The Partnership

The North Coast Resource Partnership (NCRP) is a long term, innovative and successful collaboration among Northern California Tribes, counties, and diverse stakeholders. The NCRP region covers over 19,000 square miles – 12% of the California landscape – and includes the Tribal lands and the counties of Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino, Modoc, Siskiyou, Sonoma and Trinity.

Leadership, governance, policy and decision making is provided by the NCRP Leadership Council (LC). Scientific and technical review is provided by the Technical Peer Review Committee (TPRC).

The Policies and Procedures Handbook – a “living document” – documents the approved institutional processes and protocols of the NCRP.

NCRP Policies & Procedures Handbook, 2024

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Since 2004, the partnership has engaged in collaborative, integrated planning and project implementation, investing over $98 million in hundreds of projects that benefit the North Coast Region’s communities and watersheds. The NCRP places a strong emphasis on local autonomy, leadership by locally elected Tribal and county representatives, the enhancement of natural and working landscapes, and resolution of failing water and wastewater infrastructure. The partnership has a long term focus on addressing the needs of economically disadvantaged communities – including measurable improvements in clean drinking water, healthy ecosystems and communities.

In addition to local and Tribal governments, active partners and stakeholders include water and wastewater service providers, NGOs, watershed groups, resource conservation districts, private landowners, businesses, cities, special districts, federal, state and local agencies, environmental and agricultural groups.

How We Work

How We Work

The North Coast Resource Partnership works collaboratively across a large and diverse region to achieve positive outcomes for communities as well as working and natural landscapes. The partnership is led by a Leadership Council comprised of elected officials from Tribes and counties, relies on scientific and technical review from staff and a Technical Peer Review Committee, and is informed by a broad and diverse stakeholder community. The partnership is committed to transparency and community engagement, to enhancing the health and vitality of economically disadvantaged communities, to achieving measurable, on-the-ground benefits for the region, and to working collaboratively with local, regional, state and federal partners. The NCRP acts as a nexus between statewide and local planning efforts.

For a current list of members, see the NCRP Leadership Council, Technical Peer Review Committee, Executive & Ad Hoc Committee Membership webpage.

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How We Work

The NCRP is a collaboration among Tribes, local, state and federal government, watershed groups, private landowners, business, and other partners in California’s North Coast. Since 2004, the NCRP and its partners have invested over $110 million in the region, and leveraged this funding with matching funds totaling over $180 million. This collaboration has voluntarily invested time and resources to meet together for over 18 years. This long term commitment to working together towards what is best for the region – not just the individual county or Tribe – has resulted in a diverse partnership that is respected for its fair, transparent, equitable and effective approach to strategic planning and project implementation.

The NCRP is by design a voluntary, non-regulatory, stakeholder-driven planning framework that emphasizes shared priorities, local knowledge and local autonomy. The NCRP is driven by a philosophy of inclusion, engagement and equity, and places a strong emphasis on local capacity building, and the effective and efficient expenditure of funds towards on the ground outcomes.

The NCRP is led by locally elected county and Tribal officials from the following North Coast counties: Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino, Modoc, Siskiyou, Sonoma and Trinity. This local, representative leadership approach ensures transparency and inclusion at the regional scale. Leadership, governance, policy and decision making is provided by the NCRP Leadership Council (formerly the Policy Review Panel). The Leadership Council consists of two representatives appointed by each County’s Board of Supervisors and three Tribal Representatives appointed by North Coast Tribes as outlined in the ‘Tribal Representation Process’ described in the NCRP Policies & Procedures Handbook, 2024 and NCRP Tribal Representation webpage.

Scientific and technical review is provided by the Technical Peer Review Committee (TPRC), project staff, consultants, and the stakeholders within the North Coast Region. The TPRC is comprised of technical experts appointed by each County’s Board of Supervisors and Tribal representatives. The TPRC reviews and evaluates the development of NCRP Plans and proposed projects based on technical and selection criteria approved by the Leadership Council.

