Amended in Assembly April 5, 2016

Amended in Assembly March 17, 2016

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 2480


Introduced by Assembly Member Bloom

February 19, 2016


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

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2480, as amended, Bloom. Source watersheds: financing.

Existing law establishes various state water policies, including the policy that the Legislature consider other works as may be necessary to develop water to satisfy the requirements of the watershed in which water originates whenever the Legislature authorizes the construction or acquisition of a project that will develop water for use outside that watershed, as specified.

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 treatmentbegin delete infrastructure.end deletebegin insert infrastructure, and would specify that the maintenance and repair activities that are eligible are limited to certain forest ecosystem management activities.end 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.

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.

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

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

P2    1

SECTION 1.  

Section 108.5 is added to the Water Code, to
2read:

3

108.5.  

begin insert(a)end insertbegin insertend insertIt is hereby declared to be the established policy of
4the state that source watersheds are recognized and defined as
5integral components of California’s water system. The maintenance
6and repair of source watersheds are eligible for financing on an
7equivalent basis with other water collection and treatment
8infrastructure.

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(b) Eligible maintenance and repair activities pursuant to this
10section are limited to the following forest ecosystem management
11activities:

end insert
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12
(1) Upland vegetation management to restore the watershed’s
13productivity and resiliency.

end insert
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(2) Wet and dry meadow restoration.

end insert
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(3) Road removal and repair.

end insert
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(4) Stream channel restoration.

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(5) Conservation of private forests to preserve watershed
18integrity through permanent prevention of conversion and
19degradation, achieved through conservation easements.

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20
(6) Other projects with a demonstrated likelihood of increasing
21conditions for water and snow attraction, retention, and release
22under changing climate conditions.

end insert
23

SEC. 2.  

Chapter 3.3 (commencing with Section 12835) is added
24to Part 6 of Division 6 of the Water Code, to read:

 

P3    1Chapter  3.3. Watershed Investment Plans
2

 

3

12835.  

On or before December 31, 2017, the board, in
4consultation with the department, shall develop investment plans
5that prioritize actions for restoration and conservation to improve
6watershed function in the watersheds that flow into the Shasta
7Reservoir and the Oroville Reservoir.



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