Section 10562.

(a) A city, county, or special district, either individually or jointly, may develop a stormwater resource plan pursuant to this part.

(b) Stormwater resource plans shall:

(1) Be developed on a watershed basis.

(2) Provide for multiple benefit project design to maximize water supply, water quality, and environmental and other community benefits.

(3) Provide for community participation in plan development and implementation.

(4) Be consistent with, and assist in, compliance with total maximum daily load (TMDL) implementation plans and applicable national pollutant discharge elimination system (NPDES) permits.

(5) Be consistent with all applicable waste discharge permits.

(6) Be consistent with any applicable integrated regional water management plan.

(c) The proposed or adopted plan shall meet the standards outlined in this section. The plan need not be referred to as a "stormwater resource plan." Existing planning documents may be utilized as a functionally equivalent plan, including, but not limited to, watershed management plans, integrated resource plans, urban water management plans, or similar plans. If a planning document does not meet the standards of this section, a collection of local and regional plans may constitute a functional equivalent.

(d) Stormwater resource plans shall identify all of the following:

(1) Opportunities to augment local water supply through groundwater recharge or storage for beneficial reuse of stormwater.

(2) Opportunities for source control for both pollution and stormwater runoff volume, onsite and local infiltration, and reuse of stormwater.

(3) Projects to reestablish natural water drainage treatment and infiltration systems, or mimic natural system functions to the maximum extent feasible.

(4) Opportunities to develop or enhance habitat and open space through stormwater management, including wetlands, riverside habitats, parkways, and parks.

(5) Design criteria and best management practices to prevent stormwater pollution and increase effective stormwater management for new and upgraded infrastructure and residential, commercial, industrial, and public development. These design criteria and best management practices shall accomplish all of the following:

(A) Reduce effective impermeability within a watershed by creating permeable surfaces and directing stormwater to permeable surfaces, retention basins, cisterns, and other storage for beneficial reuse.

(B) Increase water storage for beneficial use through a variety of on-site storage techniques.

(C) Increase groundwater supplies through infiltration, where appropriate and feasible.

(D) Support low-impact development for new and upgraded infrastructure and development using low-impact techniques.

(6) Activities that generate or contribute to the pollution of stormwater, or that impair the effective beneficial use of stormwater.

(7) Projects and programs to ensure the effective implementation of the stormwater resource plan pursuant to this part and achieve multiple benefits.

(8) Ordinances or other mechanisms necessary to ensure the effective implementation of the stormwater resource plan pursuant to this part.

(Added by Stats. 2009, Ch. 620, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 2010.)