Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular Session
SB 758 (Block) - Atmospheric Rivers Research and Mitigation Program.
Version: April 30, 2015 Policy Vote: N.R. & W. 8 - 0
Urgency: No
Hearing Date: May 28, 2015
Mandate: No
Consultant: Marie Liu
SUSPENSE FILE. AS AMENDED.
Bill Summary: SB 785 would require the Department of Water Resources (DWR) to research the cause and effects of atmospheric rivers and to take all actions to capture water generated by atmospheric rivers.
Fiscal Impact (as approved on May 28, 2015):

One-time costs of $2.5 million to unspecified special funds and private funds to DWR to expand its extreme precipitation network.

Ongoing costs of $1.25 million to unspecified special funds and private funds to operate and analyze the expanded extreme precipitation network.

One-time costs of $500,000 to unspecified special funds and private funds to DWR for a study to improve predictability of the formation and strength of atmospheric rivers.
Background: According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA), atmospheric rivers are relatively narrow regions in the atmosphere that are responsible for most of the horizontal transport of water vapor outside of the tropics. On the west coast, 30-50% of the annual precipitation on average comes from a few atmospheric river events.
Under existing law, DWR is responsible for managing the state’s water resources.
Within DWR is the Hydrology and Flood Operations Office that is responsible for directing DWR’s flood and water supply forecasting operations, hydrology and climatology studies, emergency flood operations, and flood control project inspections and encroachment permitting.
Proposed Law: This bill would establish the Atmospheric Rivers and Research and
Mitigation Program. Under this program, DWR would be required to study the causes and effects of atmospheric rivers. DWR would also be required to take actions, including through reservoir management, to increase water supply and reliability of water resources by capturing water generated by atmospheric rivers.
This bill would also create the Atmospheric Rivers Research and Mitigation Fund in the
State Treasury to fund this program.
Staff Comments: DWR currently has invested into research regarding atmospheric rivers including an extreme precipitation monitoring network and improving forecasting of extreme precipitation. According to DWR, this bill would necessitate an expansion of these efforts to include items such as monitoring for flood producing conditions, monitoring and forecasting reservoir and river levels, and providing extreme hydrologic condition response conditions for the state.

SB 758 (Block) Page 2
To accomplish this additional work, DWR would be required to continue its extreme
of 2 precipitation monitoring network. Currently the network is being funded by the NOAA
Office of Atmospheric Research through 2019. However, according to DWR, if this network becomes an operational network rather than a research network, federal funds may end before 2019. The network currently costs $750,000 annually to operate.
To accomplish this bill, DWR would need to expand the existing network at a one-time cost of $2.5 million for additional sensors. The expanded network would also require an additional $500,000 in annual operation costs, for a total of $1.25 million in ongoing costs.
DWR would also anticipate needing an additional $500,000 in one-time funding to study the formation zones of atmospheric rivers to improve the predictability of this phenomenon.
This bill would create a new special fund in the State Treasury but does not specific a funding source. Staff notes that establishing a new account increases administrative costs. While these costs are likely minor, it is unclear why a special fund would be necessary in order to fund this program. Staff recommends the author delete the creation of the special fund.
Committee amendments (as adopted on May 28, 2015): Amend to specify that the program is contingent upon appropriation by the Legislature from special and private funds and to delete the creation of the Atmospheric Rivers Research and Mitigation
Fund.
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