About SARWA: Objectives

Earth Resource Foundation (ERF) received grant funding from Proposition 12 to create and implement the Santa Ana River Watershed Alliance. ERF is a 501 (c)3 public benefit corporation which relies upon donations and support from the community for its general operations as well as grants, both public and private. These major goals and objectives listed in the grant funding include:

Watershed Goal #1: Improve Watershed Management Plan
	Objective #1: Facilitate the development of a stakeholder-based watershed group for the major local watersheds. The watershed groups will serve as the forums for establishing watershed management goals and pursuing restoration efforts that are supported by the stakeholders. Objective #2: Create opportunities to experience the creek through nature walks, historical sites, planting parties, clean up days, adopt-a-trails, volunteer monitoring, and bus tours for elected officials. Objective #3: Building on past studies, develop a stakeholder-supported watershed assessment and restoration plan for the “pilot watershed” Santiago Creek. The plan will establish watershed goals (e.g., reliable water supply, improved water quality, restored ecological habitat, recovered steelhead trout populations, etc.), assess watershed conditions and problems, and identify a prioritized set of restoration projects to address existing problems. Stakeholder input and participation through each phase of developing the plan will be facilitated through regular watershed group meetings.
Watershed Goal #2: Ecosystem Restoration/Maintenance Objectives
	Objective #1: Implement measures to restore natural wetlands. Objective #2: Implement measures to reduce discharge of nutrients, pesticides, herbicides, chlorine, fecal bacteria and trash. Objective #3: Promote physical preservation and restoration activities.
Watershed Goal #3: Water Use Efficiency – Reduce dependence on imported water.
	Objective #1: Improve water use practices by commercial users. Objective #2: Improve water use practices by residential users.
Watershed Goal #4: Educational and Cooperative Objectives
	Objective #1: Build local capacity for stakeholders in the Santa Ana Watershed – Increase awareness of the creek as a resource and community participation. Objective #2: Raise awareness of water quality and its relation to natural resources through hands on education – water analysis, collection of micro-organisms and participation in conservation/preservation activities. Objective #3: Promote compatible development along the creek.