State Water Board Drought Year Water Actions

report on recommended improvements to the implementation and enforcement of water rights during drought conditions

The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board or Board) is soliciting written recommendations and information on actions that should be taken to most effectively implement and enforce the water rights priority system in future dry years. Upon request, State Water Board staff is also available to meet with interested persons to discuss recommendations. State Water Board staff will use the information it receives from this solicitation and meetings with interested persons to develop a report to the State Water Board by January 31, 2015, on recommended improvements to implementation and enforcement of water rights during drought conditions.

As part of this process, State Water Board staff and stakeholders will consider: 1) the State Water Board’s January 1978 “Dry Year Program” Report and its recommendations for enforcing the water rights priority system; 2) the 2014 curtailment and complaint process; 3) the quality of the data in the water rights database for post-1914 and pre-1914 appropriative water rights and riparian water rights (including as compared to the reported demand data in the 1978 Dry Year Program Report, statewide planning models and other available information); and 4) opportunities to expand and improve data and database capabilities to assist with the implementation of the water rights priority system in future dry years.