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

Mar 18, 2026 - The state added the doubling goal as a narrative water quality objective in the 1995 Bay ‑Delta Plan. Doubling natural production relative to the average annual 1967 ‑1991 baseline would mean nearly 900,000 naturally produced salmon annually.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5163

Assessing California’s Climate Policies—Agriculture

Dec 15, 2021 - Instead, the incentives to develop AMMP projects rely on potential revenues from selling value ‑added manure products or cost savings from using products to offset expenditures. Value ‑added manure products include soil amendments and compost made from separated solids.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4483

The 2026-27 Budget: Permitting Support at the State Water Resources Control Board

Mar 2, 2026 - The Governor ’s 2026-27 budget proposes $2.6  million from the Waste Discharge Permit Fund on an ongoing basis and 12 permanent positions to manage the additional workload the water boards are experiencing as a result of the 2023 Sackett decision.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5144

The 2026-27 Budget: Cap-and-Invest Expenditure Plan

Feb 10, 2026 - Most notably, because including state operations expenditures as part of Tier 1 means they receive first priority for available GGRF, adding new activities to this category can have the effect of gradually “crowding out ” other GGRF ‑funded programs and activities.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5114

The 2026-27 Budget: Permitting Support at the State Water Resources Control Board [Publication Details]

Mar 2, 2026 - In this post, we assess the Governor’s proposal for new positions and associated funding at the State Water Resources Control Board to manage increased workload stemming from a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/5144

The 2025-26 Budget: Proposition 4 Spending Plan

Feb 12, 2025 - These could include progress reports at annual budget subcommittee hearings or additional reporting requirements for specific programs and information added to budget or trailer bill language. For example, although the Department of Water Resources (DWR) has well ‑defined flood management programs, the Legislature could consider requiring a summary each year about which specific projects supported by Proposition  4 are underway.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4958

The 2025-26 California Spending Plan: Natural Resources and Environmental Protection

Oct 16, 2025 - In addition, the budget approves planning dollars for multibenefit urban stormwater management and water data management. Covers Groundwater Management Costs With Special Fund Loan. The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) requires SWRCB to pay for its SGMA-related costs with revenues from fees it imposes on groundwater extractors.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5080

Options for Creating a Forestry Management Training Center

Jan 4, 2022 - Options for Creating a Forestry Management Training Center Conclusion Summary The Supplemental Report of the 2021 ‑22 Budget Act requires our office to develop options for the Legislature to consider for creating a forestry management training center in Northern California.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4487

The 2024-25 Budget: Flood Management Proposals

Feb 26, 2024 - Despite these potential benefits, the Legislature will need to weigh the trade ‑offs associated with adding new spending for these Central Valley systemwide projects against its other budget commitments.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4856

The 2026-27 Budget: Framework for Approaching the Natural Resources, Environmental Protection, and Agriculture Budget

Feb 10, 2026 - Reductions in federal staffing and capacity are leading to gaps in vital information that the state and local entities use to forecast water supply and floods, provide 24 ‑hour flood ‑emergency response, and manage  reservoirs.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5116