Financial Assistance Programs – Grants and Loans

Watershed Protection Program (Chapter 6, Article 2)

Amount: Watershed Program – $90 million

Appropriations: Subject to annual appropriation by the Legislature

Program Description
Grants to municipalities, local agencies, or nonprofit organizations to develop local watershed management plans (maximum $200,000 per local watershed plan) and/or implement projects (maximum $5 million per project) consistent with watershed plans. Sixty percent of the funds will be allocated to projects in the Counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, San Bernardino, and Ventura. Forty percent of the funds will be allocated to projects in the remaining counties. This subaccount requires that $35 million be set-aside for grants to small communities

Historical Implementation
The SWRCB implemented a similar program under the Delta Tributary Watershed Program of Proposition 204. Thirty-one projects are underway or near implementation for Sacramento, San Joaquin, and Trinity River Watersheds for a total funding of $14.5 million. Federal Clean Water Act Section 319 projects have also implemented similar, but smaller, projects.

Implementation Process/Timetable

1. The Governor signed the State Fiscal Year (FY) 2000-01 Budget, including $20 million for the Watershed Protection Program.
2. Staff has begun discussions with representatives for the designated set-aside projects for Pajaro River ($2 million), Russian River ($1 million), Clover Creek ($5 million), and Clear Lake ($2 million). The set-aside projects will be funded in total and contracts executed in FY 2000-01, July through June.
3. A limited scope Request for Proposals (RFP) ($10 million) will be released in the Fall of 2000 to fund watershed plan development projects beginning in the Spring of 2001.
4. The implementation process will use an extensive outreach effort to ensure a high level of public input.

• A stakeholder advisory group will be convened and a scoping meeting will be held to assist SWRCB in preparation of a broad based RFP for release in the Spring of 2001 for the selection of projects to be funded in State FY 2001-02.
• Workshops will be held around the State to solicit comments on the broad RFP, to explain the State contracting process, to discuss the SWRCB’s watershed approach to water quality protection, and to answer questions. Click here for a list of dates, times, and locations.
• A Proposition 13 Website with list servers for each subaccount was established on the SWRCB’s home page in late April. The Website will be maintained throughout the life of the program and updated as needed.

Questions or Comments?

• Please Contact:
  Bill Campbell at (916) 341-5499 or Ken Harris at (916) 341-5500
  State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB)
  Division of Water Quality
  1001 "I" Street, 15^th Floor
  Sacramento, CA 95814-2828
  

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(Updated 3/13/12)