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California Water Legislature Bills
California Water Legislature Bills
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Despite its long history as a political and physical maelstrom, an industrial-strength life preserver was thrown to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and statewide water interests in early November as the Legislature forwarded a comprehensive package of water legislature to Governor Schwarzenegger. The bills recognize the importance of water reliability and protecting, restoring and enhancing the Delta ecosystem in the following ways:
Wildlife Conservation (SBX7 7)
- Mandates a State-wide 20% reduction in urban per capita water use by 2020 and incremental progress to that goal by reducing at least 10% by the end of 2015.
- Requires urban water suppliers to develop reduction targets by 2011 using one of four prescribed methods.
- Requires urban water suppliers to hold at least one public hearing to allow community input, consider economic impacts and develop a methodology in determining a target.
- Requires agricultural water suppliers to prepare and adopt agricultural management plans that include efficient water management practices, alternative land use, use of recycled water and development of capital improvements for on-farm irrigation systems, among other measures.
Water Governance (SBX7 2)
- Reforms State policies, programs and governance for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and establishes guidelines for the development of a new Delta plan.
- Re-emphasizes the co-equal goals for the Delta of “providing a more reliable water supply for California and protecting, restoring and enhancing the Delta ecosystem.
- Reconstitutes the Delta Protection Commission (DPC), reducing its membership and requires DPC to develop a regional economic sustainability plan.
- Creates a new Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy charged with advancing environmental protection and the economic well-being of Delta residents.
- Creates the Delta Stewardship Council which will function as an independent State agency to effectively manage the Delta’s co-equal goals.
- Establishes a Delta Watermaster as the enforcement officer for the State Water Resources Control Board in the Delta.
Groundwater Management (SBX7 6)
- Establishes a State-wide program for monitoring groundwater, including a directive that tasks local agencies managing a groundwater basin as of January 2010 with responsibility for all future monitoring.
Illegal Water Diversion (SBX7 8)
- Establishes new Delta water diversion reporting requirements.
- Imposes civil liabilities and penalties on individuals who fail to report diversions.
Water Bond (SBX7 2)
- Authorizes the issuance of $11.4 billion in bonds, following voter approval (November 2010 ballot).
- Allows the sale of $5.5 billion in bonds before July 2015.
- Funds drought relief, water recycling, water storage, groundwater cleanup, water conservation and use efficiency.
- Does not fund construction of a dual conveyance through/around the Delta.
- Allocates $87 million to the San Diego subregion for water reliability subject to local cost sharing.
- Provides $100 million for surface storage project in San Diego County (San Vicente Reservoir expansion).
The ambitious nature of this legislation, as well as last minute earmarks for special projects, may create more controversy than improvement for California water quality and supply. The first hurdle in meeting the challenges addressed in the legislation: a two-thirds majority in both legislative houses and the governor’s signature to place the $11.4 billion bond on the November 2010 ballot.
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