Prop. 204
Water Bond Will Improve Biodiversity

A $995 million water bond endorsed by voters in the General Election will enable California to protect the state's primary water supply, improve biodiversity and restore fish and wildlife habitat, and safeguard Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta farms and levees from flooding.

The measure, passed by the Legislature as SB 900 and signed into law by Gov. Pete Wilson, appeared on the ballot as Proposition 204, the "Safe, Clean, Reliable Water Supply Act," garnering 63 percent of the vote on Nov. 5.

"This is a balanced and sensible approach to our water needs," Wilson said. "For cities, it means continued safe and reliable water supplies for domestic, municipal and industrial needs. For agriculture, it means continued adequate long-term supplies at a reasonable cost, and for the environment, it means the continued protection of California's most treasured resources."

Funding is divided as follows:
--$390 million for the Bay-Delta Ecosystem Restoration Program as defined by CALFED, the coalition that is carrying out the historic 1994 Accord to "fix" the Bay-Delta,
--$193 million for the Delta Improvement Program in the Bay-Delta watershed,
--$235 million for the Clean Water and Recycling Program to improve water quality and promote water recycling and reuse,
--$117 million for projects statewide that enhance water supplies and improve water management and demand management, including $10 million for Lake Tahoe, and
--$60 million for flood control and prevention.