The sum of five hundred million dollars ($500,000,000) shall be available for appropriation by the Legislature from the fund for competitive grants for projects set forth in this section to protect communities from drought, protect and improve water quality, and improve local water security by reducing dependence on imported water. No project financed pursuant to this section shall include an on-stream surface water storage facility or an off-stream surface water storage facility other than percolation ponds for groundwater recharge in urban areas. No river or stream channel modification project whose construction or operation causes any negative environmental impacts may be financed pursuant to this chapter unless those impacts are fully mitigated.
(Added November 5, 2002, by initiative Proposition 50.)