Mission and Guiding Principles

The North Coast Resource Partnership’s mission is to enhance the watersheds and communities of the North Coast region through collaborative, multi–objective planning and project implementation led by Tribes and counties. The Memorandum of Mutual Understanding (MOMU) is intended to document long term understandings of the principles and goals of the NCRP.

NCRP MEMORANDUM OF MUTUAL UNDERSTANDINGS

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North Coast Resource Partnership Guiding Principles

All NCRP actions and processes are guided by the following principles:

  • Local leadership and governance – collaborative Tribal and county direction and decision making
  • Transparency in all actions – meetings, decisions, planning and project selection
  • Local knowledge and local autonomy – one size does not fit all
  • Focus on common ground for the enhancement of all communities and watersheds
  • Equity and fairness in governance, engagement, participation, and all decisions and actions
  • Acknowledge Tribes as sovereign nations and support meaningful Tribal consultation
  • Focus on increasing investments and quality of life in economically disadvantaged communities
  • Use the best available information, science and data to prioritize investments
  • Align with and synchronize local, state, federal, Tribal priorities
  • Integrate multiple goals and objectives into all activities
  • All planning and capacity building focused on outcomes on the ground
  • Attract and leverage funding for the region, and use all funding effectively
  • Communicate and amplify the importance of the North Coast Region and the need for investment

Goals and Strategies

The goals of the North Coast Resource Partnership are focused on achieving outcomes on the ground for North Coast communities and watersheds. The Partnership embraces a set of integrated goals related to water quality and supply, ecosystem function, economic vitality, collaboration, climate adaptation and energy independence, and the health and safety of our communities. Strategies used to attain these goals include using the best available data and science to inform decision making, relying on local knowledge and expertise, actively collaborating with diverse stakeholders, engaging in multi-objective, integrated planning and adaptive management, leveraging funding, accounting for benefits to economically disadvantaged communities, and ensuring project effectiveness by monitoring and economic valuation.

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The NCRP's Goals and Objectives

GOAL 1: SHARED VISION THROUGH INCLUSIVE, MULTI-BENEFIT REGIONAL PLANNING

Objective 1 – Develop, Collect and Analyze Data at a Variety of Spatial Scales to Inform Priority Projects/Actions

Objective 2 – Engage with Regional Partners to Inform High Quality Planning and Implementation

Objective 3 – Integrate indigenous science and Traditional Ecological Knowledge in collaboration with Tribes to incorporate these practices into North Coast Projects and Plans

Objective 4 – Respect Tribal Sovereignty, Local Autonomy and Local Knowledge in NCRP Planning and Implementation

Objective 5 – Work across Jurisdictional Boundaries to Achieve Common Objectives Effectively and Efficiently

GOAL 2: HEALTHY ECOSYSTEMS, HABITATS AND SPECIES

Objective 6 – Conserve and Restore Salmonid Habitats and Ecosystems

Objective 7 – Conserve, Enhance and Restore Watersheds and Ecosystems that Support Biological Diversity

GOAL 3: REDUCED OR AVOIDED EMISSIONS AND ENERGY INDEPENDENCE

Objective 8 – Avoid Emissions via Land Management and Policies

Objective 9 – Promote Local Energy Independence, Water/ Energy Use Efficiency and Infrastructure Enhancements

Objective 10 – Protect and Enhance Forest Based Carbon

GOAL 4: CLEAN AND ABUNDANT WATER FOR HUMAN COMMUNITIES

Objective 11 – Ensure Water Supply Reliability and Quality

Objective 12 – Protect and Enhance Groundwater Resources

Objective 13 – Improve Drinking Water Quality and Water Related Infrastructure to Protect Public Health

Objective 14 – Protect and Enhance Watersheds and Ecosystems that Provide Water Quality and Supply Benefits

