Cal. WAT § 10004.5 — California Code / Code wat / Division 6 / Part 1.5 / Chapter 1 / Section 10004.5
Section 10004.5
Status: in_force

(a) As part of the requirement of the department to update The California Water Plan pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 10004, the department shall include in the plan a discussion of various strategies, including, but not limited to, those relating to the development of new water storage facilities, water conservation, groundwater recharge, water recycling, desalination, conjunctive use, conveyance, stormwater capture, water transfers, and demand management activities that may be pursued in order to meet the future water needs of the state and the water supply targets developed by the department. The department shall also include a discussion of the potential for alternative water pricing policies to change current and projected uses. The department shall include in the plan a discussion of the potential advantages and disadvantages of each strategy and an identification of all federal and state permits, approvals, or entitlements that are anticipated to be required in order to implement the various components of the strategy.

(b) In preparing any update of The California Water Plan, the department shall conduct a series of public workshops to give interested parties an opportunity to comment on the plan. The department shall select workshop locations to maximize geographic distribution, to ensure that regions of the state that have been impacted the most by drought, flood, and other weather extremes are included, and to ensure the workshops are accessible to communities with minority populations, communities with low-income populations, or both.

(c) Each update of the plan shall include, at a minimum, all of the following components:

(1) A discussion of environmental needs on a regional basis. The department’s discussion shall rely on the best available peer-reviewed scientific information.

(2) A discussion of urban sector water needs on a regional basis.

(3) A discussion of agricultural water needs on a regional basis.

(4) A summary of sources that could finance project types or actions within the various strategies.

(5) A discussion of the estimated costs, benefits, and impacts of any project type or action that is recommended by the department within the plan that could help achieve the water supply targets. The department shall also consider and incorporate into the discussion, if appropriate, existing studies or planning documents that quantify the costs and impacts to the state if there are inadequate water supplies to meet sustainable demands for all sectors.

(6) A report on the development of regional and local water projects within each hydrologic region of the state undertaken to improve water supplies to meet municipal, agricultural, and environmental water needs and minimize the need to import water from other hydrologic regions.

(d) Notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, the department shall report the amendments, supplements, and additions included in the updates of The California Water Plan, together with a summary of the department’s conclusions and recommendations, to the Legislature, in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code, in the session in which the updated plan is issued.