Article 4. Delta Levee Rehabilitation Program of California Water Code >> Division 24. >> Chapter 4. >> Article 4.

(a) There is hereby created in the account the Delta Levee Rehabilitation Subaccount.
  (b) For the purposes of this article, "subaccount" means the Delta Levee Rehabilitation Subaccount created by subdivision (a).

The sum of twenty-five million dollars ($25,000,000) is hereby transferred from the account to the subaccount for the purpose of implementing this article.

Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, the money in the subaccount is hereby continuously appropriated, without regard to fiscal years, to the department, as follows:
  (a) Twelve million five hundred thousand dollars ($12,500,000) for local assistance under the delta levee maintenance subventions program under Part 9 (commencing with Section 12980) of Division 6, and for the administration of that assistance.
  (b) Twelve million five hundred thousand dollars ($12,500,000) for special flood protection projects under Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 12310) of Part 4.8 of Division 6, subsidence studies and monitoring, and for the administration of this subdivision. Allocation of these funds shall be for flood protection projects on Bethel, Bradford, Holland, Hotchkiss, Jersey, Sherman, Twitchell, and Webb Islands, and at other locations in the delta.

The expenditure of funds under this article is subject to Chapter 1.5 (commencing with Section 12306) of Part 4.8 of Division 6.

(a) No expenditure of funds may be made under this article unless the Department of Fish and Game makes a written determination as part of its review and approval of a plan or project pursuant to Section 12314 or 12987 that the proposed expenditures are consistent with a net long-term habitat improvement program, and have a net benefit for aquatic species in the delta. The Department of Fish and Game shall make its determination in a reasonable and timely manner following the submission of the project or plan to that department. For the purposes of this article, an expenditure may include more than one levee project or plan.
  (b) The memorandum of understanding entered into pursuant to Section 12307 shall be amended to require, in accordance with this section, that projects or plans be consistent with a net long-term habitat improvement program in the delta. The memorandum of understanding shall define the term "net long-term habitat improvement program in the delta" for purposes of this section. The memorandum of understanding in effect prior to the amendment required by this section shall continue to apply to levee projects and plans until the memorandum of understanding is amended.

For the purposes of this article, a levee project includes levee improvements and related habitat improvements which may be undertaken in the delta at a location other than the location of that levee improvement.

The expenditure of funds under this article shall result in levee rehabilitation improvement projects that, to the greatest extent possible, are consistent with the CALFED program.