Section 79561.5 Of Chapter 8. Integrated Regional Water Management From California Water Code >> Division 26.5. >> Chapter 8.
79561.5
. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, of the
funds appropriated to the department for the purposes of Sections
79560 and 79560.1, the department shall allocate the sum of not less
than twenty million dollars ($20,000,000) to competitive grants for
groundwater management and recharge projects. The department shall
not allocate funds pursuant to this section unless it determines that
the allocation is consistent with this division, as approved by the
voters at the November 5, 2002, statewide general election.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that these funds be used
to enhance water supply in rapidly growing areas of this state with
limited access to imported water supplies.
(c) Not more than 50 percent of the grants pursuant to this
section shall be for projects in northern California. For projects in
southern California, the department shall give preference to
projects outside the service area of the Metropolitan Water District
of Southern California that are infill projects within one mile of
established residential and commercial development.
(d) As used in this section, the term "rapidly growing areas"
means counties located in southern California where the county
population increased by 2.4 percent or more between January 1, 2002,
and January 1, 2003.