Water Transfers Program

The Division of Water Rights manages the Water Transfers Program, which covers both temporary (less than one year) and long-term exchanges of water within the State of California. Water Transfers covered by Water Code Sections 1725 are referred to as temporary transfers. Water transfers lasting more than one year and covered by Water Code Section 1735 are refered to as long-term transfers. For more information on Transfers, please consult our "Guide to Water Transfers."

  News and Announcements

  Transfer Notices and Orders

Below you will find a table containing the Transfer Notices and Orders.

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Application ID Water Right Holder Requested Amount (AF) Type of Transfer Date Received
(yyyy/mm/dd)
Notice
(yyyy/mm/dd)
Comment Deadline
(yyyy/mm/dd)
Order
(yyyy/mm/dd)
1389 and 2221 Walker River Irrigation District 25,000 Reservoir Release 2024/01/05 2024/01/16 - Notice 2024/02/15 2024/03/11 - Order
5632 Yuba County Water Agency 25,000 Reservoir Release 2023/11/16 2023/11/27 - Notice 2022/12/27 2024/01/19 - Order
23, 234, 1465, and 5638 U.S. Bureau of Reclamation 45,000 Reservoir Release 2023/09/22 2023/10/02 - Notice 2023/11/01 2023/11/17 - Order
14804 South Sutter Water District 2,299 Groundwater Substitution/Reservoir Release 2023/07/12 2023/07/24 - Notice 2023/08/23 2023/10/05 - Order
1224 Merced Irrigation District 25,000 Reservoir Release 2023/06/15 2023/06/23 - Notice 2023/07/24 2023/08/18 - Order
14443, 23, 234, 1465, 5626, 5628, 5638, 9363, 9364, 9368, 13370, 13371, 15374, 15375, 15764, 16767, 17374, 17376 Department of Water Resources and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation 405,785 Exchange 2023/05/19 2023/05/30 - Notice 2023/06/29 2023/07/21 - Order
A001389 and A002221 Walker River Irrigation District 25,000 Reservoir Release 2023/01/23 2023/02/02 - Notice 2023/03/06 2023/04/12 - Order
5632 Yuba County Water Agency 25,000 Reservoir Release 2022/11/10 2022/11/17 - Notice 2022/12/02 2022/12/21 - Order
23, 234, 1465, and 5638 U.S. Bureau of Reclamation 45,000 Reservoir Release 2022/09/02 2022/09/12 - Notice 2022/10/12 2022/11/07 - Order
1692 El Dorado Irrigation District 750 Reservoir Release 2022/07/20 2022/08/01
- Notice
2022/08/16 2022/09/19
- Order
14804 South Sutter Water District 4,598 Groundwater Substitution 2022/07/08 2022/07/26 - Notice 2022/08/10 2022/09/23 - Order
18085 Placer County Water Agency 21,053 Reservoir Release 2022/05/24 2022/06/03 - Notice 2022/06/20 2022/07/22 - Order
1651 and 2778 South Feather Water & Power Agency 10,000 Reservoir Release 2022/05/13 2022/05/23 - Notice 2022/06/07 2022/07/18
Order
14443, 23, 234, 1465, 5626, 5628, 5638, 9363, 9364, 9368, 13370, 13371, 15374, 15375, 15764, 16767, 17374, 17376 Department of Water Resources and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation 393,385 Exchange 2022/05/11 2022/05/23 - Notice 2022/06/07 2022/07/22 - Order
138 Carmichael Water District 1,795 Groundwater Substitution 2022/05/10 2022/05/10 - Notice 2022/05/31 2022/06/30 - Order
12321 and 12622 City of Sacramento 10,366 Groundwater Substitution 2022/05/05 2022/05/16 - Notice 2022/05/31

