Lake and streambed alteration agreements: exemptions.

Existing law prohibits a person, a state or local governmental agency, or a public utility from substantially diverting or obstructing the natural flow of, or substantially changing or using any material from the bed, channel, or bank of, any river, stream, or lake, or depositing or disposing of debris, waste, or other material containing crumbled, flaked, or ground pavement where it may pass into any river, stream, or lake, unless prescribed requirements are met, including written notification to the Department of Fish and Wildlife regarding the activity. Existing law requires the department to determine whether the activity may substantially adversely affect an existing fish and wildlife resource and, if so, to provide a draft lake or streambed alteration agreement to the person, agency, or utility. Existing law prescribes various requirements for lake and streambed alteration agreements. Existing law also establishes various exemptions from these provisions, including exemptions for specified emergency work. This bill would additionally exempt from these provisions the temporary operation of existing infrastructure or temporary pumps being used to divert flood stage flows, as identified by the California Nevada River Forecast Center or the State Water Resources Control Board, or near-flood stage flows, as defined, to groundwater recharge as long as certain conditions are met. The bill would also make conforming changes.