July 5, 2023
The Honorable Dave Min
Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee
1021 O St., Ste. 6710
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: AB 1337 (Wicks) State Water Resources Control Board: water diversion curtailment – Oppose as amended 5/18/23
On behalf of the Mayors of Escalon, Lathrop, Lodi, Manteca, Ripon, Stockton, and Tracy we OPPOSE AB 1337, which would overhaul water management in ways that would have detrimental impacts to the state’s housing market, jobs, water affordability and our economy overall. AB 1337 would force water managers to operate at the whims of the state. Reliability in water rights would be severely diminished, and many water agencies would struggle to meet the needs of homes and businesses throughout the state if this bill became law.
Our cities oppose AB 1337 because it would give the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) unprecedented statutory authority to curtail the diversion or use of water under any claim of right during any water year—even a year like this where California has received record precipitation.
The State Water Board first imposed widespread curtailments during the emergency droughts of 2014- 2015 and 2021-2022 and only in emergency drought conditions. It is our belief that curtailments are - and should be – a water management tool of last resort. This is because curtailments have significant ramifications that extend far beyond the water right holders themselves. Curtailments can disrupt agriculture, industry, and other water-dependent sectors, leading to job losses, revenue declines, and other economic hardships.
Rather than using curtailments judiciously and effectively, AB 1337 proposes that the State Water Board should use curtailment to manage all water right allocations, within all watersheds, in any water year.
Water management involves local stakeholders and is tailored to the unique needs and circumstances of a particular watershed. This helps ensure that water management decisions are made with a greater understanding of the local hydrology, ecology, and economy. Local water management practices are often more collaborative and cooperative than curtailment orders, which are top-down and heavy-handed. AB 1337 would allow the State Water Board to supersede long-standing water management and water ATTACHMENT 2
delivery practices throughout California.
Lastly, our cities oppose AB 1337 because the consequences would be severe. For example, AB 1337 would make it more expensive — and in many cases, impractical — to invest in new water infrastructure, including critical projects to store, treat, and deliver reliable water. Also, an unreliable water supply will hinder water agencies from being able to meet demands of new development, including affordable housing projects. Further, these problems compound each other and less investments in infrastructure and housing projects would lead to fewer new, good-paying jobs. Overall, water rights instability makes it more expensive to invest in projects and purchase water through transfers, which would lead to higher water rates for Californians.
For these reasons we oppose AB 1337 and respectfully request you vote NO on this measure.
Sincerely,
DAVID BELLINGER
MAYOR OF ESCALON
SONNY DHALIWAL
MAYOR OF LATHROP
MIKEY HOTHI
MAYOR OF LODI
GARY SINGH
MAYOR OF MANTECA
CC: Members, Senate Natural Resources Committee
Assemblymember Buffy Wicks
MICHAEL RESTUCCIA
MAYOR OF RIPON
KEVIN J. LINCOLN II
MAYOR OF STOCKTON
Via DocuSign 6/30/23
3:15PM
NANCY YOUNG
MAYOR OF TRACY
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