The Watershed Action Plan

1. The Watershed Action Plan Chapter 10: Realizing the WMI Vision August Draft

2. Today’s Presentation • Project Status & Schedule • Chapter 10 Contents • Completing and Selling the Action Plan

3. Milestones February General Features June Draft Ch. 1-9 August Draft Ch. 10 October Complete Draft December Core Group Approval January Retreat March Outline

4. Process Actions WAPTAG COS WMI Vision Final WAP Draft Chapters 1 - 9 Draft Ch. 10 Draft WAP Comments We are here WMI Goals Retreat

5. Chapter 10 Realizing the WMI Vision

6. Chapter 10 Contents • Why the Santa Clara Basin needs the WMI • The WMI’s Strengths and Key Functions • The WMI’s Nine Strategic Policy Objectives • Implementation • Conclusion

7. Why the Basin needs the WMI • Increase in mandated & voluntary programs • Programs interact and overlap • Potential for confusion and conflict • Need to align, coordinate and integrate • Streamline regulations • Accelerate preservation and enhancement • Economic benefit

8. The WMI’s Strengths • What we’ve achieved • Common vision, goals, and objectives • Consensus on a balanced approach • Recognize each other’s legitimate interests • Track record of successes • What we do best • Articulate & communicate a vision of the future • Facilitate exchange of ideas & perspectives • Achieve consensus among different interests

9. Prioritizing Actions & Tasks Chapters 1 - 9 Policies & Programs Actions & Tasks Chapter 10 Action Worksheets (112) Stream Stewardship Policy Objectives HCPs/NCCPs Floodplain Mgt. WMI Role General Plans TMDLs

10. Future Functions • Facilitate stakeholder groups • Add fresh technical & policy perspectives • Recommend solutions to policy-makers • Bring consensus to boards, managers, & funders • Educate and involve the public • Develop indicators • Issue reports

11. Nine Policy Objectives • Stream Stewardship Planning • Floodplains & Riparian Corridors • Habitat Conservation Planning • Expanding the National Wildlife Refuge • General Plans & Specific Area Plans • Drainage Systems that Retain or Detain Runoff • Better Assessments, TMDLs, & Permits • Integrated Water Resources Planning • Coordinating Outreach

12. 1. Stream Stewardship Planning Objectives • Integrate Restoration & Flood Protection • Use a Floodplain Management Approach • Remove Barriers to Fish • Restore Stream Beds and Banks • Restore Shaded Riparian Aquatic Habitat • Coordinate FAHCE, SMP, SPP, Sediment TMDLs • Commit to Long-term Adaptive Management

13. 2. Floodplain & Riparian Planning Objectives • Coordinate & Integrate: • National Flood Insurance Program • Countywide Trail Master Plan & Guidelines • Recreational Facilities • Protected Habitat Areas • Regional Stormwater Facilities • Shared sense of place

14. 3. Habitat Conservation Planning Objectives • Adaptive management – specific, measurable • Update and improve habitat surveys • Incorporate existing refuges and public lands • Acquire new land for critical habitat • Restore native plants & animals • Coordinate with strategic plans & General Plans

15. 4. National Wildlife Refuge Expansion • Comprehensive planning process • Issue permits timely to allow restoration • Plan for levee maintenance & flood protection • Apply Bay Ecosystem Habitat Goals • Preserve & expand contiguous critical habitat

16. 5. General Plans & Specific Area Plans • Detailed maps of habitat corridors • Coordinate acquisition & mgt. of open space • Assess cumulative impacts at appropriate scale • Encourage smart growth

17. 6. Site Development & Drainage • Implement C.3. provisions • Develop public works specifications and details • Coordinate hydromodification management planning with stream stewardship planning

18. #7. Objectives for Better Assessments, TMDLs & Permits • Coordinate monitoring & assessment • Acknowledge different objectives & methodology • Test problem statements & conceptual models • Coordinate investigations to optimize support for listing decisions and TMDLs • Build on successes with POTW permits and site-specific objectives

19. #8. Integrated Water Resources Planning Objectives • Develop broad representation in the IWRP process • Gauge & build public support for conservation & recycling • Integrate conservation & recycling with objectives for stream stewardship & habitat conservation

20. #9. Objectives for Outreach • Align & coordinate messages around the vision. • Stream functions; effects of urbanization; Multiple uses of floodplains in urban areas; Smart Growth; Importance of imperviousness; Water conservation, recycling & stream habitat; Habitat reserves; Pollution Prevention • Inform public & stakeholders about public policies & investment needed to achieve our vision. • Annual report updating key indicators of watershed health and WMI achievements and successes

21. Chapter 10 Contents (Review) • Why the Santa Clara Basin needs the WMI • The WMI’s Strengths and Key Functions • The WMI’s Nine Strategic Policy Objectives • Implementation • Conclusion

22. Needs for Implementation • Commitments from Signatories • Process to prioritize future actions • Capacity • Structure for decision-making • Staff

23. WMI will ask signatories to: • Adopt policy objectives • Assign stakeholder processes to WMI • Provide resources to make process work • Cu/Ni Technical Working Group is a model • Provide resources to support integration

24. Prioritize Future Actions • WMI is a clearinghouse for new actions • Facilitate consensus on how and where new actions can be implemented • Prioritize by: • Relevance to WMI policy objectives • Effectiveness in attaining the objectives • Timeliness • Use of WMI resources

25. WMI Needs Capacity to: • Facilitate stakeholder processes • Bring consensus recommendations to decision-makers • Formulate, refine, disseminate the WMI message

26. Capacity • WMI Structure • Retain existing WMI decision-making structure (with minor changes) • Expand WMI executive capabilities & authority • WMI Staff • Leadership • Enough staff to fulfill WMI role

27. Action Plan Conclusion • Ten years from now, the need for a WMI will be obvious. • The Basin has a WMI now. • The WMI has an Action Plan now. • Stakeholders have the opportunity to strengthen the WMI & entrust with the challenges that lie ahead.

28. Completing & Selling the Action Plan Product Development  Sales

29. Signatories’ Decisions to “Buy-in” • Adopt Policy Objectives in Chapter 10 • Assign stakeholder processes to WMI • Integrated Stream Stewardship Planning • Sediment TMDLs, Stream Protection Policy • Floodplain & Riparian Planning/Mapping • National Wildlife Refuge Expansion Planning • Habitat Conservation Planning • General Plans & Specific Plans • Provide additional resources to WMI

30. Signatories’ Steps to Decision • Acknowledge the problem • Accept the value of aligning, coordinating, & integrating plans and policies • Believe that WMI can add value to process • Commit “in concept” to WMI role • Negotiate specific agreements

31. Schedule • August 2: COS group reviews objectives • August 19: Core Group comments on Ch. 10 • August 20: WAPTAG discusses comments • August 23: “Dry run” of presentation to REF • September 4: Regulatory Executive Forum • September 5: Report back to Core Group • September 24: Complete draft distributed

32. Schedule • October 3: Presentation of Complete Draft • October: Core Group comments on draft • December 5: Core Group approval of Watershed Action Plan • Core Group members will take Action Plan back to their agencies with expectation that it will be approved

33. In 2003… • Agency Staff Reports to Boards & Councils • Action Plan is attachment or reference • Agencies adopt policies to: • Approve WMI policy objectives • Engage in WMI stakeholder processes • Provide WMI with funding and resources • Coordinate outreach on WMI issues

34. In 2003, WMI will need to: • Lead and facilitate discussions with agency managers and department heads • Coordinate and assist with staff reports and council/board meetings • Convene & facilitate initial meetings for stakeholder groups

35. Discussion