(a) Funds allocated pursuant to this chapter may be expended solely for the following public benefits associated with water storage projects:

(1) Ecosystem improvements, including changing the timing of water diversions, improvement in flow conditions, temperature, or other benefits that contribute to restoration of aquatic ecosystems and native fish and wildlife, including those ecosystems and fish and wildlife in the Delta.

(2) Water quality improvements in the Delta, or in other river systems, that provide significant public trust resources, or that clean up and restore groundwater resources.

(3) Flood control benefits, including, but not limited to, increases in flood reservation space in existing reservoirs by exchange for existing or increased water storage capacity in response to the effects of changing hydrology and decreasing snow pack on California’s water and flood management system.

(4) Emergency response, including, but not limited to, securing emergency water supplies and flows for dilution and salinity repulsion following a natural disaster or act of terrorism.

(5) Recreational purposes, including, but not limited to, those recreational pursuits generally associated with the outdoors.

(b) Funds shall not be expended pursuant to this chapter for the costs of environmental mitigation measures or compliance obligations except for those associated with providing the public benefits as described in this section.

(Added by Stats. 2014, Ch. 188, Sec. 8. (AB 1471) Approved in Proposition 1 at the November 4, 2014, election.)