GOAL 5: HEALTHY, SAFE AND RESILIENT COMMUNITIES

Objective 15 – Address Climate Change and Extreme Event Effects, Impacts and Vulnerabilities

GOAL 6: VITAL AND SUSTAINABLE LOCAL ECONOMIES

Objective 16 – Document and Share the Sustainable Economic Benefits of Working Landscapes and Natural Areas

Objective 17 – Ensure that Disadvantaged and Underrepresented Communities Benefit from Initiatives

Objective 18 – Prioritize Plans, Projects and Actions that Result in Long Term Sustainability of Jobs & Revenues

 

Impacts and Outcomes

The NCRP believes in return on investment and the effective use of limited taxpayer dollars. Since its inception, the partnership has placed a strong emphasis on measurable, on-the-ground outcomes for communities and the region’s working and natural landscapes; impacts that flow to the North Coast region as well as to other parts of California and the nation. We document the benefits from NCRP projects, including outcomes to the health of our watersheds and salmon fisheries, enhancements to water quality and supply, local economic development, energy efficiency and climate change solutions.

Download - NCRP Dashboard of Outcomes

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Impacts and Outcomes

The NCRP and its partners have made long term investments in the North Coast region of California. For over twelve years, these investments of time, resources, collaboration and money have resulted in significant dividends to North Coast communities and landscapes – in terms of quality of life, sustainable agriculture, resiliency of natural ecosystems, habitats and species, cultural vitality, public health and economic well-being. The NCRP has awarded over $65 M in project funding with over 87% ($53 M) of that funding contributing towards resolving issues related to safe, reliable drinking water and water quality issues in disadvantaged communities, while also achieving objectives related to climate change and ecosystem health. In addition, over 15% of the total IRWM project implementation funding has directly benefited North Coast Tribal communities.

Here is an overview of the impact our projects to date have had:

  • 145 of projects use local labor and create over 615 jobs.
  • 90% of projects benefit economically disadvantaged communities.
  • 45% protect the agricultural and resource-dependent heritage of farmers, ranchers and Tribes.
  • 42% of projects protect/ enhance instream flows, providing between $86 – $147 M dollars in benefits for environmental, agricultural, and municipal purposes.
  • 53% of projects avoid TMDL enforcement and/or additional water quality projects by decreasing sediment, nutrient, or pathogen loads or increases to instream flows; the economic benefit is $52 – $60 M.
  • Over 6.4 M cubic yards of sediment removed or stabilized and over 180 miles of road decommissioned or upgraded; the economic benefit is $50 – $58 million.
  • Water supply reliability and conservation projects save nearly 1.5 M gallons of water per day; providing an economic benefit of $27 – $36 M.
  • 63% of projects protect or enhance North Coast salmonid fisheries providing an economic benefit of $23 – $114 M.
  • Twelve projects improve fish passage by opening 87 miles of instream habitat for spawning and rearing.

30 projects have habitat restoration components:

  • Installing 82 K native plants
  • Restoring over 1,118 acres of riparian, wetland, or upland habitat
  • Enhance 17 miles of streams
  • The monetary benefits are valued at $100 – $200 million

Meetings and Workshops

The NCRP Leadership Council and Technical Peer Review Committee Quarterly Meetings are held quarterly. Workshops, Input Sessions, and Strategic Planning Meetings are also held occasionally with staff, partners and stakeholders. Dates, agendas, and meeting materials can be found at the links below, in addition to a sign up form to receive email updates on news and events from the North Coast Resource Partnership.

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UPCOMING

Please Join Us in 2025!

The next North Coast Resource Partnership Quarterly Meeting will be a two-day meeting:

  • January 28 & 29, 2025 in Santa Rosa, Sonoma County – Climate Change focus

Visit the North Coast Resource Partnership Meetings and Workshops webpage for agendas, meeting materials, presentations, recordings and summaries of all meetings.

Please sign up below to receive news and updates on events and other content from the North Coast Resource Partnership.

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