Bill Text: CA AB1270 | 2017-2018 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Dams and reservoirs: inspections and reporting.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 8-1)

Status: (Passed) 2018-02-26 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 3, Statutes of 2018. [AB1270 Detail]

Download: California-2017-AB1270-Amended.html

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Amended  IN  Senate  July 20, 2017

Amended  IN  Senate  June 28, 2017

Amended  IN  Assembly  March 21, 2017

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 1270

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Introduced by Assembly Member Gallagher
(Coauthor: Senator Nielsen)

February 17, 2017

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An act to amend Section 6102 of, and to add Section 167 to, the Water Code, relating to water.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 1270, as amended, Gallagher. Dams and reservoirs: inspections and reporting.

Existing law requires the Department of Water Resources, from time to time, to make inspections of dams and reservoirs at state expense for the purpose of determining their safety.

This bill would require the department department, at the expense of dam owners, to inspect dams, reservoirs, and critical appurtenant structures with a hazard classification of significant or higher at least once per fiscal year and those structures with a hazard classification of low at least once every 2 fiscal years to determine their safety, as prescribed. The bill would require the department to post make all dam inspection reports on its Internet Web site from at least the previous 10 years for dams classified as extremely high hazard or high hazard. completed after January 1, 2018, publicly available.

Existing law establishes the California Water Commission, consisting of 9 members who are appointed to 4-year terms by the Governor, in the Department of Water Resources.

This bill, on or before January 1, 2019, and every 3 years thereafter, would require the commission, in consultation with the Center for Catastrophic Risk Management at the University of California, Berkeley to conduct a review regarding state-operated and state-maintained dams and reservoirs, as specified. The bill would require the commission to report its findings from the review, including any recommendations it deems appropriate, to the department and the Legislature.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

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Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

 Section 167 is added to the Water Code, to read:

167.

 (a) On or before January 1, 2019, and every three years thereafter, the California Water Commission, in consultation with the Center for Catastrophic Risk Management at the University of California, Berkeley, shall conduct a review regarding state-operated and state-maintained dams and reservoirs that includes the following:

(1) The adequacy and efficacy of inspections and the regulation of dam safety by the Division of Safety of Dams and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Division of Dam Safety and Inspections.

(2) The status of maintenance and improvement projects, including recommendations to address long-term infrastructure improvement needs and issues identified in inspection reports.

(b) (1) The commission shall report its findings from the review, including any recommendations it deems appropriate, to the department and to the Legislature.

(2) A report to be submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

SEC. 2.

 Section 6102 of the Water Code is amended to read:

6102.

 (a) The department shall inspect dams, reservoirs, and critical appurtenant structures at state expense the expense of dam owners, pursuant to Section 6307, for the purpose of determining their safety pursuant to subdivision (b). An owner of a dam or reservoir shall perform, at the owner’s expense, such work as necessary to disclose information sufficient to enable the department to determine conditions of dams, reservoirs, and critical appurtenant structures in regard to the safety of the dam, reservoir, and critical appurtenant structures and shall perform, at the owner’s expense, other work necessary to secure maintenance and operation that will safeguard life and property.

(b) (1) The department shall inspect dams and critical appurtenant structures with a hazard classification of significant or higher at least once per fiscal year to determine their safety. An inspection pursuant to this paragraph shall include include, but is not limited to, visual inspections, full length full-length examination of spillways, geotechnical testing, review of available geotechnical data, evaluation of any seepage or drainage issues, review of all critical infrastructure, and determination of any necessary repairs or upgrades. If necessary to make a determination of safety and fitness, the department may also order underwater inspections, nondestructive tests, installation of additional instrumentation, and additional data gathering when necessary. gathering.

(2) The department shall inspect dams and critical appurtenant structures with a hazard classification of low at least once every two fiscal years to determine their safety.

(c) The department shall post on its Internet Web site dam inspection reports from at least the previous ten years for dams classified as extremely high hazard or high hazard. make all dam inspection reports completed after January 1, 2018, publicly available.