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2022-2023 Local Cooperative Solutions (LCSs) under 2021-2023 Scott-Shasta Drought Emergency Regulations

The files on this website pertain to the 2021-2023 Scott-Shasta Drought Emergency Regulations, which were in effect from August 30, 2021 to July 31, 2023.

The Drought Emergency Regulations for the Scott River and Shasta River watersheds provided for local cooperative solutions or LCSs in lieu of curtailments. LCSs provide water rights holders with an opportunity to propose alternatives to curtailments under the Drought Emergency Regulation. The State Water Board must list an LCSs as approved or pending to avoid curtailment. Additional information related to LCSs is available:

BACKGROUND ON 2022-2023 LOCAL COOPERATIVE SOLUTIONS

Subdivision (f) of Section 875 of the 2022 Drought Emergency Regulation allowed for individuals or groups to develop Local Cooperative Solutions (LCSs) that provided fisheries benefits, flow contributions, or specific and trackable water savings, instead of curtailment. The implementation of the plans that were developed as part of an LCS were monitored by a Coordinating Entity through a binding agreement with the individuals or groups proposing the LCS. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), Shasta Valley Resource Conservation District, and Siskiyou Resource Conservation District were approved coordinating entities. The individuals covered by an LCS entered into a binding agreement with a Coordinating Entity for their LCS to be approved, or listed as pending, by the Deputy Director of the Division of Water Rights.
A 2022-2023 LCS could take the following forms:

  • Watershed-wide cooperative solutions, CCR 875(f)(4)(A), were solutions that include all diverters in the Scott River or Shasta River watersheds and provide sufficient assurance that the drought emergency minimum flows will be met.
  • Tributary-wide cooperative solutions, CCR 875(f)(4)(B), were solutions entered into by diverters in a specific tributary to the Scott River or Shasta River.  There are two goals these LCSs could have:
    • (1) allows diverters on a tributary to work together to ensure that their tributary’s pro-rata share of the drought emergency minimum flows reach the mainstem; or
    • (2) allows for diverters on a tributary to work together to provide a specific fishery benefit, and CDFW finds that the in-tributary benefits for anadromous fish are equal to or greater than the anticipated contribution to protections provided by the drought emergency minimum flows.
  • Individual cooperative solutions, CCR 875(f)(4)(C), could have been approved in the absence of an approved tributary-wide or watershed-wide LCS. An individual cooperative solution could take two forms:
    • A binding agreement between a water user or water users and a Coordinating Entity that specified a timeframe during which the water users shall cease diversion and includes a certification that the diversion under a specified water right(s) has ceased.
    • A binding agreement between an individual diverter or sub-tributary-wide group of diverters and CDFW or NMFS to perform actions for the benefit of anadromous salmonids, and CDFW makes a recommendation for exemption from curtailment based on an assessment that the benefits of these actions in a specific time period are equal to or greater than the protections provided by their contribution to flow over the same specified time period.
  • Overlying or adjudicated groundwater solutions, CCR 875 (f)(4)(d), for individuals, groundwater basins or sub basins. More information on how to develop an approvable overlying or adjudicated groundwater LCS for the Scott River watershed can be found in the guidance document. The process for the Shasta River watershed was the same, however different water reduction amounts and time frames were required as indicated below.
    • Scott River Watershed: A net reduction of 30% throughout the irrigation season (April 1 – October 31) as compared to the prior irrigation season, and a monthly reduction of 30% between July 1 through October 31, as compared to the prior year (2021) or 2020.
    • Shasta River Watershed: A net reduction of 15% through the irrigation season (March 1 – November 1) as compared to the prior irrigation season, and a monthly reduction of 15% between June 1 through September 30 as compared to the prior year (2021) or to 2020.

GUIDANCE ON 2023 LOCAL COOPERATIVE SOLUTIONS

  • LCS RENEWAL: If one had an Approved or Pending LCS in 2022, and wanted to re-enroll in the program for 2023 with minimal or no changes, one could do so either using (a) the online Water Right Form and Survey Submittal Portal using a water right ID (SG number) and password or (b) The LCS Renewal Form.
  • If one wanted to enroll a new LCS in the 2023 LCS program, or re-enroll with a significantly modified LCS, they were instructed to contact Water Boards staff.
  • 2023 Guidance on Groundwater Reduction Local Cooperative Solution for the Scott River Watershed

LIST OF 2023 LOCAL COOPERATIVE SOLUTION PROPOSALS (BY WATERSHED)

