BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 846|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 846
Author: Berryhill (R)
Amended: 5/3/11
Vote: 21
SENATE NATURAL RESOURCES AND WATER COMM : 9-0, 04/26/11
AYES: Pavley, La Malfa, Cannella, Evans, Fuller, Kehoe,
Padilla, Simitian, Wolk
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 8-0, 05/16/11
AYES: Kehoe, Alquist, Emmerson, Lieu, Pavley, Price,
Runner, Steinberg
NO VOTE RECORDED: Walters
SUBJECT : California Water Plan: water data
SOURCE : Northern California Water Association
DIGEST : This bill requires the Department of Water
Resources (DWR) to include in The California Water Plan an
assessment of the states water data system, and prescribes
requirements relating to the contents and conduct of the
assessment.
ANALYSIS : Existing law:
1.Requires DWR to update every five years the plan for the
orderly and coordinated control, protection,
conservation, development, and use of the water resources
of the state, which is known as The California Water
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Plan.
2.Prescribes the contents of The California Water Plan, and
requires the DWR to include a discussion of various
strategies in the plan, including strategies relating to
the development of new water storage facilities, water
conservation, water recycling, desalination, conjunctive
use, and water transfers that may be pursued in order to
meet the future needs of the state.
This bill:
1. Requires DWR to include in The California Water
Plan an assessment of the state's water data system.
2. Requires DWR to identify and evaluate tools that
would collect, centralize, standardize, and analyze
available water information throughout the state in a
timely manner.
3. Requires DWR to include a discussion of advance
data acquisition technologies and outline strategies
to utilize that information to improve efficiency of
water resource management. In conducting the
assessment, DWR shall collaborate with state, federal,
and local agencies to assess the existing catalog of
water information that is being collected throughout
the state, and shall identify existing information
gaps.
Background
The 2009 water plan update discusses potential of creating
a Water Planning Information Exchange System (Water PIE) a
centralized planning framework including data from federal,
state and local agencies and also private entities.
According to the DWR's website, PIE is expected to collect
and share data, and network existing databases and
websites. It uses GIS software to improve analytical
capabilities, and to develop timely surveys of statewide
land use, water use, and estimates of future implementation
of resource management strategies. Water PIE still a pilot
project, and does not include much of the available data.
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Comments
Current law requires that DWR prepare The California Water
Plan every five years. The most recent plan was released
in 2009, the next update is due in 2013.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:
Major Provisions 2011-12 2012-13
2013-14 Fund
Assessing data system $45 $45 General
SUPPORT : (Verified 5/17/11)
Northern California Water Association (source)
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the Northern
California Water Association "water resources managers
benefit from good information management as the foundation
for their decision-making, as well as providing confidence
to the general public that water resources are being
managed in a sound and thoughtful manner. We therefore
encourage more concerted efforts to advance information
management as the core foundation for improving water
resources management in California."
CTW:nl 5/17/11 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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