Bill > AB2026

This bill aims to streamline and expand groundwater recharge efforts in California by modifying existing water diversion laws. It revises the conditions under which floodwaters can be diverted for groundwater recharge without requiring a full water right permit, extending this exemption until January 1, 2034, and exempting these diversions from certain environmental review and streambed alteration agreement requirements, provided tribal consultation occurs. The bill also introduces provisions to simplify the process for obtaining temporary permits for groundwater recharge, particularly for applications by groundwater sustainability agencies or private entities working with them, and expands the definition of "urgent need" to include augmenting groundwater recharge in basins managed under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). Furthermore, it establishes new criteria for determining water availability for diversions, especially for underground storage, and includes provisions to ensure these diversions do not harm existing legal water users or environmental resources, with many of these changes set to expire or be repealed by January 1, 2037.