Part 4Dam Safety and Climate Resilience Local Assistance Program

Section § 6700

Explanation

This law section establishes a program to provide state funding for improving dam safety and climate resilience for dams in service before January 1, 2023. It covers repairs, enhancements, and seismic retrofits, prioritizing projects that improve public safety, restore water storage, reduce flood risks, and enhance water supply. The program forbids funding for expanding dams or reservoirs and requires project funding to include at least 50% cost-sharing, unless this causes financial hardship and poses a public safety risk. The Department of Water Resources must develop guidelines for the grant program, but these guidelines are not subject to certain government procedures.

(a)Copy CA Water Code § 6700(a)
(1)Copy CA Water Code § 6700(a)(1) The department shall, upon appropriation by the Legislature, develop and administer the Dam Safety and Climate Resilience Local Assistance Program established pursuant to this section. The purpose of the program shall be to provide state funding for repairs, rehabilitation, enhancements, and other dam safety projects at existing state jurisdictional dams and associated facilities that were in service prior to January 1, 2023.
(2)CA Water Code § 6700(a)(2) Before disbursing grant funds pursuant to this part, the department shall develop and adopt program guidelines and project solicitation documents. Any guidelines and project solicitation documents developed pursuant to this section are not subject to Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
(b)CA Water Code § 6700(b) Dam safety and enhancement projects eligible to receive funding under the program include the following:
(1)CA Water Code § 6700(b)(1) Dam repairs to allow water storage to full capacity.
(2)CA Water Code § 6700(b)(2) New spillway and spillway repair projects at existing dams.
(3)CA Water Code § 6700(b)(3) Dam and reservoir seismic retrofit projects.
(4)CA Water Code § 6700(b)(4) Enhancement of water supply and downstream flood risk reduction such as implementation of Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations.
(5)CA Water Code § 6700(b)(5) One-time projects to remove sediment resulting from wildfires or extraordinary storm events.
(6)CA Water Code § 6700(b)(6)  Improvements to dam appurtenances to address dam safety-related deficiencies identified by the department.
(c)CA Water Code § 6700(c) Upon appropriation by the Legislature, funds shall be available to the department to provide grants to owners of state jurisdictional dams for dam safety projects that provide the following public benefits, in order of priority:
(1)CA Water Code § 6700(c)(1) Protection of public safety.
(2)CA Water Code § 6700(c)(2) Restoration of water storage.
(3)CA Water Code § 6700(c)(3) Flood risk reduction.
(4)CA Water Code § 6700(c)(4) Enhancement of water supply reliability.
(5)CA Water Code § 6700(c)(5) Enhancement, protection, or restoration of habitat for fish and wildlife.
(6)CA Water Code § 6700(c)(6) Protection of water quality.
(d)CA Water Code § 6700(d) The department shall not award any funds under this section for raising dams, increasing reservoir space, or otherwise increasing water impoundment.
(e)CA Water Code § 6700(e) A grant cost share of at least 50 percent shall be required for projects funded pursuant to this part. Federal funding and other state loans and grants may be used as grant cost share. The department may waive or reduce the grant cost share if it would cause extreme financial hardship to the grant recipient and the dam poses an unacceptable public safety risk.
dam safety funding climate resilience dam repairs seismic retrofits water storage restoration flood risk reduction Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations dam appurtenances public safety protection habitat restoration water quality protection grant cost sharing sediment removal wildfire impacts storm event sediment
(Added by Stats. 2023, Ch. 51, Sec. 35. (SB 122) Effective July 10, 2023.)