The ways and means for the payment of the interest on and the principal of such bonds shall be as follows:
There is hereby appropriated from the General Fund in the State Treasury such sum annually as will be necessary to pay the principal of and the interest on the bonds issued and sold pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, as said principal and interest become due and payable.
On the several dates on which funds are remitted pursuant to Section 16676 of the Government Code for the payment of the then maturing principal and interest on the bonds, to wit, on the several dates of maturity of said principal and interest in each fiscal year there shall be transferred into the General Fund in the State Treasury from revenues deposited in the fund as provided in subdivision (b) of this Section 12937, and from any accrued interest and premiums received on any sale, or sales of the bonds, so far as available therein, amounts equal to, but not in excess of, all sums so becoming due for principal and interest and in the event such money received from such sources and so returned on said remittance dates is less than the principal and interest then due and payable then the balance remaining unpaid shall be transferred to the General Fund out of moneys in the fund received from such sources as soon thereafter as it shall become available, together with simple interest thereon, from such remittance dates until so returned at the same rate as borne by the bonds.
All such revenues shall constitute a trust fund and are hereby pledged for the uses and purposes above set forth and such pledge shall inure to the direct benefit of the owners and holders of all general obligation bonds issued under this chapter. The department, subject to such terms and conditions as may be prescribed by the Legislature, shall enter into contracts for the sale, delivery or use of water or power, or for other services and facilities, made available by the State Water Resources Development System with public or private corporations, entities, or individuals. Such contracts shall not be impaired by subsequent acts of the Legislature during the time when any of the bonds authorized herein are outstanding and the State may sue and be sued with respect to said contracts. Said contracts shall be for a stated term and, insofar as practicable and feasible, for the full term of the life of the general obligation bonds issued under this chapter and each such contract shall recite (i) that it is entered into for the direct benefit of the holders and owners of all general obligation bonds issued under this chapter, and (ii) that the income and revenues derived from such contracts are pledged to the purposes and in the priority herein set forth. Such pledge of revenues as herein set forth is hereby declared to be and shall constitute an essential term of this chapter and upon its ratification by the people of the State of California shall be binding upon the State so long as any general obligation bonds authorized hereunder are outstanding and unpaid. Such income and revenues, subject to the priorities herein set forth, shall constitute additional security for all of the bonds authorized and issued hereunder irrespective of the date of their issuance and sale and so long as any of the bonds authorized and issued hereunder, or the interest thereon, are unpaid, such income and revenues shall not be used for any other purpose. The bonds authorized hereunder shall be equally secured by a lien upon all income and revenues derived from the State Water Resources Development System without priority for number, amount, date of bonds, of sale, of execution, or of delivery pursuant to this chapter. Notwithstanding the pledge of revenues herein contained, the State of California shall remain liable for the payment of the principal of and interest upon all of the bonds authorized and issued under this chapter.
Ca. Water Code § 12937