BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1585
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Date of Hearing: April 27, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Lorena Gonzalez, Chair
AB
1585 (Alejo) - As Amended April 4, 2016
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|Policy |Water, Parks and Wildlife |Vote:|12 - 1 |
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Urgency: Yes State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No
SUMMARY:
This bill appropriates $25 million from an unspecified fund to
the Monterey County Water Resources Agency (Agency) for
construction of a water conveyance tunnel between Lake
Nacimiento and Lake San Antonio in Monterey and San Luis Obispo
Counties.
FISCAL EFFECT:
Appropriates $25 million from an unspecified state account to
the Agency.
AB 1585
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COMMENTS:
1)Purpose. According to the author, increasing water capture
capacity in the Salinas Valley watershed is important
regionally and statewide. This bill partially funds an
Interlake Tunnel (Tunnel) to allow excess water from Lake
Nacimiento to flow to Lake San Antonio in order to maximize
the capture of water in the Salinas Valley watershed.
The author's office indicates that the local region intends
for over two-thirds of the anticipated costs for the project
to be financed by local farmers and rate payers through a
Proposition 218 process.
2)Background. The Agency is a special act district created as a
flood control and water agency in Monterey County. The Agency
manages Lake Nacimiento and Lake San Antonio, two reservoirs
that provide flood control, water supply and recreation in the
Salinas Valley.
Lake Nacimiento's watershed fills the Lake Nacimiento
reservoir nearly three times faster than Lake San Antonio's
watershed fills its reservoir. The Agency often releases
water from Lake Nacimiento because it reaches its capacity,
even when Lake San Antonio still has excess storage available.
Agency officials have proposed building a tunnel or pipeline
between Lake Nacimiento and Lake San Antonio to redirect water
from Lake Nacimiento that would otherwise be released out to
sea and, instead, use it to fill excess capacity in Lake San
Antonio.
3)Prior and Related Legislation: AB 155 (Alejo), Chapter 865,
AB 1585
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Statutes of 2014, authorized the Agency to award a
design-build contract for the combined design and construction
of a project to connect Lake San Antonio, located in the
County of Monterey, and Lake
Nacimiento, located in the County of San Luis Obispo, with an
underground tunnel or pipeline for the purpose of maximizing
water storage, supply, and groundwater recharge.
Analysis Prepared by:Jennifer Galehouse / APPR. / (916)
319-2081