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AB-638 Department of Water Resources: water storage: climate change impacts.(2019-2020)

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Date Published: 09/11/2019 04:00 AM
AB638:v94#DOCUMENT

Enrolled  September 10, 2019
Passed  IN  Senate  September 04, 2019
Passed  IN  Assembly  September 09, 2019
Amended  IN  Senate  August 30, 2019
Amended  IN  Senate  July 11, 2019
Amended  IN  Senate  June 11, 2019
Amended  IN  Assembly  May 16, 2019

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 638

Introduced by Assembly Member Gray

February 15, 2019

An act to add Section 10004.7 to the Water Code, relating to water resources.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 638, Gray. Department of Water Resources: water storage: climate change impacts.
Existing law requires the Department of Water Resources to gather and correlate information and data pertinent to an annual forecast of seasonal water crop, as specified. Existing law also requires the department to update every 5 years the plan for the orderly and coordinated control, protection, conservation, development, and use of the water resources of the state, which is known as the California Water Plan.
This bill would require the department, as part of the update to the California Water Plan every 5 years, to identify water storage facilities vulnerable to climate change impacts and the mitigation strategies for anticipated adverse impacts, as provided. The bill would require the department to provide a copy of this information to the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature and to the Natural Resources Agency and the Office of Planning and Research for specified climate adaptation planning functions. The bill would require the department, subject to an appropriation, to mitigate, or make grants available for the mitigation of, adverse impacts to water storage facilities caused by climate change, as specified.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

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


SECTION 1.

 Section 10004.7 is added to the Water Code, to read:

10004.7.
 (a) As part of the update to the California Water Plan every five years pursuant to Section 10004, the department, in collaboration with the United States Bureau of Reclamation, the United States Army Corps of Engineers, and the advisory committee established pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 10004, shall identify water storage facilities vulnerable to climate change impacts, and shall quantify potential impacts to specific facilities, where possible, or at regional levels where greater detail is not possible. The department shall identify mitigation strategies for anticipated adverse impacts.
(b) For purposes of this section, water storage facilities shall include, but are not limited to, both of the following:
(1) Aboveground water storage, including surface water storage and naturally occurring aboveground water storage, such as the Sierra Nevada snowpack.
(2) Below-ground water storage and naturally occurring below-ground water storage consistent with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (Part 2.74 (commencing with Section 10720)).
(c) The department shall provide a copy of the information identified by the department pursuant to subdivision (a) to all of the following:
(1) The appropriate policy committees of the Legislature.
(2) The Natural Resources Agency for use in the next update of the state’s climate adaptation strategy pursuant to Section 71153 of the Public Resources Code.
(3) The Office of Planning and Research to be considered for inclusion in the clearinghouse for climate adaptation information established pursuant to Section 71360 of the Public Resources Code and any other relevant program activities of the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program established pursuant to Part 4.5 (commencing with Section 71350) of Division 34 of the Public Resources Code.
(d) For purposes of the information provided pursuant to subdivision (a) on or before December 31, 2023, the department shall identify information about watersheds and groundwater basins available at the time and shall also identify what information regarding other watersheds, groundwater basins, or hydrologic basins the department intends to develop or acquire for use in the update to the California Water Plan on or before December 31, 2028, pursuant to Section 10004.
(e) Subject to an appropriation in the annual Budget Act or another statute for this purpose, the department shall mitigate, or make grants available for the mitigation of, adverse impacts to water storage facilities caused by climate change, with priority given to water storage facilities serving disadvantaged communities and communities that lack an adequate supply of safe drinking water.