SECTIONS 10015-10016 - California Statutes

WATER CODE

SECTION 10015-10016

10015. The Legislature hereby finds and declares all of the
following:
(a) The state's growth requires policymakers to seek creative ways
to maximize the use of water resources and employ technology to
conserve water whenever possible.
(b) The state's agricultural industry, as well as residential
landscapers, pest control managers, park and golf course operators,
water agencies, and large urban irrigators rely on the California
Irrigation Management Information System (CIMIS) to provide
evapotranspiration data that allows them to develop weather-based,
water budgeting methods of irrigation. A recent study found that the
California Irrigation Management Information System generates $64.7
million in annual benefits to the state, at an annual cost of only
eight hundred fifty thousand dollars ($850,000).
(c) Completing the development of standard data protocol for
evapotranspiration data and enhancing statewide coverage of CIMIS
data will allow significant improvements in landscape management and
irrigation scheduling, thereby saving significant amounts of water.
Studies have shown a savings of 37 gallons per day for residential
irrigation, and 545 gallons per day for nonresidential irrigation, as
well as runoff reduction of up to 50 percent when weather-based
irrigation controllers using evapotranspiration data are installed.
(d) The expansion of the California Irrigation Management
Information System, and the use of evapotranspiration data in
irrigation has other environmental benefits as well. The reduction in
urban runoff that results can lead to improved water quality, and
for every one acre foot of water saved, there is a corresponding
reduction of one ton of air emissions, according to the California
Irrigation Management Information System Urban Resource Book (May
2000).

10016. (a) The Department of Water Resources shall complete the
development of a standard data protocol for evapotranspiration data,
to ensure that the data is available in an easily accessible,
standard, and usable format throughout the state, and made available
through the California Irrigation Management Information System.
(b) The Department of Water Resources shall continue the operation
of the California Irrigation Management Information System to allow
evapotranspiration data to be generated for, and made available to,
all regions of the state.
(c) The Department of Water Resources shall perform the duties
required by this section to the extent funds are appropriated for
these purposes in the annual Budget Act.
(d) Upon appropriation by the Legislature, funds allocated
pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 75027 of the Public Resources
Code shall be made available to provide regional contributions
towards satisfying the duties required by this section.