H.F. 2989 Summary

• Modifies the purposes of metropolitan water management programs to emphasize slowing water movement and promoting groundwater recharge alongside existing flood control and water quality goals.

• Adds groundwater quality and quantity improvement recommendations as a required element when counties provide written statements to watershed management organizations about plan inconsistencies.

• Requires watershed management organizations submitting plans ahead of the Board's priority schedule to receive board review within 45 days or face automatic plan approval without formal board authorization.

• Expands watershed district purposes to include slowing water movement to protect surface waters and recharge groundwater resources as both an optional purpose (item 15) and a mandatory requirement for all established districts.

• Amends groundwater plan requirements to explicitly include goals for slowing water movement to improve water quality and increase groundwater recharge, and adds recharge rates to the information that must be summarized about county groundwater resources.