Cal. Pub. Res. Code § 91012 — Safe Drinking Water, Drought, Flood, and Water Resilience

(a) Of the funds made available by Section 91010, three hundred eighty-six million two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($386,250,000) shall be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to the Department of Water Resources for projects related to groundwater storage, groundwater banking, groundwater recharge, or instream flow projects that support the conjunctive use of groundwater and surface water supplies. Of the funds made available pursuant to this subdivision, a minimum of twenty-five million dollars ($25,000,000) shall be for projects that provide direct benefits to tribal communities.

(b) Of the funds made available by subdivision (a), one hundred ninety-three million one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars ($193,125,000) shall be available for projects that increase groundwater storage, improve the management and operation of groundwater storage, or are for groundwater banking, and support implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (Part 2.74 (commencing with Section 10720) of Division 6 of the Water Code).

(c) (1) Of the funds made available by subdivision (a), one hundred ninety-three million one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars ($193,125,000) shall be available for projects that support conjunctive use and groundwater recharge. The projects shall provide the following benefits:

(A) Provide improved regional watershed management.

(B) Address current and projected drought conditions and demonstrate adaptation to climate change for a region.

(C) Provide ecosystem benefits to fish and wildlife and improve stream flow for anadromous fish.

(2) Reasonable geographic allocation to eligible projects throughout the state shall be considered, including both northern and southern California and inland and coastal regions.