Dam Safety and Climate Resilience Local Assistance

Senate Bill 122 added Part 4, Section 6700 to the Water Code to create a new program, the Dam Safety and Climate Resilience Local Assistance Program, within DWR for the purpose of providing state funding for repairs, rehabilitation, enhancements, and other dam safety projects at existing state jurisdictional dams and associated facilities that were in service prior to January 1, 2023. Approximately 10 percent of the 1,236 State jurisdictional dams regulated by DWR’s Division of Safety of Dams (DSOD) have been assigned a condition assessment classification of less than “Satisfactory” (e.g., they have noted deficiencies that need remediation). In many cases, these dams pose a significant threat to communities downstream. As an interim risk reduction measure, more than 40 of these dams have had reservoir restrictions imposed. The loss of water storage from these reservoir restrictions is about 350,000 acre-feet. Many dam owners, even those with sources of funding, do not have the ability to secure funding for dam remediation or improvement projects. This program will provide much-needed grant funding for the repair, retrofit, and rehabilitation of these critical infrastructure facilities, reduce the unacceptable risks to the public, and regain lost storage capacity that is needed to face California’s climate-related water shortages.