Regional Capacity Building Grant Program
LWI Watershed Regions
Overview
The Regional Capacity Building Grant Program is designed to help the state’s nine provisional watershed regions build staff capacity for regional watershed management, as well as provide technical assistance to municipal partners throughout each region. The goal of the program is to support strong and effective governance for each watershed region and ensure each region operates in a way that maximizes flood risk reduction efforts and project funds as they become available.
PHASE 1: $400,000 GRANTS PER WATERSHED REGION
Phase 1 supports initial efforts to build staff capacity and regional coordination. Regions formed temporary regional steering committees, which developed work plans and made recommendations for long-term watershed coalitions.
PHASE 2: $800,000 GRANTS PER WATERSHED REGION
Phase 2 supports continued regional watershed-based floodplain management, project development and enhanced coordination to more effectively reduce long-term flood risk. Regions will implement long-term watershed coalitions, develop regional flood risk reduction strategies, implement resilience standards and coordinate project funds to advance steering committee recommendations.
Regional Watershed Management Resources
View the resources below for more information and research into regional watershed management and the creation of the Louisiana Watershed Initiative, which will help inform long-term decision making.
- Regional Steering Committee Recommendations Overview
LWI’s regional steering committees submitted recommendations to guide long-term regional watershed management and create a statewide framework for flood risk reduction. This document provides a comprehensive overview of those recommendations. The documents below provide the provisional and final recommendations from each watershed region.
Provisional Regional Steering Committee Recommendations - Feb. 25, 2021
Final Regional Steering Committee Recommendations - Aug. 5, 2021 - Strategies for Funding Watershed Management and Flood Risk Reduction-White Paper
This paper provides a comprehensive examination of the various long term funding mechanisms available to support regional watershed management and flood risk reduction. The presentation below summarizes the key takeaways of the research.
Strategies for Funding Watershed Management and Flood Risk Reduction-Presentation - Regional Watershed Management Webinar - Oct. 14, 2020
LWI hosted a regional watershed management webinar to explore nationwide approaches to regional flooding and water management challenges.
- Regional Watershed Management Guidebook
The guidebook explores existing entities in each watershed region that perform watershed management functions, including their authorities and jurisdictions.
- RCBG Governance Exercises Briefing Book
The briefing book introduces the goals of the regional governance exercises and references previous regional watershed management research and efforts.
- Provisional Watershed Regions
The Council on Watershed Management approved eight provisional watershed regions in August 2019, establishing a framework for regional coordination of LWI activities.
- Phase 1 Report
The report outlines efforts completed in Phase 1 and a path forward for the development of the Louisiana Watershed Initiative and regional watershed management.
- Senate Resolution 172 Response
The SR 172 response provides strategic areas of focus for LWI and recommendations for regional watershed management statewide.