What is an IRWM?

​Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) is a collaborative effort to manage all aspects of water resources in a region. IRWM crosses jurisdictional, watershed, and political boundaries; involves multiple agencies, stakeholders, individuals, and groups; and attempts to address the issues and differing perspectives of all the entities involved through mutually beneficial solutions. IRWMs are established by the California Department of Water Resources. 

​The IRWM process looks at water management issues from a multitude of perspectives as diverse stakeholders engage one another. That process can yield multi-benefit projects that meet several entities’ goals and objectives in a more cost effective manner than each entity acting on its own.  Previously, water management entities tended to work with a narrow focus on their service area and primary function, sometimes competing against similar efforts to resolve similar issues or advancing duplicative efforts. ​

There are seven IRWMs in the Tulare Basin Hydrologic region, which are, from north to south (approximately):

• Westside IRWM
• Southern Sierra IRWM
• Kings Basin Water Authority
• Kaweah River Basin IRWM
• Tule River IRWM
• Poso Creek IRWM
• Kern County IRWM

View individual IRWM plans.

If you represent a Tulare Basin IRWM and would like to make suggestions and/or contributions to this page, please email us. ​