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JFAC approves $30 million ongoing for water projects, adds related appropriations and language
Summary
The Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee approved the governor’s recommendation to provide $30 million ongoing for water projects via the Water Management Fund and adopted accompanying transfer and reappropriation language, plus other Department of Water Resources enhancements.
The Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee on March 14 approved appropriations and statutory language to direct $30,000,000 ongoing from the General Fund to the Department of Water Resources’ Water Management Fund for water infrastructure projects.
Janet Jessup, budget analyst, explained the governor’s recommendation: “The $30,000,000 is ongoing,” and that the intent language would transfer those monies annually to the Water Management Fund, a continuously appropriated account the board and department use for water infrastructure and local water‑entity grants. Senator Woodward asked the committee to clarify how the ongoing transfer would function and Ms. Jessup explained the money would become part of the FY27 base if adopted as ongoing and would be transferred into the Water Management Fund for projects and grants.
Motion and totals: Representative Lance Manwaring moved a package that included a $30,000,000 ongoing appropriation plus other items; the motion was recorded as an additional $31,097,700 from the General Fund and four additional full‑time equivalent positions for FY2026. The motion passed in committee (combined tally: 15 ayes, 5 nays). The committee later adopted related language on cash transfers and reappropriation authority for ARPA and state fiscal recovery funds; the language motion later carried with a combined 18 ayes, 1 nay, 1 absent.
Scope and conditions: committee staff put language on the record that would transfer the $30,000,000 to the Water Management Fund and would add reappropriation authority for ARPA and state fiscal recovery monies so the department could pay project bills as they come due. Additional on‑screen language directs that certain FY2026 Water Management Account projects be used in Board Districts 3 and 4 and sets expectations for how the funds should be used.
Other Water Resources items: the committee also considered routine enhancements including funding for aquifer monitoring, laserfiche conversion, replacement hardware and five staffing positions. Those enhancements were included in the motion that added roughly $31.1 million and four FTEs for FY2026.
Ending: The committee approved the ongoing funding and accompanying language; the items will be forwarded with a due‑pass recommendation for the full legislature to consider.
