(a)  Notwithstanding any provision of Article 3 (commencing with Section 5980) and Article 4 (commencing with Section 6020), on or after January 1, 1972, any new diversion of water from any stream having populations of salmon and steelhead that is determined by the department to be deleterious to salmon and steelhead shall be screened by the owner. The construction, operation, or maintenance costs of any screen required pursuant to this article shall be borne by the owner of the diversion.

(b) The department within 30 days of providing written notice to the owner that the department has determined that the diversion is deleterious to salmon and steelhead pursuant to subdivision (a), or within the time determined by mutual written agreement, shall submit to the owner its proposals as to measures necessary to protect the salmon and steelhead. The department shall notify the owner that it shall make onsite investigation and shall make any other investigation before it shall propose any measures necessary to protect fishlife.

(c) The department, or any agency of the state, shall provide the owner of the diversion any available information that is required by the owner in order to comply with the provisions of this article.

(d) The diversion shall not commence until the department has determined that measures necessary to protect fishlife have been incorporated into the plans and construction of the diversion.

(Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 2, Sec. 1. (AB 92) Effective March 27, 2015.)