Ecosystem resilience: watershed protection: watershed coordinators.

Existing law provides that it is the intent of the Legislature that the state should coordinate and integrate its watershed programs and implement those programs by working with diverse interests at the local level. Existing law provides that the state's watershed management goals should include maintaining and restoring healthy watersheds that support thriving communities, provide clean water, and sustain natural habitats for future generations. Existing law provides that there is in the Natural Resources Agency the Department of Conservation. Existing law provides that the work of the department be divided into various divisions, including the Division of Land Resource Protection. Existing law authorizes the department to expend the money in any appropriation or in any special fund in the State Treasury made available by law for the administration of the statutes, the administration of which is committed to the department. Existing law requires these expenditures to be made in accordance with law in carrying out the purposes for which the appropriations were made or the special funds created. This bill would require the department, to the extent funds are available, to establish and administer the Ecosystem Resilience Program to fund watershed coordinator positions, as provided, and other necessary costs, throughout the state for the purpose of achieving specified goals, including the goal to develop and implement watershed improvement plans, and other plans to enhance the natural functions of a watershed, aligned with multiple statewide and regional objectives across distinct bioregions. The bill would require the department to develop performance measures and accountability controls to track progress and outcomes of all watershed coordinator grants. The bill would require, on or before January 31, 2022, and every 3 years thereafter, the department to report those outcomes to the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature.