California Water Commission
- Public forum: The Commission provides a public forum for the discussion of statewide water issues, promotes public discourse on the future of water management in California, and provides transparent access to information.
- WSIP: The Commission administers funding in the Water Storage Investment Program. The Commission made maximum conditional eligibility determinations for seven projects that would boost California’s water storage capacity by 2.77 million acre-feet.
- White papers: The Commission formulates policy papers on actions assigned to them in the Governor’s Water Resilience Portfolio.
- Resilient water conveyance projects that meet the needs of a changing climate.
- Well-managed groundwater trading programs with appropriate safeguards for vulnerable water users.
- Strategies to protect communities and fish and wildlife in the event of drought lasting at least six years.
- Advise DWR: The Commission advises the Director of the Department of Water Resources (DWR) to ensure that decisions on key programs and activities are sound and sustainable by providing advice and recommendations.
- Rules and regulations: The Commission approves DWR rules and regulations, ensuring they are fair, clear, useful, and necessary.
- State Water Project: The Commission conducts an annual review of the construction and operation of the State Water Project. The Commission submits the annual review to the California State Legislature and the Director of DWR.
- Eminent Domain: The Commission ensures eminent domain proceedings initiated by DWR meet legal requirements with a Resolution of Necessity process that gives each affected person an opportunity to be heard.
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More Meetings »Water Storage Investment Program Update
The Water Storage Investment Program (WSIP) includes seven projects that would boost California’s water storage capacity by 2.77 million acre-feet. The projects range from expanding existing reservoirs to increasing groundwater storage to building 21st century surface storage facilities. Each project’s timeline to construction and operation may be different, but they all must meet a statutory deadline to ensure progress and remain eligible for WSIP funding. Per Proposition 1, by January 1, 2022, applicants must submit completed feasibility studies, draft environmental documents released for public review, and commitments for at least 75 percent of the non-program funding. All seven projects met the statutory deadline to ensure progress and remain eligible for WSIP funding.
WSIP Early Funding
WSIP regulations allow for a portion of the Commission’s maximum conditional eligibility determination (MCED) to be awarded before the final funding hearing to assist with permits and environmental documents. Early funding cannot exceed 5% of a project’s MCED. In all, the Commission has awarded six projects early funding totaling $116 million. Early funding amounts: Chino Basin Program - $8,919,000. Harvest Water Program - $14,375,625. Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Project - $23,877,917. Pacheco Reservoir Expansion Project - $24,200,000. Sites Project - $40,818,884. Willow Springs Water Bank - $4,770,300.
WSIP News Releases
Recent news releases about the Water Storage Investment Program can be found on the Press Releases page, linked in the title above
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