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The 2022-23 Budget: State Water Resources Control Board—Bay-Delta Plan Update


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Achieving State Goals for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta

January 15, 2015 - The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta) is a biodiverse ecosystem that covers about 1,150 square miles and supports over 700 species of fish and wildlife. The Delta is an important source of water for the state and is used to convey water from Northern California to Southern California. The Delta faces several significant problems, including: (1) a decline in key native fish species, (2) reductions in the amount of Delta water available for use elsewhere, (3) water pollutants that cause harm to species and increase treatment costs, and (4) levees at significant risk of failure. The state has engaged in numerous efforts to address these problems and achieve its "coequal goals" for the Delta: water supply reliability and ecosystem restoration. There are many opportunities for the Legislature to improve the success of these efforts. We identified several issues for its consideration, including (1) demands for Delta water, (2) uncertain funding sources and slow implementation of some key activities, (3) limits on the effectiveness of governance in the Delta, and (4) challenges to restoring the Delta ecosystem. By addressing some of these issues, the Legislature can improve the likelihood that its goals and objectives for the Delta will be realized.

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[PDF] The 2016-17 Budget: The State's Drought Response

February 5, 2016 - Despite welcome storms early this winter, statewide drought conditions appear far from over. This report (1) describes the current drought and its impacts across the state, (2) summarizes the state's drought response appropriations and activities thus far, (3) assesses the Governor's drought-related budget proposals for 2016-17, and (4) recommends steps the Legislature can take to address drought both in the coming year and the future.

Handout

[PDF] The 2021-22 Budget: California Natural Resources Agency

January 27, 2021 - This publication discusses the Governor's 2021-22 January budget proposals for the California Natural Resources Agency, including $125 million for habitat restoration projects and $4.5 million to move to a new office building.

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[PDF] What Can We Learn From How the State Responded to the Last Major Drought?

May 13, 2021 - For the second consecutive year, the state is experiencing extremely low rates of precipitation. As we prepare for what could be an extended period of dry conditions, it is helpful to review how the state responded to the last major drought. Such information can inform—and thereby potentially improve—the state’s current and ongoing response to developing conditions. In this report, we summarize the major activities, spending, and policy actions undertaken by the state to respond to the severe drought that occurred from 2012 through 2016. We also describe current conditions, and highlight some key lessons the Legislature can learn from previous efforts to help guide its response to the emerging drought.

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[PDF] A Perspective on the Drought in California

November 21, 1991 - Despite heavy rains in March 1991, California continues to face a serious near-term water problem resulting from five years of drought. In fact, the amount of water in storage on October 1, 1991 was about equal to the amount in storage one year ago—a year in which strict conservation measures were imposed in some areas and there were significant reductions in water supplies for many agricultural users. In this paper, we provide background information on California's water system, the impact of the drought, water needs in the future, and legislative options for coping with water supply limitations.

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[PDF] (1) The Bay Delta: A Key to Solving California’s Water Problem, and (2) Economic and Revenue Developments

September 23, 1996 - (1) The Bay Delta: A Key to Solving California’s Water Problem, and (2) Economic and Revenue Developments

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[PDF] The Bay-Delta: A Key to Solving California's Water Problem

June 3, 1996 - The Department of Water Resources concluded in its 1994 California Water Plan Update that California's annual water supplies are generally adequate to meet current demand in "normal" (nondrought) years. However, the department forecasts a shortage in the year 2000 for California's water users as a group (domestic, industrial, agricultural, and environmental) that will increase in subsequent years. The projected shortage results both from factors that reduce supply and those that increase demand. Among the most important factors reducing water supply for nonenvironmental users are recent federal limits on water diversions in order to protect fish and wildlife habitat. Projected population growth adds most to future increases in demand.

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[PDF] How Did the State Respond to the Last Major Drought?

May 5, 2021 - Presented to: Assembly Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife Hon. Eduardo Garcia, Chair

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[PDF] The 2015-16 Budget: Effectively Implementing the 2014 Water Bond

February 11, 2015 - In August 2014, the Legislature approved Chapter 188, Statutes of 2014 (AB 1471, Rendon), which placed before the voters a water bond measure primarily aimed at increasing the supply of clean, safe, and reliable water and restoring habitat. On November 4, 2014, voters approved the water bond measure—Proposition 1. In this report, we (1) describe Proposition 1, (2) review the Governor’s proposals to implement the bond, (3) identify key implementation principles, and (4) recommend steps for the Legislature to ensure that the bond is implemented effectively.

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Environmental Water Account: Need for Legislative Definition and Oversight

January 29, 2001 - We recommend that the Legislature hold oversight hearings to evaluate CALFED's proposal for the Environmental Water Account, implemented to acquire water for endangered species protection and recovery in the Bay-Delta region. There are many policy and implementation issues that the Legislature should consider before CALFED proceeds with the new program, including the program's costs, benefits, impacts, governance, and funding. Funding should be governed by the "beneficiary pays" principle.

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[PDF] The 2014-15 Budget: Resources and Environmental Protection

February 21, 2014 - In this report, we analyze the Governor's 2014-15 budget for the state's resources and environmental protection programs. We review and make recommendations on a number of major policy proposals, including a review of the administration's recently released Water Action Plan as well as the proposal to reduce or eliminate several programs currently funded by the Beverage Container Recycling Fund (commonly referred to as the "bottle bill"). We find that these policy proposals are generally reasonable approaches, though we identify trade-offs in the proposals and offer recommendations for legislative consideration. The report also identifies several issues included in the Governor's budget that merit additional legislative oversight. This includes the proposal to provide the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection with a total of $43 million from the General Fund to address deferred maintenance backlogs. While we find that it makes fiscal sense to address deferred maintenance, there is uncertainty about what factors have contributed to the large backlogs, as well as how the state can best address maintenance needs on an ongoing basis.

Brief

The 2024-25 Budget: Salton Sea Management Program

February 26, 2024 - In this brief, we analyze the Governor’s budget proposals related to Salton Sea management.

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[PDF] The Salton Sea: A Status Update

August 29, 2018 - The Salton Sea is California’s largest inland lake, located in Riverside and Imperial Counties. In this report, we discuss the changing conditions in and around the Sea, their statewide importance, and the Legislature’s role in overseeing projects to reduce potential negative effects on public health and wildlife.

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The 2020-21 Budget: Resources and Environmental Protection

February 25, 2020 - In this report we assess several of the Governor's 2020-21 budget proposals in the natural resources and environmental protection program areas. This includes reviews of the Governor's proposals related to the Department of Toxic Substances Control, Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Department of Fish and Wildlife.

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[PDF] Analysis of the 1997-98 Budget Bill, Resources Chapter

February 18, 1997 - Analysis of the 1997-98 Budget Bill, Resources Chapter