For the purposes of this division, the following terms have the following meanings:

(a) “Conservancy” means the San Diego River Conservancy established by this division.

(b) “Fund” means the San Diego River Conservancy Fund established pursuant to Section 32657.

(c) “Governing board” means the governing board of the conservancy.

(d) “Historic flumes” means both of the following:

(1) The Padre Dam flume built by Native Americans along the San Diego River to convey water from the Mission Dam to the Mission San Diego de Alcala in the early 1800s.

(2) The flume built by the San Diego Flume Company in the late 1880s to convey water from a diverting dam on the upper San Diego River to the eastern edge of the City of San Diego.

(e) “Local public agency” means a city, county, district, or joint powers agency.

(f) “Nonprofit organization” means a private, nonprofit organization that qualifies for exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended, and that has among its principal charitable purposes the preservation of land for scientific, historic, educational, recreational, scenic, or open-space opportunities, the protection of the natural environment, or preservation or enhancement of wildlife.

(g) “San Diego River area” or “area” means those lands or other areas that are donated to, or otherwise acquired by, or operated by, the conservancy, which are located within one-half mile on either side of the thread of the river and its tributaries including the historic flumes emanating from the river, from its headwaters near Julian to the Pacific Ocean at Dog Beach in San Diego, and other properties within the watershed of the San Diego River that meet the intent of this division as approved on a case-by-case basis by a two-thirds majority vote of the governing board.

(h) “Tribal nation” means a federally recognized tribe traditionally and culturally affiliated with the County of San Diego.

(Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 306, Sec. 1. (SB 214) Effective January 1, 2018.)