Water information in California is, in many respects, a decentralized resource. Hundreds of water districts, cities and counties, and the state government all house silos of data that aren't necessarily shared.
A new bill from Assemblymember Bill Dodd, D-Napa, would try to consolidate those troves and give California a single place where water managers can access data on water transfers, the water market and water consumption.
Dodd's Open and Transparent Water Data Act (AB 1755) would task the California Department of Water Resources with creating a public benefit corporation to manage a statewide accounting system for water, an online water transfer information clearinghouse, a publicly available website, and other improvements.
The new entity would develop protocols for sharing water data and operate using a newly created Water Information System Administration Fund.
"The drought has revealed California needs a modern water information system to address the state's water supply," Dodd announced Feb. 3. "The state does not suffer from a lack of water data, but from a lack of usable water data needed to make smart decisions. This bill will create instant and accessible water information that will better enable water managers to cope with current and future drought conditions."
Dodd's office noted that it's currently difficult for water managers to access the growing volume of water data kept in various databases scattered statewide. In one example, last year the Wall Street Journal reported California "is collecting more data than ever from utilities, municipalities and other water providers about just how much water flows through their pipes" but that some think the system could be bolstered to improve accuracy and reduce lag time of the data reporting process.
"California's current water transfer market is inefficient,” said Jim Wunderman, president and CEO of the Bay Area Council, which is supporting AB 1755. “With the right market signals, water agencies and private capital will want to invest in conservation and improvement of our water delivery system. California leads the world in developing new and innovative technologies. It’s time to take the first step and invest in a better water information system.”
According to AB 1755, the water information accounting system would integrate, at a minimum, data on reservoir operations, groundwater use and levels, urban water use and land use, as well as data on water rights, water diversions and water quality, fish abundance, stream flow gauges, and more.
