BILL NUMBER: SB 834 ENROLLED
BILL TEXT
PASSED THE SENATE SEPTEMBER 1, 2011
PASSED THE ASSEMBLY AUGUST 30, 2011
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 25, 2011
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 29, 2011
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 21, 2011
AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 4, 2011
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 13, 2011
INTRODUCED BY Senator Wolk
(Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Huffman)
(Coauthor: Senator Hancock)
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Bonilla, Buchanan, and Galgiani)
FEBRUARY 18, 2011
An act to amend Section 10540 of the Water Code, relating to
water.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 834, Wolk. Integrated regional water management plans:
contents.
The Integrated Regional Water Management Planning Act of 2002
authorizes a regional water management group, as defined, to prepare
and adopt an integrated regional water management plan. The act
requires an integrated regional water management plan to address
specified water quality and water supply matters.
This bill would additionally require an integrated regional water
management plan to identify the manner in which the plan furthers a
specified state policy concerning reducing reliance on the
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta for water supply and improving regional
self-reliance for water, if the region depends on water from the
Delta watershed. The bill would require integrated regional water
management plans to incorporate that requirement when they are
developed, updated, or amended in accordance with guidelines
established by the Department of Water Resources. For an application
for funding for a plan that is made prior to an update or amendment
of the plan, the bill would require an applicant to specify how the
existing plan advances the specified state policy concerning reducing
reliance on the Delta for water supply and improving regional
self-reliance for water.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
(a) The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is a critically important
natural resource for California and the nation.
(b) In 2009, the Legislature adopted Section 85054 of the Water
Code to define "coequal goals" as the two goals of providing a more
reliable water supply for California and protecting, restoring, and
enhancing the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta ecosystem. That section
states that the coequal goals shall be achieved in a manner that
protects and enhances the unique cultural, recreational, natural
resource, and agricultural values of the Delta as an evolving place.
(c) The Legislature also adopted Section 85020 of the Water Code,
which sets forth the policy of the state regarding achieving
specified objectives that are inherent in the coequal goals.
(d) Furthermore, Section 85021 of the Water Code provides that it
is the policy of the state to reduce reliance on the Sacramento-San
Joaquin Delta in meeting California's future water supply needs
through a statewide strategy of investing in improved regional
supplies, conservation, and water use efficiency.
(e) Integrated regional water management plans provide a mechanism
for advancing the policies stated in Sections 85020 and 85021 of the
Water Code.
(f) Subdivision (a) of Section 85031 of the Water Code ensures
that no provision of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Reform Act of
2009, including Section 85021, diminishes, impairs, or otherwise
affects water rights protections provided under the law.
SEC. 2. Section 10540 of the Water Code is amended to read:
10540. (a) A regional water management group may prepare and
adopt an integrated regional water management plan in accordance with
this part.
(b) A regional water management group may coordinate its planning
activities to address or incorporate all or part of any of the
following actions of its members into its plan:
(1) Groundwater management planning pursuant to Part 2.75
(commencing with Section 10750) or other specific groundwater
management authority.
(2) Urban water management planning pursuant to Part 2.6
(commencing with Section 10610).
(3) The preparation of a water supply assessment required pursuant
to Part 2.10 (commencing with Section 10910).
(4) Agricultural water management planning pursuant to Part 2.8
(commencing with Section 10800).
(5) City and county general planning pursuant to Section 65350 of
the Government Code.
(6) Stormwater resource planning that is undertaken pursuant to
Part 2.3 (commencing with Section 10560).
(7) Other water resource management planning, including flood
protection, watershed management planning, and multipurpose program
planning.
(c) At a minimum, all plans shall address all of the following:
(1) Protection and improvement of water supply reliability,
including identification of feasible agricultural and urban water use
efficiency strategies.
(2) Identification and consideration of the drinking water quality
of communities within the area of the plan.
(3) Protection and improvement of water quality within the area of
the plan, consistent with the relevant basin plan.
(4) Identification of any significant threats to groundwater
resources from overdrafting.
(5) Protection, restoration, and improvement of stewardship of
aquatic, riparian, and watershed resources within the region.
(6) Protection of groundwater resources from contamination.
(7) Identification and consideration of the water-related needs of
disadvantaged communities in the area within the boundaries of the
plan.
(8) For a region that depends on water from the Delta watershed,
as defined in Section 85060, identification of the manner in which
the plan furthers the statewide policy in Section 85021, utilizing
any of the following:
(A) Water use efficiency.
(B) Water recycling.
(C) Advanced water technologies.
(D) Local and regional water supply projects.
(E) Improved regional coordination of local and regional water
supply projects.
(d) (1) When plans are developed, updated, or amended in
accordance with department guidelines consistent with subdivision (i)
of Section 10541, the plans shall incorporate the requirements of
paragraph (8) of subdivision (c).
(2) On and after January 1, 2012, an applicant for funding for a
plan that applies prior to an update or amendment to the plan shall
specify how the existing plan advances the policy stated in Section
85021.
(e) This section does not obligate a local agency to fund the
implementation of any project or program.