BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 2463
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 29, 2014
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON WATER, PARKS AND WILDLIFE
Anthony Rendon, Chair
AB 2463 (Dickinson) - As Amended: April 21, 2014
SUBJECT : Local water reliability plan
SUMMARY : Mandates that the Department of Water Resources (DWR)
develop a water reliability plan for the Sacramento area in
partnership with the Sacramento Regional Water Authority and any
other interested agencies.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : The Sacramento regional has a comprehensive Water
Forum Agreement (WFA) that was developed over a six year period
and "tens of thousands of hours" and memorialized in a
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by a diverse group of
forty business and agricultural leaders, citizens groups,
environmentalists, water managers and local governments
including the cities of Sacramento, Folsom, and Roseville and
the County of Sacramento.
The WFA Introduction statement advises that, "all of the
hard-earned understandings that have been forged over the past
six years are included in the [MOU] for the [WFA]. Signed by
each of the stakeholder organizations, this MOU creates the
overall political and moral commitment to the Agreement. These
assurances will be supplemented by other specific actions such
as contracts, joint powers authorities, water rights actions,
etc."
The WFA states it is a comprehensive package of linked actions
to provide a reliable and safe water supply for the region's
economic health and planned development to the year 2030 and
preserve the fishery, wildlife, recreational and aesthetic
values of the lower American River. The WFA states that it
includes "detailed understandings among stakeholder
organizations on how this region will deal with key issues such
as groundwater management, water diversions, dry year water
supplies, water conservation, and protection of the Lower
American River."
Supporting arguments : The author states that the WFA "is not a
AB 2463
Page 2
plan at the level of detail that we need" and that a lot has
changed since the WFA was signed. The author states "conditions
in the Delta have declined, which will put increasing pressure
on upstream water storage" and that the "current year is a good
example of the fact that regional/local needs (both water supply
and environmental) cannot be met by the current statewide water
system." Supporters state that this bill "would greatly benefit
our efforts to evaluate and implement improvements to our future
water supply reliability to serve both human and environmental
needs."
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Regional Water Authority (sponsor)
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Tina Cannon Leahy / W., P. & W. / (916)
319-2096