Welcome to the Sierra Water Workgroup |
The Sierra Water Workgroup's mission is to assist regional efforts to protect and enhance water quality, water supply, and watershed health; to develop cooperative regional responses; and to facilitate reinvestment in our watersheds and water resources by all beneficiaries.
Please click here to make a secure online donation to SWWG.
The Sacramento River Watershed Council serves as our fiscal sponsor.
Please click here to make a secure online donation to SWWG.
The Sacramento River Watershed Council serves as our fiscal sponsor.
Watershed Management GIS Apps
Sierra Water Workgroup has launched a series of watershed management GIS apps
with and for Sierra Nevada IRWM regions and their stakeholders:
Tahoe-Sierra IRWM App
Yosemite-Mariposa IRWM App
CABY IRWM App
Upper Sacramento River IRWM App
The Inyo-Mono IRWM App
with and for Sierra Nevada IRWM regions and their stakeholders:
Tahoe-Sierra IRWM App
Yosemite-Mariposa IRWM App
CABY IRWM App
Upper Sacramento River IRWM App
The Inyo-Mono IRWM App
All photos above were provided by Jim Delso. To see more of his inspiring work, visit www.jdelsophotography.com.
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The group addresses water issues of concern to the Sierra by:
• Coordinating amongst local and regional water plans; • Exchanging information and tools for water and watershed management amongst stakeholders in the region; • Serving as an information source regarding state and federal water policy issues for local governments, nonprofits, and other stakeholders; • Raising the profile of the Sierra to increase private, state and federal funding opportunities; and • Advocating for Sierra water issues in state and federal legislative and administrative forums. |
Background on SWWG
In 2009, a small group of individuals representing foothill water agencies and Sierra environmental groups met to discuss inter-regional cooperation amongst the existing and newly forming Integrated Regional Water Management Planning (IRWMP) groups in the Sierra. Other regional organization such as the Mountain Counties Water Resource Association, Cosumnes, American, Bear and Yuba (CABY) region, and Sierra Nevada Conservancy were all discussed as optional venues to serve this need. However, no organization met all the criteria of: multi-stakeholder representation, wide geographic scope, unbiased reputation, flexible, and with the ability to promote on behalf of the Sierra. The Sierra Water Workgroup (SWWG) continued to meet over the last two years, and decided to formalize the membership through a charter in 2011.
Geographic Boundary

Aerial of Sierra Nevada near Mono Lake
Early in the process the SWWG decided to adopt the geographic boundary that was agreed upon in statute by the California Legislature when the Sierra Nevada Conservancy was formed. The only significant difference is the SWWG boundary includes the Tahoe Basin. All or part of 22 counties make up the Sierra Nevada Region and are organized into six sub-regions:
North: Modoc, Lassen, Shasta Counties;
North Central: Tehama, Butte, Plumas, Sierra Counties;
Central: Yuba, Nevada, Placer, El Dorado Counties;
South Central: Amador, Calaveras, Tuolumne, Mariposa Counties; South: Madera, Fresno, Tulare, Kern Counties;
East: Alpine, Mono, Inyo Counties.
Click here for a map of the SNC boundary overlayed by the 12 Sierra IRWM region boundaries.
North: Modoc, Lassen, Shasta Counties;
North Central: Tehama, Butte, Plumas, Sierra Counties;
Central: Yuba, Nevada, Placer, El Dorado Counties;
South Central: Amador, Calaveras, Tuolumne, Mariposa Counties; South: Madera, Fresno, Tulare, Kern Counties;
East: Alpine, Mono, Inyo Counties.
Click here for a map of the SNC boundary overlayed by the 12 Sierra IRWM region boundaries.