Section 12981 Of Part 9. Delta Levee Maintenance From California Water Code >> Division 6. >> Part 9.
12981
. (a) The Legislature finds and declares that the delta is
endowed with many invaluable and unique resources and that these
resources are of major statewide significance.
(b) The Legislature further finds and declares that the delta's
uniqueness is particularly characterized by its hundreds of miles of
meandering waterways and the many islands adjacent thereto; that, in
order to preserve the delta's invaluable resources, which include
highly productive agriculture, recreational assets, fisheries, and
wildlife environment, the physical characteristics of the delta
should be preserved essentially in their present form; and that the
key to preserving the delta's physical characteristics is the system
of levees defining the waterways and producing the adjacent islands.
However, the Legislature recognizes that it may not be economically
justifiable to maintain all delta islands.
(c) The Legislature further finds and declares that funds
necessary to maintain and improve the delta's levees to protect the
delta's physical characteristics should be used to fund levee work
that would promote agricultural and habitat uses in the delta
consistent with the purpose of preserving the delta's invaluable
resources.