Merced Irrigation District.

The Irrigation District Law provides for the formation of irrigation districts with prescribed powers, including acting to put to any beneficial use any water under the district's control. This bill would appropriate $45,000 from the General Fund to the Merced Irrigation District for implementing on-farm irrigation system and water use efficiency improvements for small communal farms in the County of Merced. The bill would require, on or before April 30, 2018, the Merced Irrigation District to report to the Legislature how the appropriated funds were spent, how the funds resulted in improvement to irrigation efficiency, and how the funds reduced energy, fuel, and water usage. The bill would additionally require the report, to the greatest extent possible, to evaluate the effectiveness of expanding the program to assistance on small farms statewide. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the County of Merced.