BILL ANALYSIS �
SB 1120
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Date of Hearing: June 17, 2014
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON WATER, PARKS AND WILDLIFE
Anthony Rendon, Chair
SB 1120 (Galgiani) - As Amended: May 27, 2014
SENATE VOTE : 37-0
SUMMARY : Requires the Department of Water Resources (DWR) to
conduct a voluntary statewide survey of local water supply
projects, either itself or in conjunction with other agencies or
third parties, and post specified survey results to the DWR
internet web site by July 1, 2015.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Requires DWR to plan for the orderly and coordinated control,
protection, conservation, development, and utilization of the
water resources of the state (California Water Plan, also
known as Bulletin 160) and to update the plan every five
years.
2)Requires DWR, for every California Water Plan update, to
conduct a study of the amounts of water needed to meet the
state's future needs and to recommend programs, policies and
facilities to meet those needs.
3)Requires DWR to submit an annual report to the Legislature
that includes the expenditures and positions made and expected
to be made on behalf of the State Water Resources Development
System.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee analysis there would be minor and absorbable costs
(General Fund) to DWR to post the required inventory on its
website.
COMMENTS : This bill requires DWR to do a voluntary survey of
local water supply projects and provide information on projected
completion dates, costs, and anticipated acres-feet of water.
According to DWR, there has already been one survey of this type
with at least partial results.
On March 4, 2014, the California Water Commission (Commission),
Delta Stewardship Council (Council), DWR, and Association of
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California Water Agencies (ACWA) in collaboration with the Delta
Council and DWR, conducted a survey of near term water projects
consistent with the recommendation's in the Council's long-term
management plan for the Delta (Delta Plan). In particular Delta
Plan Water Reliability Recommendation Number 14 called for "a
survey to identify projects throughout California that could be
implemented within the next 5 to 10 years to expand existing
surface and groundwater storage facilities, create new storage,
improve operations of existing Delta conveyance facilities, and
enhance opportunities for conjunctive use programs and water
transfers in furtherance of the coequal goals for the
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta." The coequal goals are a more
reliable water supply for California and restoration of the
Delta ecosystem, both done in a way that respects the Delta as a
unique and evolving place with historic communities and
important recreational, agricultural and environmental values.
According to DWR responses were received for approximately 50
projects including large and small reservoirs, conjunctive
management and groundwater storage, water transfers, groundwater
recharge, emergency wells, desalination, and reuse. Of these
projects, potential surface and ground water storage is as high
as 4.5 million acre-feet, and projects ranged in size from as
small as 3 acre-feet to as large as a couple of million
acre-feet. Reponses included projects currently under
construction and projects under initial consideration. The
geographic scope of responses included projects from 22
counties, 12 Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) regions
and many projects not associated with the IRWM planning process.
Of the projects that provided estimated costs, these ranged from
less than $200,000 to up several billion dollars. Some water
transfer projects had only administrative costs, and some
projects had not yet estimated their costs. The median project
cost was $12 million. The survey did not yet include Los Angeles
Department of Water and Power projects or Metropolitan Water
District projects; however those were expected to be submitted
soon.
Supporting Arguments : The author advises that it would be in
"the State's best interest to know what regional water supply
projects are currently under development in order to capitalize
on any opportunities to bring additional supply faster and
cheaper." The author maintains that currently this type of
information can be difficult to find and that a survey of this
type is necessary to inform policy makers.
SB 1120
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REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
None on file.
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Tina Cannon Leahy / W., P. & W. / (916)
319-2096