Resources & Development Management Department
Web site: http://www.ocrdmd.com/

The primary mission of the Resources & Development Management Department (RDMD) is to provide, operate, and maintain quality public facilities and regional resources for the people of Orange County. Created in 1997, RDMD provides services on a regional basis to unincorporated areas, and to other County agencies and departments.

RDMD’s Strategic Goals are:

• Provide Regional Flood Protection for Orange County
• Provide Regional Recreational Facilities and Manage Historical and Natural Resources
• Enforce State-Mandated Agricultural and Pesticide Regulations, and Weights and Measure Programs Within Orange County
• Construct, Maintain and Manage the Road System in Unincorporated Orange County
• Provide Facility Operations and Maintenance, Transportation Services and Publishing Services, Capital Project Management.
• Develop Regional Management Strategies To Preserve, Protect, And Enhance Coastal Resources And Surface Waters Throughout Orange County
  

Watershed & Coastal Resources Division
Web site: http://www.ocwatersheds.com

• Upon execution of agreements with the Corps of Engineers and local co-sponsors, serve as the lead agency for the County of Orange on Watershed Feasibility Studies
• Lead agency for the County of Orange on municipal stormwater (NPDES) program
• Lead agency for the County of Orange on implementing solutions to stormwater, watershed, water quality, and ecosystem restoration problems

Watershed Planning Unit

• Point of contact for all local agencies and stakeholders for Watershed Feasibility Studies
• Coordinates division activities within each watershed

Capital Projects Unit

Implements for stormwater, watershed, water quality, and ecosystem restoration projects

Environmental Resources Section

This section is comprised of three units: Environmental Studies Unit, Stormwater Unit, and Water Quality Unit.

Environmental Studies Unit

Sediment Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Compliance in the Newport Bay-San Diego Creek Watershed
Newport Bay is one of the most important environmental and recreational resources in Orange County, but is listed as impaired for excess sediment on the Clean Water Act Section 303(d) list.

In 1998, the State, through the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB), approved a TMDL for sediment through an amendment to its Water Quality Control Plan (Basin Plan). The TMDL is intended to remove the impairment in Newport Bay by allocating responsibility to sources for reducing the amount of sediment released.

The TMDL calls for a reduction of the current sediment load by 50% over a ten-year period through 2008 and establishes targets for improvement in the Bay itself. Subsequently, in 1999, the RWQCB adopted a further order that requires monitoring and reporting in accordance with the sediment TMDL.

The County of Orange, The Irvine Company, and the cities of Irvine, Lake Forest, Newport Beach, and Tustin are coordinating on a program to comply with the sediment TMDL. This involves maintenance of existing sediment control structures and the development of new ones to meet the loading reduction; implementation of sediment source control measures; and monitoring of progress towards compliance with the TMDL.

A sediment TMDL compliance report is prepared annually and is available through this web site.

County Land Acquisition - Hazardous Materials Assessments
The County is one of the largest owners of land in Orange County. Each year, new land is acquired through acquisitions or dedications. The Board of Supervisors requires assessments of these properties prior to acquisition in order to ensure that they are free of contamination. Hazardous Materials Assessments, also known as Phase I Environmental Site Assessments, include historical research, site inspections, review of regulatory agency databases, interviews, and an area reconnaissance.

Hydrologic & Meteorologic Data Management
The County, with its infrastructure of regional parks, roads, and over 350 miles of flood control channels and other facilities, has placed a top priority on predicting flood events and reacting in a timely manner to areas of flooding and severe soil erosion.

The ALERT (Automated Local Evaluation in Real Time) Flood Detection System consists of a network of over 100 rainfall and flood control and reservoir-level sensors strategically located throughout Orange County. The ALERT system transmits data via radio transmission to the County's base station computer, which allows for real time monitoring of storm conditions. Satellite and radar storm tracking provided by the National Weather Service (NWS), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), and a contract meteorologist support the ALERT network.
A hydrologic data report is prepared annually and is available for review on this web site.

Lake Management
Lakes in County Regional Parks provide an aesthetic and recreational benefit to the public and are considered jewels within the park system. To ensure the beneficial uses of the lakes are maintained, a lake management program has been established. The program consists of water quality monitoring, algae and aquatic weed growth mitigation, and coordinating fish stockings with the State Department of Fish and Game.

