Water Code, 1943

The district may borrow money for construction work, issue debt instruments, and the board sets the interest rate, subject to a 5-year term limit, a 7% annual interest cap, and a debt ceiling tied to construction cost.

If a district receives money from the United States under the contract, it must use that money first to pay down the notes, warrants, or other indebtedness issued under this article.

Irrigation districts may borrow or obtain money from the United States for district operations, obligations, or bond-related refinancing/purchases.

If the United States appraises a district’s security or lends it money for refunding debt or financing operations, the district may agree in the loan contract not to levy assessments below the contract minimum during the loan term.

A district may execute a contract with the United States as evidence of a loan if it has been authorized under the chapter’s modified Article 3 procedure.

A district may issue bonds, whether a contract requires it or not.

The district’s bonds may be issued on terms agreed with the United States, payable in any agreed manner and from any agreed revenue source, and may bind the district to pay them under those terms.

This section says the bonds may be issued as serial or sinking fund bonds, may be made callable, and may be payable to bearer or to the United States.

A majority vote at an election is enough to authorize execution of the contract.

The notice of election and ballot only need the information required for ordinary bond elections.

Proposals to enter into a contract and to issue bonds may be voted on together as one proposition.

The Department of Water Resources may not submit a state project plan or proposal to the Legislature unless it includes Fish and Game’s comments and recommendations, if any, and provision for necessary water or facilities for public recreation and fish and wildlife resources.

This section defines “county water district” for this article as a county water district that has a contract with the United States for certain irrigation, water supply, flood control, power, or indebtedness purposes.

A county water district is deemed to be an irrigation district under California irrigation district law, for purposes tied to two specified federal acts.

Public land of the United States inside a county water district can be assessed and taxed for district purposes, but only to the extent allowed by the cited acts of Congress and after the district fully complies with them.

This chapter does not expand eminent domain rights to any public use that could not otherwise exercise them.

Districts may make agreements with irrigation districts in adjoining States for joint work on diverting, impounding, or distributing works used to irrigate or drain land.

Agreements under this article may be evidenced either by written contracts signed for each district’s board of directors or trustees, or by resolutions entered in their minutes.

Contracts, certified copies of contracts, and certified copies of resolutions must be recorded in the county recorder’s office for each county where the districts have land, reservoir sites, or other real property covered by this article.

Agreements under this article may set up joint, several, or common ownership of needed property and may तय terms or proportions for holding it.

Courts of competent jurisdiction in this State may hear and enforce rights or disputes arising from the agreements.

A board meeting may be held together with the cooperating district’s board in the adjoining state, if the meeting was adjourned or called like a special meeting.

Either district may divert water from either or both States for impounding in the adjoining State or for distributing it to land of the cooperating districts.

A cooperating district may hold title to property across the state line when needed to carry out this article.

The department may investigate, excavate, and preserve historic or prehistoric ruins, monuments, or objects of antiquity in areas planned for state water development.

This section defines “districts” for this article as one or more irrigation districts together with one or more county water districts.

This section defines “contract with the United States” for this article.

In this article, “power rights” means power possibilities, power resources, and power privileges.

Districts may contract with each other under this article only if both stated conditions are met.

A contract between districts made before every district has contracted with the United States becomes effective once all of the districts have done so.

Districts may use contracts to settle water-right controversies between themselves and define where the water may be beneficially used.

Districts may contract about how earlier applications with the State Water Rights Board (or its predecessor) are amended and how permits and licenses are issued.

Districts may contract to settle controversies over power rights on a canal or other water system, and may transfer those power rights to another district for that purpose.

The districts may make leases for up to 99 years and may give the lessee control over specified power rights and related power use and sale.

Districts may contract for electric-power arrangements tied to a lease, including service by the lessee district in the lessor district and possible procurement by the lessor district.

Districts may contract to cooperate on obtaining water-power permits and licenses and on constructing power facilities.

Districts may contract for other matters if those matters are authorized by law.

Districts that enter into contracts have full power to perform and carry out those contracts as written.

Contracts made under this article must be interpreted liberally to carry out their true intent.

District boards may authorize the execution of a contract between districts by resolution.

This section legalizes and confirms certain contracts made before September 13, 1941 between the districts, and confirms the districts’ power to carry them out.

The department may study, research, experiment, and evaluate weather modification, including artificial rainfall control, and may contract for related research if funds are allocated.

Contiguous land may be formed into a distribution district to contract with the United States for a distribution system separate from or supplemental to the district’s works.

This section defines “federal reclamation law” for this part.

A distribution district may be proposed, and the formation petition must be signed by at least two-thirds of the title holders for land in the proposed district who appear on the district’s last equalized assessment roll.

A petition to form a distribution district must include specified information about the proposed system, the land, the owners, and the petitioners' signatures.

The petition, related proceedings, the distribution district, and the land in it must be designated by a number.

A petition may be made up of any number of separate instruments, but they must be duplicates except for the signatures.

A petition to form a distribution district must be filed with the district secretary, and interested persons may inspect it.

When the board receives a petition to form a distribution district, it must have a survey made of the proposed distribution system.

If the survey shows the distribution system is feasible, the board must prepare a cost estimate and a statement of the estimated ad valorem tax rate needed for the district’s United States obligation.

The estimate of cost and estimated ad valorem tax rate must be filed with the district secretary, and interested persons may inspect them.