INTRODUCTION

     The Watershed Conservation Authority (WCA) was created April 17, 2003. It is a joint powers entity of the Rivers and Mountains Conservancy (RMC) and the Los Angeles County Flood Control District (LACFCD). The Los Angeles County Supervisors serve as the board of the LACFCD which is administered by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works (LACDPW).
     The WCA is effectively a partnership between the RMC and Los Angeles County in order to conduct joint projects. The choice of projects, however, will be determined by the RMC board.
     The Board of the WCA consists of eight voting members and one non-voting member. Four voting members are from the RMC board (one of whom shall be from Orange County) and four voting members from the LACFCD board. The Director of the LACDPW is the non-voting, ex officio member.
     At the time the WCA was created, the RMC was looking primarily at projects that could be conducted in concert with the LACFCD within Los Angeles County. There were no joint projects being considered that fell within Orange County. The WCA, however, will not undertake a project within Orange County without Orange County participation.
     The focus of the WCA is on projects which will provide open space, habitat restoration, and watershed improvement projects in the watersheds of both the San Gabriel River and the Lower Los Angeles River. The use of a joint powers agency is considered the most effective and efficient method of conducting the joint projects. Joint powers agencies have been very successful in leveraging funding and implementing projects which serve the purposes of each member agency.