In 2005, the Inland Empire was experiencing a development boom with new housing tracts, industrial complexes, and rapid urban growth. Garry Brown, founder of Orange County Coastkeeper, knew how explosive growth often negatively impacts water quality and decided to establish Inland Empire Waterkeeper to give our region a strong, local voice for clean water.
One of our earliest successes was restoring a tributary to the Tequesquite Arroyo and Sycamore Creek, reconnecting natural waterways and reviving native habitats for local wildlife. That hands-on, restoration-focused work set the tone for our organization and echoes through our work today. For twenty years, IE Waterkeeper has been led and operated by homegrown Inland Empire clean water advocates.
Now, as we celebrate our 20th anniversary, we’re looking to the future with a revitalized mission:
to protect water quality and promote watershed resilience in the Upper Santa Ana River Watershed
Our programs in education, advocacy, research, restoration, and enforcement remain the same, but we’re sharpening our focus on watershed resilience in the face of the climate crisis and the growing threat of extreme heat.
That’s why we’re launching a new core program called Building Resilient and Empowering Zones for Everyone (BREZE). Built from two years of outreach work with the State of California’s Office of Strategic Partnerships and Outreach, BREZE brings extreme heat education and preparedness to Inland Empire communities. Extreme heat isn’t just a public health concern; it also impacts the health of our watershed, from water temperature to habitat stability. BREZE is made possible through funding from the Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program, managed by the California Governor’s Office.
From connecting students to their river through our River KATS field trips, to cleaning up the Santa Ana River and its tributaries, to holding polluters accountable through Clean Water Act enforcement, our work has always been about protecting the place we call home.
We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished over the past two decades, and we’re just getting started. Thank you to our volunteers, partners, and supporters for making these 20 years possible. Together, we’ll meet the challenges ahead and keep the Upper Santa Ana River Watershed thriving for the next generation.