WHEREAS:

1. The Reclamation Projects Authorization and Adjustment Act of 1992 (Public Law 102-575) contains an authorization of $10,000,000 to conduct a Salton Sea research project (Section 1101).

2. The purpose of the research project is to develop a method to reduce and control salinity, provide endangered species habitat, enhance fisheries, and protect human recreational values in inland water bodies.

3. There is a 50 percent match requirement for the nonfederal costs.

4. Proposition 204 (the Safe, Clean, Reliable, Water Supply Act), which was approved by the voters in November 1996, continuously appropriated the sum of $2.5 million to the Drainage Management Subaccount (Subaccount) for grants to local agencies for the purpose of providing the nonfederal share of the costs specified in Section 1101 of Public Law 102-575 (Water Code Section 78642[b]).

5. Proposition 204 provides for the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) to use up to 3 percent ($75,000) of the amount deposited into the Subaccount to pay for the SWRCB's cost for administration of the Salton Sea Grant.

6. The Salton Sea Authority is the local agency that has been working with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation on the Salton Sea restoration effort covered by Public Law 102-575.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT:

The SWRCB approves a $2,425,000 grant to the Salton Sea Authority for the nonfederal share of the costs specified in Section 1101 of Public Law 102-575 with disbursement to occur on submittal of qualifying expenditures and not to exceed federal costs.

The undersigned, Administrative Assistant to the SWRCB, does hereby certify that the foregoing is a full, true, and correct copy of a resolution duly and regularly adopted at a meeting of the State Water Resources Control Board held on February 19, 1998.

/s/______________________________

Maureen Marché

Administrative Assistant to the Board