It is the intent of the Legislature, in providing for state participation in the additional costs attributable to the non-flood-control activities described in this chapter, that the Reclamation Board and the Department of Water Resources, in preparing rules and regulations to implement this chapter, provide that, in processing applications from flood control districts for state participation in such costs, highest priority be given to those districts in which factors, such as the size of the district, degree of nonlocal benefits, and level of non-flood-control maintenance costs which have been transferred to the district due to circumstances beyond their control, combine to work financial hardship on such districts.