About El Dorado Water Agency

Achieving water sustainability for future generations through water resources planning

Working closely with local, regional, state, and federal partners, El Dorado Water Agency uses an integrated water management approach to ensure the county has reliable, accessible, and affordable water to meet urban and agricultural water supply needs. The Agency’s water resource planning is designed to maintain economic prosperity, protect the environment, and support the rural-agricultural way of life.

See vision fact sheet(PDF, 267KB)

Working to secure our collective water future

We collaborate with water entities to develop local water supplies and resource management strategies to proactively address long-term water supply reliability, climate resiliency, and regulatory requirements. Our role and responsibilities in countywide water resource development and management are designed to fulfill the county’s General Plan. The Agency does not own any water facilities nor provide water supply directly to any water users.

The Agency’s foundational policy documents include the 1959 Act, which empowers the Agency to develop and manage water resources countywide. Below are key elements of the 1959 Act:(PDF, 4MB)

Secure water supplies and infrastructure

Improve drought preparedness

Manage stormwater resources

Provide flood protection

Enhance the watershed health to improve resiliency including water quality, fire risk, and climate adaptation

Implementation of the Act is outlined in EDWA’s 2026-2030 Strategic Plan (SP30+)(PDF, 4MB) and the Water Resources Development and Management Plan.(PDF, 12MB)

Core Values

Serve Countywide

Be the steward of headwater resources for countywide needs, our preferred rural-agricultural way of life, and its statewide significance

Proactive and Innovative

Elevate countywide water resources development and management with proactivity and innovation

Collaborate for Success

Commit to the shared responsibility to cooperate and collaborate with our partners for better outcomes

Fiscally Forward

Assert responsible, forward-thinking financial management to support the Water Agency's mission and implementation

Focused and Adaptive

Stay focused on the Water Agency's goals and objectives with agility and flexibility for adapting changes

Our Vision

Be the leader to develop a countywide resilient and affordable water future that is plentiful for our needs, consistent with the County General Plan, and based on principles of integrated water resources management and collaborative implementation.

About EDWA