media/4918/basin-8-1-alternative-final-
report-1.pdf)
Appendix D: Orange County Stormwater Resource Plan
(http://www.ocwatersheds.com/programs/ourws/oc_stormwater_resource_plan)
Appendix E: Federal, State, and Local Agencies with Jurisdiction in the IRWM Region
Appendix F: The OC Plan Project List
Appendix G: Weighting of Goals, Objectives, and Strategies
Appendix H: Project Solicitation Notice and Application Form
Appendix I: Ranking and Prioritization of Goals, Objectives, and Strategies with Project Impact

March 2018 AC-4
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County

List of Acronyms
§ Subsection
AB Assembly Bill
ACOE Army Corps of Engineers
AF Acre Feet
AFY Acre Feet per Year
AMP Allen-McColloch Pipeline
ASBS Areas of Special Biological Significance
BMP Best Management Practice
BP Before Present
CalWEP California Water Efficiency Partnership
CARB California Air Resources Board
CASGEM California Statewide Groundwater Evaluation Monitoring
CAT Climate Action Team
CCA Critical Coastal Area
CCWMP Coyote Creek Watershed Management Plan
CDFG California Department of Fish and Game (now CDFW)
CDFW California Department of Fish and Wildlife
CEDEN California Environmental Data Exchange Network
CEQA California Environmental Quality Act
cfs Cubic Feet per Second
CRA Colorado River Aqueduct
CWA Clean Water Act
CWC California Water Code
CWP California Water Plan
DAC Disadvantaged Communities
DAMP Drainage Area Management Plan
DMM Demand Management Measures
DMS Data Management System
DRPP Demand, Runoff, and Pollution Prevention
DWR Department of Water Resources
EDA Economically Distressed Areas
EIR Environmental Impact Report
March 2018 AC-5
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County

EIS Environmental Impact Statement
EWMP Efficient Water Management Practices
EPA Environmental Protection Agency
ET Evapotranspiration
ETWD El Toro Water District
FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency
GAMA Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment
GIS Geographic Information System
GHG Greenhouse Gas
GMZ Groundwater Management Zone
GSP Groundwater Sustainability Plan
GSWC Golden State Water Company
GWRS Groundwater Replenishment System
HCP Habitat Conservation Plan
IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
IRP Integrated Water Resources Plan
IRWD Irvine Ranch Water District
IRWM Integrated Regional Water Management
LID Low-Impact Development
LIP Local Implementation Plan
LAWRP Los Alisos Water Reclamation Plant
LRP Local Resources Program
MAF Million Acre Feet
MEP Maximum Extent Practicable
MCAS Marine Corps Air Station
MCL Maximum Contaminant Level
MGD Million gallons per day
mg/L Milligrams Per Liter
MHI Median Household Income
MOU Memorandum of Understanding
MPA Marine Protected Area
MS4 Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System
MSAA Master Streambed Alteration Agreement
March 2018 AC-6
The OC PLAN
for IRWM in North and Central Orange County

MWDOC Municipal Water District of Orange County
MWRP Michelson Water Reclamation Plant
NCC Natural Communities Coalition
NCCP Natural Communities Conservation Plan
NEPA National Environmental Policy Act
NGO Non-Governmental Organization
NPDES National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
NRCS Natural Resource Conservation Service
NROC Nature Reserve of Orange County
O&M Operations and Maintenance
OC Orange County
OCFCD Orange County Flood Control District
OCSD Orange County Sanitation District
OCSP Orange County Stormwater Program
OCWD Orange County Water District
OCPW Orange County Public Works Department
OPR Office of Planning and Research
PBDE Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers
PCB Polychlorinated Biphenyls
POTW Publicly Owned Treatment Works
ppb Parts Per Billion
QA/QC Quality Assurance/Quality Control
RMS Resource Management Strategies
ROWD Report of Wastewater Discharge
RWMG Regional Watershed Management Group
RWQCB Regional Water Quality Control Board
SAMP Special Area Management Plan
SAR Santa Ana River
SAWPA Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority
SB Senate Bill
SCAG Southern California Association of Governments
SCCWRP Southern California Coastal Water Research Project
SCSC Southern California Salinity Coalition
March 2018 AC-7