Water: transfer or exchange: expedited review.

Under existing law, the State Water Resources Control Board administers a water rights program pursuant to which the board grants permits and licenses to appropriate water. Existing law provides procedures for a permittee or licensee to temporarily change the point of diversion, place of use, or purpose of use due to a transfer or exchange of water or water rights, as specified. These temporary transfers are defined as transfers of one year or less. This bill would require the board to develop and implement an expedited 30-day review process for approval of petitions under those provisions to temporarily change the point of diversion, place of use, or purpose of use due to a transfer or exchange of water or water rights if the transfer is for a reoccurring water transfer, as defined, or an environmentally beneficial transfer, as defined. The bill would require the Department of Water Resources to develop a 30-day review process for reoccurring water transfers that utilize facilities of the State Water Project. The bill would repeal its provisions as of January 1, 2022.