Participants Coordinating Entity /
Binding Agreement Party*
Type of LCS Acreage Proposal (Date Submitted) Decision
Scott Watershed
Scott Valley Farms Siskiyou RCD 30% Overlying Groundwater 826 4/28/2023 Pending
Jenner Cattle Company Siskiyou RCD 30% Overlying Groundwater 1575 5/9/2023 Pending
Patterson Creek Ranch Siskiyou RCD 30% Overlying Groundwater 93 5/5/2023 Pending
Shasta Watershed
* CDFW, Shasta Valley Resource Conservation District, and Siskiyou Resource Conservation District are available to act as Coordinating Entities for local cooperative solutions.
Participants Coordinating Entity /
Binding Agreement Party*
Type of LCS Acreage Proposal (Date Submitted) Decision
Scott Watershed
H & H Land and Livestock CDFW 30% Overlying Groundwater 320 3/10/2022 Approved
Finley Farms CDFW 30% Overlying Groundwater 2179 3/17/2022 Approved
Fawaz Farming CDFW 30% Overlying Groundwater 1049.6 3/24/2022 Approved
Menne Ranch Hay CDFW 30% Overlying Groundwater 1541.5 3/25/2022 Approved
Scott Valley Farms Siskiyou RCD 30% Overlying Groundwater 826 4/04/2022 Approved
California Heritage Farms Siskiyou RCD 30% Overlying Groundwater 997 4/06/2022 Approved
Hanna Bros. Ranch Siskiyou RCD 30% Overlying Groundwater 1179 4/13/2022 Approved
Bryan/Morris Ranch Siskiyou RCD 30% Overlying Groundwater 411 4/14/2022 Approved
Black Ranch Siskiyou RCD 30% Overlying Groundwater 187.5 4/15/2022 Approved
Jenner Cattle Co. Siskiyou RCD 30% Overlying Groundwater 1575 4/15/2022 Approved
Crystal Creek Ranch / Richard Anstead Siskiyou RCD 30% Overlying Groundwater 412 4/18/2022 Approved
Hurlimann Ranch Siskiyou RCD 30% Overlying Groundwater 291 4/22/2022 Approved
O’Brien Ranch CDFW 30% Overlying Groundwater 116 4/22/2022 Approved
Newton Family Ranch CDFW 30% Overlying Groundwater 108 4/22/2022 Approved
Piersall Ranch CDFW 30% Overlying Groundwater 277 4/23/2022 Approved
Paul Sweezy Farm Siskiyou RCD 30% Overlying Groundwater 697 5/11/2022 Approved
Isbell Ranch CDFW 30% Overlying Groundwater 110 5/13/2022 Pending
Rocking M Ranch Siskiyou RCD 30% Overlying Groundwater 515 5/13/2022 Approved
Martin Dairy Siskiyou RCD 30% Overlying Groundwater 249 5/16/2022 Pending
Patterson Creek Ranch Siskiyou RCD 30% Overlying Groundwater 93.7 5/26/2022 Approved
Kohl Creek Angus CDFW 30% Overlying Groundwater 165 6/30/2022 Pending
French Creek Ranch CDFW Individual – Equal or Better 13 7/01/2022 Pending
KK Bar Ranch Siskiyou RCD 30% Overlying Groundwater 505 7/06/2022 Pending
Richard G and Nancy J Barnes 1991 Trust Siskiyou RCD 30% Overlying Groundwater 560 7/11/2022 Pending
Christine and Gary Hullquist CDFW 30% Overlying Groundwater 125 7/12/2022 Pending
Matt and Brenda Johnson CDFW 30% Overlying Groundwater 27 7/12/2022 Pending
Fisher Family Ranch Siskiyou RCD 30% Overlying Groundwater 115.5 7/13/2022 Pending
Tom Hayden Ranch Siskiyou RCD 30% Overlying Groundwater 120.4 7/21/2022 Pending
Reece Gomes CDFW 30% Overlying Groundwater 22 7/21/2022 Pending
Giacomelli Ranch Siskiyou RCD 30% Overlying Groundwater 120.1 7/27/2022 Pending
Frederick & Karen Kraus Trust CDFW 30% Overlying Groundwater 342.5 8/01/2022 Pending
Charlie and Pamela Hayden CDFW 30% Overlying Groundwater 277 8/02/2022 Pending
Sousa Farm CDFW 30% Overlying Groundwater 80 8/03/2022 Pending
Hurlimann Brothers CDFW 30% Overlying Groundwater 597 8/04/2022 Pending
Don Parry Ranch CDFW 30% Overlying Groundwater 16.78 8/06/2022 Pending
Bobby Daws Ranch CDFW 30% Overlying Groundwater 152 8/07/2022 Pending
Mark and Shelene Johnson Ranch Siskiyou RCD 30% Overlying Groundwater 108 8/08/2022 Pending
Bernard and Beverly Dowling Ranch Siskiyou RCD 30% Overlying Groundwater 77 8/09/2022 Pending
Thackeray Ranch Siskiyou RCD 30% Overlying Groundwater 225 8/18/2022 Pending
Ellis Trust CDFW 30% Overlying Groundwater 40 9/09/2022 Pending
Grassman Farming CDFW 30% Overlying Groundwater 36 9/09/2022 Pending
Fisher Ranch CDFW 30% Overlying Groundwater 105 9/12/2022 Pending
Christopher Whitehead Ranch CDFW 30% Overlying Groundwater 111 9/16/2022 Pending
Emory and Heide Gray CDFW 30% Overlying Groundwater 49 9/20/2022 Pending
Murphy Ranch Siskiyou RCD 30% Overlying Groundwater 61 9/21/2022 Pending
Double D Ranch Siskiyou RCD 30% Overlying Groundwater 84.5

9/30/2022

Pending

Renee Grove CDFW 30% Overlying Groundwater 9.4 10/17/2022 Pending
Arrow J Ranch CDFW 30% Overlying Groundwater 190 Binding agreement in progress Pending
Shasta Watershed
Hart Ranch CDFW Individual - Equal or Better N/A 3/28/2022 Approved
Montague Water Conservation District NA Individual – Equal or Better N/A 8/05/2022 Approved
* CDFW and Siskiyou Resource Conservation District are available to act as Coordinating Entities for local cooperative solutions.

  CONTACTS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Phone: 916-327-3113
Email: ScottShastaDrought@waterboards.ca.gov