Water Code - Division 6: Conservation, Development, and Utilization of State Water Resources - Chapter 2: California Irrigation Management Information System (secs. 10015 - 10016)

WATER CODE - WAT DIVISION 6. CONSERVATION, DEVELOPMENT, AND UTILIZATION OF STATE WATER RESOURCES [10000 - 12999] ( Heading of Division 6 amended by Stats. 1957, Ch. 1932. ) PART 1.5. THE CALIFORNIA WATER PLAN [10004 - 10016] ( Part 1.5 added by Stats. 1959, Ch. 2053. ) CHAPTER 2. California Irrigation Management Information System [10015 - 10016] ( Chapter 2 added by Stats. 2007, Ch. 319, Sec. 3. ) 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). (Added by Stats. 2007, Ch. 319, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 2008.) 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 javascript:submitCodesValues('10015.','7.2.2','2007','319','3',%20'id beacf0ae-a26a-11dc-acb5-9a6c6381fe29') javascript:submitCodesValues('10016.','7.2.2','2007','319','3',%20'id bef74020-a26a-11dc-acb5-9a6c6381fe29') 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. (Added by Stats. 2007, Ch. 319, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 2008.)