AB 1914

Bill Subjects

Abstract

Under existing law, the State Water Resources Control Board is required to issue a water permit upon approval of an application if certain facts exist subject to specified terms and conditions. Existing law authorizes the board to reserve jurisdiction, in whole or in part, to amend, revise, supplement, or delete terms and conditions in a permit under specified circumstances. This bill would require the board, when approving an application for a water permit or an application for renewal or amendment of a water permit that affects the Trinity River, excluding tributaries, to conform the use of that permit to the minimum instream flows established by the United States Department of the Interior's Record of Decision, Trinity River Mainstem Fishery Restoration, Final Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report, adopted December 19, 2000, and to adopt specified requirements. The bill would require the board to reserve jurisdiction over any permit affecting the Trinity River, excluding tributaries, and to apply the terms and conditions adopted pursuant to the above-specified provisions to any existing permit affecting the Trinity River, excluding tributaries, including, but not limited to, a permit issued for unappropriated water, for water under an existing right, for an amount of water over that which is available under an existing right to meet the beneficial use requirements of a project, or for an amount of water reasonably necessary for any other identified beneficial use. The bill would provide that these provisions do not diminish, impair, or otherwise affect in any manner whatsoever any area of origin, watershed of origin, county of origin, or any other water rights protections, including, but not limited to, rights to water appropriated prior to December 19, 1914, provided under the law, or limit or otherwise affect the application of other specified provisions of law.