Amended in Assembly March 17, 2016

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 2480

Introduced by Assembly Member Bloom

February 19, 2016

An act to add Section 108.5 begin delete to end delete begin insert to, and to add Chapter 3.3 (commencing with Section 12835) to Part 6 of Division 6 of, end insert the Water Code, relating to water.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2480, as amended, Bloom. Source watersheds: begin delete maintenance and repair. end delete begin insert financing. end insert

Existing law begin delete declares that it is state policy to consider all water uses, including area-of-origin needs, in connection with the development and completion of any general or coordinated plan prepared and published by the Department of Water Resources. Existing law requires the Legislature to end delete begin insert establishes various state water policies, including the policy that the Legislature end insert consider other works as may be necessary to develop water to satisfy the requirements of the watershed in which water begin delete originates, as specified, end delete begin insert originates end insert whenever the Legislature authorizes the construction or acquisition of a project that will develop water for use outside that begin delete watershed. end delete begin insert watershed, as specified. end insert

This bill would declare it to be state policy that source watersheds are recognized and defined as integral components of California’s water system. The bill would also declare that their maintenance and repair are eligible for financing on an equivalent basis with other water collection and treatment infrastructure.

begin insert

Under existing law, the United States Bureau of Reclamation operates the federal Central Valley Project and the Department of Water Resources operates the State Water Resources Development System, known as the State Water Project, to supply water to persons and entities in the state.

end insert begin insert

This bill would require the State Water Resources Control Board, in consultation with the department, to develop investment plans that prioritize actions for restoration and conservation to improve watershed function in the watersheds that flow into the Shasta Reservoir and the Oroville Reservoir.

end insert

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  begin delete no end delete begin insert yes end insert . State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.  

Section 108.5 is added to the Water Code, to
read:

108.5.  

It is hereby declared to be the established policy of the
state that source watersheds are recognized and defined as integral
components of California’s water system. The maintenance and
repair of source watersheds are eligible for financing on an
equivalent basis with other water collection and treatment
infrastructure.

begin insert

begin insert SEC. 2. end insert   

end insert

begin insert Chapter 3.3 (commencing with Section 12835) is added
to Part 6 of Division 6 of the end insert begin insert Water Code end insert begin insert , to read: end insert

begin insert

 

Chapter   begin insert 3.3. end insert Watershed Investment Plans

 

begin insert 12835. end insert   

On or before December 31, 2017, the board, in
consultation with the department, shall develop investment plans
that prioritize actions for restoration and conservation to improve
watershed function in the watersheds that flow into the Shasta
Reservoir and the Oroville Reservoir.

end insert