Health Care Agency - Environmental Health Division
Web site: http://www.ochealthinfo.com/
Web site: http://www.ochealthinfo.com/regulatory/environ.htm

• Environmental Health Division monitors for and corrects harmful conditions in the environment in order to protect public health and promote the well being of all Orange County residents, workers, and visitors.
• The Water Quality Section operates the Ocean Water Protection Program, which ensures that all public recreational waters meet applicable water quality standards for swimming and shellfish harvesting. It routinely:
  • Conducts microbial monitoring of ocean waters
  • Responds to sewage spills and other unauthorized discharges of waste
  • Closes ocean and bay waters
  • Posts warning signs
  • Responds to illness complaints
  • Issues health advisories
  • Runs the Ocean & Bay Water Closure and Posting Hotline for ocean and bay waters in Orange County: 714-433-6400

Planning & Development Services
Web site: http://www.ocplanning.net/

• Regulates land use development in unincorporated areas of Orange County in accordance with adopted plans and codes
• Sets standards for new development that help maintain good water quality
• Enforces land use codes and standards that violate water quality standards

District Attorney - Criminal Division - Consumer & Environmental Protection

Investigates and prosecutes criminal violations of laws protecting water quality and the environment

Stormwater Unit

Water Pollution Investigations and Spill Abatement
Spills of chemicals, both accidental and occasionally otherwise occur throughout Orange County. While many are small and are easily cleaned up, such as fuel spills from accidents, others which have greater potential for harm also occur. The San Diego fuel pipeline rupture of 1985, the American Trader oil spill of 1989 and the Brea tire factory fire of 1996 are examples of this type.
Environmental Resources staff are available 24 hours a day to respond to, investigate and abate the effects of spills. While the primary goal is the protection of the environment, investigations may, in some instances, lead to prosecution. To report a spill to our office use the phone numbers above or submit a report form online at: http://www.ocwatershed/wqhotline/wqh_reporting.com

Countywide Stormwater Quality Program
The 1987 Water Quality Act holds municipalities responsible for the urban sources of pollutants that are discharged through their storm drains. To reduce or eliminate sources of pollutants in Orange County, Environmental Resources coordinates the efforts of the County, the Orange County Flood Control District and the 31 cities. Specific countywide water quality protection initiatives that have been implemented under the auspices of the Orange County Stormwater Program include public education (e.g. No Dumping Drains to Ocean stenciled on 28,000 catchbasins); extensive monitoring of creeks, channels, bays, and harbors; intensive inspections of illicit connections; water quality protections requirements for all new developments; and the adoption in 1997 of a new water quality ordinance to support program implementation.

Orange County Stormwater Program Drainage Area Management Plan (DAMP)
As a result of the Third Term NPDES Municipal Stormwater Permits for Orange County, adopted by the Santa Ana and San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Boards in early 2002, the cities and County (collectively called Permittees) have enhanced existing program elements and developed additional ones and have updated the draft 2000 Drainage Area Management Plan (DAMP) as the 2003 DAMP.

The DAMP has been redesigned to serve as the foundation for a series of model programs, local implementation plans, and watershed implementation plans rather than a single document as in the past. The DAMP was developed through a process that involved public and private sector input and pubic review through the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process.

The DAMP can be found at: http://www.ocwatersheds.com/StormWater/documents_damp.asp. For general questions and comments on the DAMP, please contact Richard Boon of the County of Orange, Watershed and Coastal Resources Division.

Countywide Water Quality Monitoring

In order to better protect Orange County's rivers, creeks, bays, and estuaries, water quality monitoring is conducted throughout the year, with emphasis on chemical constituents in stormwater runoff. Storms are of particular interest because that is the time when most pollutants are washed out of the air and off the land into the waters of Orange County. All runoff from our streets eventually ends up in places like Newport Bay, Dana Point Harbor, the Bolsa Chica wetlands and the Pacific ocean but unlike sewage it receives no treatment. The intent of the monitoring program is to evaluate the impacts of stormwater and urban runoff on these receiving waters and the effectiveness of water quality control practices.

Engineering and Project Management Section

This section is comprised of two units: the Watershed Planning Unit and the Capital Projects Unit.