OUR PARTNERS

IERCD PARTNERS AND AFFILIATES

The Inland Empire Resource Conservation District partners with many different local, county, state and federal groups in addressing the conservation of soil, water and other related resources within the district. In particular, the district has formed strong partnerships with both the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Santa Ana Watershed Association, of which it is a member.

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service:

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has always played an integral role in resource conservation districts. Formerly known as the Soil Conservation Service, or SCS, it was formed during the dust bowl of the 1930's to alleviate tremendous losses of soil productivity. The Soil Conservation Service quickly used the establishment of resource conservation districts as a way to provide technical assistance to landowners, in order to conserve soil and prevent erosion. The Natural Resources Conservation Service of today still works hand in hand with resource conservation districts, providing assistance with the conservation of all resources, not just soil. The NRCS assists local conservation districts by providing technical assistance in various forms, including conservation planning and engineering. The Inland Empire RCD and the Redlands area Natural Resources Conservation Service share a local field office, making the partnership more efficient and even stronger.

The Santa Ana Watershed Association:

The Inland Empire RCD also maintains a special partnership with the Santa Ana Watershed Association or SAWA, of which they are a member organization. SAWA is a 501 (C) (3) nonprofit organization with the purpose of reducing the threat of invasive species on native habitat while protecting endangered species within the Santa Ana Watershed. SAWA is comprised of the Inland Empire RCD, the San Jacinto Basin RCD (SJBRCD), the Riverside-Corona RCD (RCRCD), the Orange County Water District (OCWD), and the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Each of the districts that comprise SAWA work to eradicate non-native species from within their boundaries. The Santa Ana Watershed Association provides the funding for the removal, while each separate district is responsible for the actual removal. SAWA also has a staff of biologists who monitor the various removal sites and provide quality assurance.

The Land Trust Alliance:

The Land Trust Alliance or LTA is a national agency that represents more than 1600 different land trusts across America. The LTA is a leader in promoting the voluntary conservation of private land in the country. The Inland Empire RCD is a member of the Land Trust Alliance and shares the goal of encouraging private land conservation to benefit communities and natural systems across the nation and within the district boundaries.

California Association of Resource Conservation Districts:

The California Association of Resource Conservation Districts (CARCD) is a voluntary association whose primary goal is to provide a unified means for California Resource Conservation Districts to meet major conservation goals. Inland Empire Resource Conservation District is a proud member of CARCD.

CSUSB Water Resources Institute

The Water Resources Institute was established on the campus of the California State University at San Bernardino in 1999, in an effort to highlight the increasing importance of preserving and enhancing regional water quality and supply. The WRI began with the support of several “Founder Agencies,” including the Inland Empire Utilities Agency, the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District, and the West Valley Water District, which allowed the organization to hire staff and fund research projects. Currently, the WRI is in the process of developing and maintaining a Watershed Decision Support System which assists regional agencies in making policy choices that involve evaluating each at a watershed-level scale. The IERCD participates in the WRI-led Lytle Creek Watershed Action Program, which aims to improve the quality and quantity of water in the Lytle Creek area through a combination of outreach and education.

The Yucaipa Valley Water District:

The Yucaipa Valley Water District provides water services to residential, commercial and industrial customers. In addition to water service, the District also provides wastewater and recycled water services for the Yucaipa and Calimesa areas. The District is currently partnering with the Inland Empire Resource Conservation District to provide Water Use Efficiency Education to students within its service area in order to promote the importance of water and ways to conserve it. To learn more about the Water Use Efficiency Program or how to book a program at your school, please visit the education page.

The San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District:

The San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District was created to provide to plan a long range water supply for the San Bernardino Valley. It provides water, as well as wastewater and storm water disposal, recreation, and fire protection services, but does not provide water directly to retail water consumers. The San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District is also partnering with the Inland Empire Resource Conservation District to provide Water Use Efficiency Education to students in the cities of San Bernardino, Colton, Loma Linda, Redlands, East Highland, Rialto, Bloomington, Highland, Mentone and Grand Terrace. This is in an effort to promote the importance of water and ways to conserve it. For more information on the Water Use Efficiency Program, or how to book a program at your school, please see the education page.

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UPDATED 03/25/2009 08:58:01 AM