The north orange county and central orange county watershed management areas (north OC WMA and central OC WMA, respectively), span a heavily urbanized and populated region along the southern…

Federal Grant Award Summary

Orange County Public Works (OC Public Works) received a $376,815 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation under the Cooperative Watershed Management Program (CFDA 15.554), awarded November 28, 2025, with a completion date of September 30, 2028. This award funds the development and implementation of a comprehensive outreach and engagement strategy targeting tribal, disadvantaged community (DAC), and underrepresented stakeholders in the North Orange County and Central Orange County Watershed Management Areas. The project addresses a significant gap in stakeholder connection despite the North Orange County Integrated Regional Water Management Group's nearly two-decade history, working to ensure that future watershed initiatives benefit all community members and align with regional water management objectives.

The funded activities will involve collaborative partnerships with local cities, water and sanitation districts, nongovernmental organizations, community-based organizations, and state and federal agencies to foster meaningful community input on watershed projects and communicate project needs across all stakeholder groups. By engaging these historically underrepresented populations, the project supports the region's watershed management priorities, including water supply reliability, surface water quality protection, ecosystem restoration, flood management integration, quality of life improvements, and climate change adaptation. The engagement strategy is designed to accelerate the North Orange County Integrated Regional Water Management Group's achievement of its water-related goals through enhanced community participation and support.

The north orange county and central orange county watershed management areas (north OC WMA and central OC WMA, respectively), span a heavily urbanized and populated region along the southern california coast (south of LOS angeles and north of SAN diego). Tribal and disadvantaged community (DAC) engagement remains a GAP in stakeholder connection despite the north orange county integrated regional water management group?s (north OC irwm group ? The existing watershed group in the region) nearly 20-year history and prior attempts to connect with these populations. The county seeks to meaningfully engage with tribal, DAC, and other underrepresented groups through the proposed project by developing and implementing a comprehensive and targeted outreach and engagement strategy. The partners involved with this effort will include local cities, water and sanitation districts, nongovernmental organizations, community-based organizations, and state and federal agencies (the other members of the north OC irwm group). Watershed concerns include ensuring adequate and reliable water supply, protecting and enhancing surface water quality, restoring ecosystems and improving native habitat, integrating flood management, improving quality of life, and addressing climate change. The project will help alleviate impacts of these concerns by fostering watershed project input and support from and communicating project needs to all community stakeholders. This will help ensure future watershed projects benefit all community members to the greatest extent possible and help the north OC irwm group achieve their water-related goals faster. Tracking