Water Quality Control Plan: Delta Conveyance Project.

Existing law establishes the State Water Resources Control Board and the 9 California regional water quality control boards as the principal state agencies with authority over matters relating to water quality. Existing law requires the state board to formulate and adopt state policy for water quality control. Existing law authorizes the state board to adopt water quality control plans for waters that require water quality standards pursuant to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, and provides that those plans supersede any regional water quality control plans for the same waters to the extent of any conflict. This bill would require the board to adopt a final update of the 1995 Water Quality Control Plan for the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary, as provided, before the board may consider a change in point diversion or any other water rights permit or order for the Delta Conveyance Project. The bill would also, if, after completing the update of the plan and in compliance with existing law, the board approves a change in point of diversion or any other water rights permit or order associated with the Delta Conveyance Project, prohibit the operation of the Delta Conveyance Project unless and until the updated plan is fully implemented. The bill would specify that these provisions do not constitute an authorization for or approval of funding for the Delta Conveyance Project or any other project that includes isolated Delta conveyance facilities, and do not reduce any statutory or other regulatory conditions or permit requirements for Delta conveyance projects.