The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) briefed the California Water Commission (CWC) at its May 20, 2015 meeting on ACWA’s recommendations and vision for water storage in California. Proposition 1 included $2.7 billion designated for the public benefits of water storage. The report, 21st Century Water Storage: Recommendations for California’s Future can be accessed here. ACWA identified five components that are necessary to achieve this vision for the future: additional surface storage to capture and manage more variable hydrology; increased utilization of groundwater storage, including through conjunctive use and banking; enhanced operational flexibility and integration of infrastructure; effective implementation of Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM); and, new and more flexible regulatory approaches.
ACWA also articulated specific recommendations for the CWC as it implements Chapter 8 of Proposition 1. Those recommendations include:
- Ensuring that the CWC actions fully implement Chapter 8.
- Recognizing that storage needs and opportunities are diverse in scale, location and function.
- Allocating Chapter 8 funds wisely by leveraging dollars and cost shares and funding CALFED and other non-CALFED projects.
- Encouraging Integration.
- Preserving the CWC’s authority and discretion over Chapter 8 funds.