Cannabis Cultivation Existing Flow Requirements

Existing Flow Requirements

Many rivers in California have existing instream flow requirements through licenses issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for hydropower projects, Biological Opinions issued by the National Marine Fisheries Service or the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, or water right orders and decisions issued by the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board). This webpage provides a comprehensive list of existing instream flow requirements in California, as reflected to the best knowledge of State Water Board staff.  While this webpage was developed to assist cannabis cultivators with compliance with the Cannabis Policy, it has utility beyond cannabis cultivation. Cannabis cultivators should refer to the Cannabis Cultivators section below.

The estimated geographic extent of each requirement is represented by a polygon layer in the interactive GIS mapping tool below. Clicking on a polygon will provide an overview of the flow requirement for the applicable stream reach. More information on the existing instream flow requirements is located below the mapping tool and is organized by Cannabis Policy region and stream reach. The associated compliance gages are also included, as applicable.

While the goal of this website is to compile a comprehensive list of existing instream flow requirements in California, the list may be incomplete and the estimated geographic extent of the flow requirements may have been misinterpreted. If you have comments, corrections, or additional information, you are encouraged to contact State Water Board staff by email at CannabisWR@waterboards.ca.gov.

Cannabis Cultivators:

Per the Cannabis Policy, cannabis cultivators shall comply with either: (a) existing instream flow requirements (e.g., Biological Opinion or Federal Energy Regulatory Commission license flow requirements); or (b) the Cannabis Policy Tessmann instream flow requirements, whichever is greater. Cannabis cultivators should refer to the Online Cannabis Policy Compliance Gage Mapping Tool (online mapping tool) to determine whether an existing flow requirement may apply to their point of diversion.




Cannabis Policy Regions:

Klamath

Klamath River

Trinity River


Upper Sacramento

McCloud River

Pit River


North Eastern Desert

No Existing Flow Requirements


North Coast

Eel River

Kekawaka Creek

Mattole River

Middle Sacramento


Battle Creek

Butte Creek

Middle Fork Cottonwood Creek

Sacramento River


Southern Sacramento

American River

Middle Fork American River

South Fork American River

Bear River

North Fork Cache Creek

Middle Fork Cosumnes River

Feather River

North Fork Feather River

  • Bucks Creek FERC License #P-619
      Existing Flow Requirements:
    • Bucks Creek from Lower Bucks Lake to confluence with North Fork Feather River
    • Grizzly Creek from Grizzly Forebay dam to confluence with North Fork Feather River

South Fork Feather River

Mokelumne River

Putah Creek

Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay Delta Legal Boundary and Major Tributaries

Silver Creek

Yuba River

North Yuba River

Middle Yuba River

South Yuba River


North Central Coast

Lagunitas Creek

Mill Creek

Russian River

East Fork Russian River


Tahoe

Martis Creek

Rubicon River

  • Water Right Decision #870 relating to Applications 12323, 12624 and 14963
      Existing Flow Requirements:
    • Rubicon River from Rubicon Reservoir Dam to Hellhole Reservoir Dam
    • South Fork Rubicon River from Diversion to confluence with Rubicon River
    • Outlet for Buck Island Lake from Buck Island Lake Dam to confluence with Rubicon River
    • Gerle Creek from Loon Lake Dam to Gerle Creek Divide Reservoir Dam

Upper Truckee River

Little Truckee River


South Central Coast

San Gregorio Creek


San Joaquin

Merced River

Old River

Rush Creek

San Joaquin River

South Fork San Joaquin River

Stanislaus River

North Fork Stanislaus River

  • North Fork Stanislaus River Hydropower Project FERC License #P-2409
      Existing Flow Requirements:
    • North Fork Stanislaus River from McKay’s Dam to confluence with Stanislaus River
    • North Fork Stanislaus River from North Fork Diversion Dam to McKays Dam
    • Beaver Creek from Beaver Creek Diversion Dam to confluence with North Fork Stanislaus River
    • Highland Creek from Spicer Meadow Dam to confluence with North Fork Stanislaus River

Middle Fork Stanislaus River

South Fork Stanislaus River

Tuolumne River

Willow Creek


Mono

Bishop Creek

  • Bishop Creek Hydropower Project FERC License #P-1394
      Existing Flow Requirements:
    • Bishop Creek from Plant 2 (Intake 3) to Plant 3 (Intake 4)
    • Bishop Creek from Plant 3 (Intake 4) to Plant 4 (Intake 5)
    • Bishop Creek downstream of Plant 4 (Intake 5)
    • Middle Fork Bishop Creek from Lake Sabrina to Intake 2
    • Middle Fork Bishop Creek downstream of Intake 2
    • South Fork Bishop Creek from South Lake to South Fork Diversion
    • South Fork Bishop Creek downstream of South Fork Diversion
    • McGee Creek from McGee Creek Diversion to confluence with Horton Creek
    • Birch Creek from Birch Creek Diversion to confluence with McGee Creek

Lee Vining Creek

Mammoth Creek

Mill Creek

Pine Creek


Kern

Kaweah River

  • Kaweah Project FERC License # P-298
      Existing Flow Requirements:
    • Kaweah River in Bypass Reach
    • East Fork Kaweah River in Bypass Reach from the diversion structure to confluence with Kaweah River

Kern River

Kings River

North Fork Kings River

Tule River

Middle Fork Tule River


South Coast

Piru Creek

Santa Ana River

Ventura River


South Eastern Desert

No Existing Flow Requirements