BILL NUMBER: AB 617	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 26, 2015

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Perea

                        FEBRUARY 24, 2015

   An act to amend Section  6203   10723.6 
of the Water Code, relating to  water resources. 
 water. 



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 617, as amended, Perea.  Department of Water Resources:
supervision of dams and reservoirs.   Groundwater.
 
   Existing law, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, requires
all groundwater basins designated as high- or medium-priority basins
by the Department of Water Resources that are designated as basins
subject to critical conditions of overdraft to be managed under a
groundwater sustainability plan or coordinated groundwater
sustainability plans by January 31, 2020, and requires all other
groundwater basins designated as high- or medium-priority basins to
be managed under a groundwater sustainability plan or coordinated
groundwater sustainability plans by January 31, 2022, except as
specified. Existing law authorizes a combination of local agencies to
form a groundwater sustainability agency by a joint powers
agreement, memorandum of agreement, or other legal agreement, and
authorizes a water corporation regulated by the Public Utilities
Commission to participate.  
    This bill would authorize a combination of one or more local
agencies and one or more mutual water companies to enter into an
agreement to form a groundwater sustainability agency and would
authorize a groundwater sustainability agency formed by a joint
powers agreement to exercise the powers granted in the act. 

   Existing law prohibits the construction of any new dam or
reservoir or the enlargement of any new dam or reservoir until the
owner has applied for and obtained from the Department of Water
Resources written approval of plans and specifications. Existing law
authorizes the department, in connection with approving a dam or
reservoir, to require certain data, investigations, reports, and any
other appropriate information as may be necessary.  

   This bill would make a nonsubstantive change in these provisions.

   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  no
  yes  . State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   SECTION 1.    Section 10723.6 of the   Water
Code   is amended to read: 
   10723.6.  (a) A combination of local agencies  or a
combination of one or more local agencies and one or more mutual
water companies  may form a groundwater sustainability agency by
using any of the following methods:
   (1) A joint powers  agreement   agreement,
pursuant to the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Chapter 5 (commencing
with Section 6500) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code),
which may include a mutual water company pursuant to Section 6525 of
the Government Code  .
   (2) A memorandum of agreement or other legal agreement.
   (b) A water corporation regulated by the Public Utilities
Commission may participate in a groundwater sustainability agency if
the  local agencies   other parties in the
groundwater sustainability agency  approve. 
   (c) A groundwater sustainability agency formed pursuant to a joint
powers agreement may exercise all of the powers granted pursuant to
this part. The signatories to a joint powers agreement forming a
groundwater sustainability agency are deemed to hold the powers
granted to a groundwater sustainability agency pursuant to this part
in common in order for the groundwater sustainability agency to
exercise those powers.  
  SECTION 1.   Section 6203 of the Water Code is
amended to read:
   6203.  The department may also require the following:
   (a) Data concerning subsoil and foundation conditions and the
materials entering into construction of the dam or reservoir.
   (b) Investigations of, and reports on, subsurface conditions,
involving such matters as exploratory pits, trenches and adits,
drilling, coring, geophysical surveys, tests to determine leakage
rates, and physical tests to measure in place the properties and
behavior of foundation materials at the dam or reservoir site.
   (c) Investigations of, and reports on, the geology of the dam or
reservoir site and its vicinity, possible geologic hazards,
availability and quality of construction materials, and other
pertinent features.
   (d) Any other appropriate information as may be necessary in a
given instance.