CaliforniaCalifornia Council on Science and Technology: water availability study: Central Valley.
What it does
Existing law establishes the Department of Water Resources within the Natural Resources Agency and vests it with various powers and duties related to water. Existing law requires the State Water Resources Control Board to administer a water rights program pursuant to which the board grants and revokes permits and licenses to appropriate water. Existing law authorizes any person who has an urgent need to divert and use water to apply for, and authorizes the board to issue, a conditional, temporary permit, as prescribed.
More detail
Existing law finds and declares that the California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) was organized as a nonprofit corporation at the request of the Legislature for the specific purpose of offering expert advice to the state government on public policy issues significantly related to science and technology.
This bill would, on or before January 1, 2028, require the Department of Water Resources, in consultation with the State Water Resources Control Board and the Department of Fish and Wildlife, to select 2 watersheds that are within, or drain into, the Central Valley to conduct a watershedwide water availability study. The bill would, subject to an appropriation by the Legislature, request CCST to, in consultation with the Department of Water Resources and the board, undertake and complete a comprehensive study of water availability in the selected watersheds. The bill would require the study to, among other things, determine daily flow rates in rivers, streams, and creeks in the watersheds over the past 30 years to the extent data is available. The bill would require the study to be completed within 2 years of the Legislature appropriating money for purposes of undertaking the study. The bill would state the intent of the Legislature for the water availability study to serve as the water availability analysis for future applications to the board for standard or temporary permits for diversion of water to underground storage in the selected watersheds.
This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Central Valley.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Aug 13In committee: Held under submission.Latest
- Aug 3In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Jul 2Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Major
- Jul 1From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (July 1).Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 10Referred to Com. on N.R. & W.Minor
- May 28In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- May 27Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 60. Noes 9. Page 5466.)Passed Assembly
- Vote recorded AB 2521 Papan Assembly Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- May 18Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 14From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 11. Noes 1.) (May 14).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
- May 6In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Apr 23From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (April 23). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 16Re-referred to Com. on W., P., & W.Minor
- Apr 15From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on W., P., & W. Read second time and amended.Major
- Mar 23Re-referred to Com. on W., P., & W.Minor
- Mar 19From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on W., P., & W. Read second time and amended.Major
- Mar 19Referred to Com. on W., P., & W.Minor
- Feb 21From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.
- Feb 20Read first time. To print.Introduced