The Water Management goal is to reduce or avoid adverse water supply impacts to all of the Friant Division long-term contractors that may result from the Interim Flows and Restoration Flows provided for in the Settlement.
Paragraph 16(a) of the Settlement directs the Secretary of the Interior to develop and implement a plan for recirculation, recapture, reuse, exchange, or transfer of the Interim and Restoration Flows. Paragraph 16(b) of the Settlement provides fixed pricing of wet-year supplies to promote opportunities for groundwater banking. Additionally, Congress added a subtitle to the legislation to authorize:
- Federal cost-share assistance for local groundwater storage projects;
- Feasibility studies and construction to restore capacity in the Friant-Kern and Madera Canals;
- Feasibility studies and construction of pump-back facilities on the Friant-Kern Canal.
