It is the intent of the Legislature to invest in watershed management partnerships that use a community-based collaborative approach to meeting the state’s watershed management goals. Allocation of funding should be balanced among large and small watersheds, coastal and inland watersheds, and effluent reduction and source protection, and should be geographically balanced. Priority should be given to projects and programs that implement programs that have multiple benefits.

(Added by Stats. 2002, Ch. 727, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2003.)