Russian River Watershed
Association (RRWA)
Overview 2021
April 18, 2023
Andy Rodgers, Executive Director
Formed in 2003, RRWA is a coalition of ten cities, counties and special districts in the Russian River watershed that have come together to coordinate regional programs for
clean water,
habitat restoration
and watershed enhancement.
10 Members
RRWA Structure
Governance: Board of Directors
- Member agency elected officials
Working Group: Technical Working Group
- Member agency staff
Fiscal Agent: City of Ukiah
- Budget – 100% from member agencies
Admin / Management: Memorandum of Understanding
Executive Director & technical staff
Annual Work Plan: Executive Director Services
General Benefit Projects
Special Benefit Projects
The Watershed
Convene
• Board of Director Meetings
• Technical Working Group
Meetings
• Subcommittee Meetings
• O-O-O Meetings
• Collaborator Meetings
• Advocacy Meetings
• Staff Meetings
in a watershed context
Share
• Identify Needs in Common
• Inventory and Leverage Collective Expertise
• Outreach/Education
• Training
• Technical Expertise
• Regulatory Compliance
• Advocacy
• Industry Group Representation
• Grant Applications
• Develop Annual Work Plan
Evolve
• RRWA is always evolving to enhance existing
foundational programs and support
development of new key watershed initiatives:
Adapt
• 2008-2010
• Recession
• 2011-2014
• Driest period in state history (so far..)
• 2015-Present
• Regional MS4 Storm Water Permit
• Extreme weather
• 2017-Present
• Wildfires
• Floods (2019)
• Public Safety Power Shutoffs
• Pandemic
• Drought
Value is > than the
Sum of its Parts
• Harnessing and leveraging in-kind;
• Bridgingwater communications betweenmunicipalities and partners; • Bridging communications between Elected Officials and Staff; and • Collaborating within context of the watershed.
Realizing returns by
• Regional partnership with regulatorsto addressindividual mandates and compliance;
• Consistent and regionally significant messaging;
• Enhance State-wide prospectsfor competitive Grant funds; and • Reputation for neutral role in collaboration.
Track record of successes earns trust
Examples of Member Benefits
The RRWA serves as a
model example for a
successful framework at
collaborating on a
watershed-wide scale.
RRWA Member Benefits –
Annual Refocusing
Regional Collaboration
Regulatory Advocacy
Regulatory Compliance
Grant Support
• Facilitate and staff over 24 meetings
(Board, TWG, Co-Permittee, Subcommittee, and Regional)
• Maintain watershed focused member agency website
• Host/support regional initiatives
• Convene and collaborativelymanage safe medicine and sharps disposal • Attend regionally relevant Water Board hearings
• Prepare and processregulation commentletters
• Quarterly Chair/Vice Chair meetings with Regional Water Board • Department of Water Resources pilot program
• Russian River Regional MonitoringProgram(R3MP)
• Advocate at State and regional level for local interests • Present to and collaboratewith local organizations
• Facilitate event planning and coordination
• Prepare letter and report templatesfor agency use
• Conductregionalstudies and prepare aggregated reports • Host/promotetraining events such as LID
• Convene regional forumsto engage with regulators
• Supportregional outreach programs and initiatives
• Spearhead innovative collaborative strategies
• Monitor grant portals and convene collaboratives
• Communicatewith funding agencies for early engagement • Prepare and processsupport letters for members and partner agencies • Prepare grant applications
• Manage grant funds and reporting
Sponsorships
Outreach
CASQA Membership
& Participation
Member Benefits –
Annual Refocusing (continued)
• Administer sponsorshippayments
• Promoteevents
• Participationin specialized interest groups(CPSC, CASQA, etc) • River/creek cleanups and tabling events
• Mendocino County cleanup
• Friends of Lake Sonoma(Steelhead Festival)
• Russian Riverkeeper
• Daily Acts
• Maintain RRWA website and interactive watershed map
• Administer subconsultantcontracts
• Support development and promotionof programs and events • Maintain socialmedia accounts and presence
• Coordinate and track monthly published articles
• Administer Spanish translations
• Facilitate bulk purchases
• Administer membership and handbookdistribution
• Prepare and staff workshop
• Attend and report out on subcommitteemeetings
• Provide presentations(MS4 collaborative, SonomaWater Ed,
SSU WATERS)
RRWA FY2023/24:
July June
• Work Plan Approved February 23, 2023
• Maintain Structure
− Executive Director Services
− General Benefit Projects
− Special Benefit Project6s
• Total Budget $652,631
• Sebastopol allocation: $37,945 (~5.8%)
RRWA - FY2023/24
Work Plan
• Executive Director Services (all members)
− Board and Technical Working Group – Public meetings
− Communications and coordination
− Project and task management
− Adjustments compared to current year
o Quarterly executive staff meetings
RRWA - FY2023/24
Work Plan
• General Benefit Projects (all members)
• Outreach, Landscaping Programs, Advocacy,
Regulatory Compliance
• Adjustments compared to current year
− Outreach strategies (B.1)
o Town Halls to emphasize adult education and outreach
− Russian River-Friendly Landscape Program (B.2)
o Carbon Gardening videos in English and Spanish
RRWA - FY2023/24
Work Plan
• Special Benefit Projects – Sebastopol Participation
− Stormwater Phase 1 Support (C.2)
o LID Annual Training
o Update LID Manual and/or Calculator
− Lower Watershed Monitoring Plan (C.3)
o Lower Watershed Stormwater Quality Monitoring and Reporting Plan Implementation
− Regional Coordination - Safe Medicine Disposal Program (C.8) o Coordination with regional partners, development of outreach materials − Streets to Creeks (C.10)
o Support further development of the Streets to Creeks
outreach campaign and campaign materials
Contact US
Website:
Email:
Phone:
www.rrwatershed.org
[email protected]
707-508-3670
Mailing Addresses: Mendocino County Sonoma County
300 Seminary Avenue 2235 Mercury Way
Ukiah, CA 95482 Suite 105
Santa Rosa CA, 95407
www.facebook.com/RRWatershed
@russianriverwatershed
www.rrwatershed.org
www.youtube.com/@russianriverwatershedassoc7803
Russian River Watershed Association