More Money for Water? A Look at California Prop. 1

Unlike the nearly $20 billion in other water bonds that voters have recently approved for water, Prop. 1 devotes its biggest chunk of resources, $3.63 billion, to water supply. Within that piece, 75 percent is appropriated to water storage, which is also the most controversial aspect of the bond. New storage facilities for water supplies are controversial because they almost always involve dam-building, land inundation and diversions, which negatively impact river environments and ecosystems. Although the bond money would be allocated by the state Water Commission in a competitive process and may only be used for the "public benefits" of water storage projects — such as recreation, flood protection and ecosystem restoration (and not for the storage projects themselves, which must be paid for by ratepayers) — Prop. 1 is opposed by some environmental and recreation groups.

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