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Cal. Water Code § 347

Atmospheric Rivers Research and Forecast Improvement Program: Enabling Climate Adaptation Through Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations and Hazard Resiliency (AR/FIRO)

Redline — January 1, 2015 → current.View current text →
Current — January 1, 2023
As of January 1, 2015
(a) The Atmospheric Rivers: Research, Mitigation, and Climate Forecasting Program is hereby established in the Department of Water Resources.
(a) The Atmospheric Rivers Research and Forecast Improvement Program: Enabling Climate Adaptation Through Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations and Hazard Resiliency (AR/FIRO) Program is hereby established in the Department of Water Resources.
(b) (1) The department shall research, develop, and implement new observations, prediction models, novel forecasting methods, and tailored decision support systems to improve predictions of atmospheric rivers and their impacts on water supply, flooding, post-wildfire debris flows, and environmental conditions.
(b) Upon appropriation of special fund moneys, including, but not limited to, private funds, for these purposes, the department shall conduct research relating to climate forecasting and the causes and impacts that climate change has on atmospheric rivers, and shall take all actions within its existing authority to operate reservoirs in a manner that improves flood protection in the state and to reoperate flood control and water storage facilities to capture water generated by atmospheric rivers, thereby increasing water supply, hydropower availability, and the reliability of water resources in the state.
(2) The department shall utilize all relevant information produced pursuant to paragraph (1) to operate reservoirs in a manner that improves flood protection in the state and to reoperate flood control and water storage facilities to capture water generated by atmospheric rivers and other storms. The goals of integrating forecast-informed reservoir operations into department operations shall be to increase water supply, hydropower availability, and water supply reliability. The department may use research generated by this program to refine climate projections of extreme weather and water events and changes in Sierra snow.
(3) Information produced pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be available to relevant federal, state, and local agencies.

Official source: California Legislative Information. Reproduced from public-domain California statutes; confirm against the official source for the current text. Not legal advice.