The Bay-Delta Plan and Voluntary Agreements: Ensuring Effective Legislative Oversight

Mar 18, 2026 - Some notable examples of previous VAs include: (1)  the Quantification Settlement Agreement , adopted in 2003 to address longstanding disputes over Colorado River water rights and to reduce use of Colorado River water in California; (2)  the San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement , agreed to in 2006 following an 18 ‑year legal dispute, with the goal of restoring fish populations while reducing
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5163

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

May 13, 2021 - Figure  2 highlights that the significant majority —$2. 3  b illion, or about 70  p ercent —of the state ’s drought response activities from 2013 ‑ 14 t hrough 2016 ‑17 were supported by voter ‑approved general obligation bonds.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4429

Living Under Smoky Skies—Understanding the Challenges Posed by Wildfire Smoke in California

Nov 14, 2022 - As shown in Figure  3 , major cities across the state experienced significantly more days of smoky air —days on which smoke was observed via satellite imagery —between 2016 and 2020 compared to between 2009 and 2013.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4644

Assessing Early Implementation of Urban Water Use Efficiency Requirements

Jan 4, 2024 - Authorized various emergency activities, including mandating a 25 percent reduction in potable urban water use through February 2016, relative to 2013 levels. SWRCB issued emergency regulations in May 2015 to effectuate this rule. 2014 California Water Action Plan Five ‑year plan laying out ten priority actions to increase the reliability and resilience of the state ’s water supply and restore important species and habitat.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4823

The 2023-24 Budget: California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s Major Capital Outlay Proposals

Feb 21, 2023 - Construction on the project was originally anticipated to be completed by 2013. 2016: Funding Expired, Project Halted. CalFire allowed the expenditure authority for this project to expire in June 2016 due to funding and department workload constraints and differing priorities.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4693

Reducing the Destructiveness of Wildfires: Promoting Defensible Space in California

Sep 30, 2021 - For example, a 2013 study of two la rge fires in San Diego County found that structures that had vegetation cleared within 30 feet survived at about twice the rate of structures that did not have that vegetation clearance.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4457