The Department of Boating and Waterways funds, plans, and develops boating facilities on waterways throughout California and ensures safe boating for the public by providing financial aid and training to local law enforcement agencies. In addition, the Department has responsibility for boating safety and education, licensing of yacht and ship brokers and salespeople, aquatic weed control in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, and beach erosion control and sand renourishment along California's coast and operates an oceanography program at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at La Jolla.

Since department programs drive the need for infrastructure investment, each department has a related capital outlay program to support this need. For the specifics on the Department of Boating and Waterways' Capital Outlay Program, see "Infrastructure Overview."