Urban waterway restoration.

(1) Existing law requires the Department of Water Resources to update The California Water Plan, which is a plan for the conservation, development, and use of the water resources of the state, every 5 years. The department, as part of the update, is required to release assumptions and estimates relating to current and projected water use, including industrial uses and parks and open spaces. This bill would require the department to release assumptions and estimates relating to water use for urban waterway restoration. (2) The Integrated Regional Water Management Planning Act authorizes a regional water management group to prepare an integrated regional water management plan, in accordance with certain procedures, for the implementation or operation of specified qualified projects or programs pertaining to water supply, water quality, or related matters. The act defines "regional projects or programs" as projects or programs identified in an integrated regional water management plan that accomplish specified water-related goals, including an increase in water supplies through the use of certain means. This bill would specifically include urban waterway restoration that increases water supplies for any beneficial use, as a regional project or program. (3) Existing law, the Urban Water Management Planning Act, requires every public and private urban water supplier that directly or indirectly provides water for municipal purposes to prepare and adopt an urban water management plan. Existing law requires the plan to provide a description of, among other things, the supplier's water demand management measures, as specified. This bill would require the description of the water demand management measure to include a description of an urban waterway restoration program. (4) Existing law, the Environmental Water Act of 1989, authorizes the City of Los Angeles to submit one or more grant applications to the Department of Water Resources to protect and preserve the Mono Lake Basin, as specified, and, upon acceptance of an application, requires the department to expend moneys available from the Environmental Water Fund for an eligible project, as defined, to preserve the wildlife and environment of the Mono Lake Basin. Under existing law, the department is required to expend the money appropriated to the department from the fund for projects or programs concerning the water resources of the state that will contribute significant environmental benefits. This bill would include an urban waterway restoration project as an eligible project for this grant program.