SECTIONS 6930 - California Statutes

FISH AND GAME CODE

SECTION 6930

6930. (a) Subject to the availability of funds for the purposes of
this section, the department shall contract with the University of
California to conduct a study of the effects that reduced waterflows
at the mouths and upstream estuaries of rivers selected under
subdivision (b) would have on existing salmon and steelhead
populations and on existing or prospective salmon and steelhead
population restoration or reintroduction programs.
(b) The department shall select the rivers to be included in the
study and shall limit its selection to rivers that are within the
combined river systems described in paragraph (7) of subdivision (a)
of Section 1215.5 of the Water Code, and that are the subject of an
application that has been filed with the State Water Resources
Control Board to appropriate water in an amount equal to more than
three cubic feet per second or more than 500 acre feet per annum of
storage, involving the delivery of water by means other than a
pipeline, natural watercourse, well, or aqueduct to any place of use
that is outside of the protected area described in paragraph (7) of
subdivision (a) of Section 1215.5 of the Water Code.
(c) The findings of the study conducted under this section shall
be a factor in any decision of the State Water Resources Control
Board to approve or deny an application to appropriate water from any
river selected under this section. If the application involves the
delivery of water, by means other than a pipeline, natural
watercourse, well, or aqueduct, to any place of use that is outside
of the protected area described in paragraph (7) of subdivision (a)
of Section 1215.5 of the Water Code, the board may not approve that
application until after the study has been completed.
(d) Any study conducted pursuant to this section shall conclude
within five years of the start of that study.
(e) This section applies to the University of California only if
the Regents of the University of California, by resolution, make it
applicable to the university.