 2022/06/30 –
12321 Order

12622 Order
16401 Tudor Mutual Water Company 1,500 Groundwater Substitution 2022/04/28 2022/05/09 - Notice 2022/05/24 2022/08/02 - Order
23, 234, 1465, 5638 U.S. Bureau of Reclamation 76,069 Reservoir Release 2022/03/11 2022/03/21 - Notice 2022/04/20 2022/06/30 - Withdrawn
5724 East Side Canal & Irrigation Company 5,000 Conservation 2022/03/10 2022/03/21 - Notice 2022/05/04 2022/05/06 - Order
3423, 4901 Te Velde Revocable Family Trust 4,597.80 Groundwater Substitution 2022/02/19 2022/02/28 - Notice 2022/03/15 2022/03/15 - Withdrawn
1699 Garden Highway Mutual Water Company 6,500 Groundwater Substitution 2022/02/18 2022/02/28 - Notice 2022/03/15 2022/07/01 - Order
10030 Tule Basin Farms 3,520 Groundwater Substitution 2022/02/18 2022/02/28 - Notice 2022/03/15 2022/07/01 - Order
480 Plumas Mutual Water Company 5,500 Groundwater Substitution 2022/02/18 2022/02/28 - Notice 2022/03/15 2022/07/01 - Order
1199B Conaway 10,088 Crop Idling/Crop Shifting 2022/02/18 2022/02/28 - Notice 2022/03/15 2022/03/15 - Withdrawn
6146 Henle Family Limited Partnership 700 Groundwater Substitution 2022/02/18 2022/02/28 - Notice 2022/03/15 2022/03/15 - Withdrawn
1617 Lewis Ranch (Baber) 1,200 Crop Idling/Crop Shifting 2022/02/18 2022/02/28 - Notice 2022/03/15 2022/03/15 - Withdrawn
1203 Natomas Central Mutual Water Company 20,000 Groundwater Substitution 2022/02/18 2022/02/28 - Notice 2022/03/15 2022/03/15 - Withdrawn
1965A, 12470B Pelger Mutual Water Company 3,750 Groundwater Substitution 2022/02/18 2022/02/28 - Notice 2022/03/15 2022/03/15 - Withdrawn
7641A, 7641C, 7641B, 15606, 7641D1, 15856A, 7641D2, 15856B, 15856C, 15858, 16182 Pleasant Grove Verona Mutual Water Company 15,439.50 Groundwater Substitution, Crop Idling/Crop Shifting 2022/02/18 2022/02/28 - Notice 2022/03/15 2022/03/15 - Withdrawn
244 Princeton-Cordora-Glenn Irrigation District 10,000 Crop Idling/Crop Shifting 2022/02/18 2022/02/28 - Notice 2022/03/15 2022/03/15 - Withdrawn
462 Provident Irrigation District 10,000 Crop Idling/Crop Shifting 2022/02/18 2022/02/28 - Notice 2022/03/15 2022/03/15 - Withdrawn
576 Reclamation District No. 108 55,000 Groundwater Substitution, Crop Idling/Crop Shifting 2022/02/18 2022/02/28 - Notice 2022/03/15 2022/03/15 - Withdrawn
27 Reclamation District No. 1004 22,000 Groundwater Substitution, Crop Idling/Crop Shifting 2022/02/18 2022/02/28 - Notice 2022/03/15 2022/03/15 - Withdrawn
575, 577 River Garden Farms 16,000 Groundwater Substitution, Crop Idling/Crop Shifting 2022/02/18 2022/02/28 - Notice 2022/03/15 2022/03/15 - Withdrawn
878 Sutter Mutual Water Company 36,000 Groundwater Substitution, Crop Idling/Crop Shifting 2022/02/18 2022/02/28 - Notice 2022/03/15 2022/03/15 - Withdrawn
1659 Sycamore Mutual Water Company 10,000 Crop Idling/Crop Shifting 2022/02/18 2022/02/28 - Notice 2022/03/15 2022/03/15 - Withdrawn
3247 Windswept Orchards 1,200 Groundwater Substitution 2022/02/18 2022/02/28 - Notice 2022/03/15 2022/03/15 - Withdrawn
5632 Yuba County Water Agency 25,000 Reservoir Release 2022/02/04 2022/02/14 - Notice 2022/03/01 2022/04/01 - Order
2221, 1839 Walker River Irrigation District 25,000 Reservoir Release 2021/11/10 2021/11/22 - Notice 2021/12/22 2022/02/23 - Order
4228 East Bay Municipal Utility District 658 Reservoir Release 2021/11/05 2021/11/09 - Notice 2021/11/24 2021/12/17 - Order
A014858A U.S. Bureau of Reclamation 30,000 Reservoir Release 2021/08/25 2021/08/26 - Notice 2021/09/10 2021/10/14 - Order
14443, 23, 234, 1465, 5626, 5628, 5638, 9363, 9364, 9368, 13370, 13371, 15374, 15375, 15764, 16767, 17374, 17376 Department of Water Resources and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation 200,000 Exchange 2021/07/27 2021/07/28 - Notice 2021/08/12 2021/08/25 - Order
1081 Oakdale Irrigation District and South San Joaquin Irrigation District 100,000 Reservoir Release 2021/06/21 2021/07/01 - Notice 2021/07/23 2021/08/17 - Withdrawn
Placer County Water Agency 21,053 Reservoir Release 2021/06/04 2021/06/14 - Notice 2021/06/29 2021/07/28 - Order
1739 Thermalito Water and Sewer District 3,500 Reservoir Release 2021/05/25 2021/06/04 - Notice 2021/06/21 2021/07/16 - Order
1651, 2778 South Feather Water & Power Agency 8,000 Reservoir Release 2021/05/25 2021/06/04 - Notice 2021/06/21 2021/07/16 - Order
14443, 23, 234, 1465, 5626, 5628, 5638, 9363, 9364, 9368, 13370, 13371, 15374, 15375, 15764, 16767, 17374, 17376 Department of Water Resources and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation 431,780 Exchange 2021/05/14 2021/05/24 - Notice 2021/06/08 2022/05/06 - Additional Approval No. 2

2021/08/05 - Additional Approval No. 1

2021/07/14 - Order
16401 Tudor Mutual Water Company 1,200 Groundwater Substitution 2021/05/07 2021/05/17 - Notice 2021/06/01 2021/07/09 - Order
4635 Clifton Court LLC 1,539 Crop Idling 2021/05/05 2021/05/24 - Notice 2021/06/08 2021/07/30 - Order
138 Carmichael Water District 1,889 Groundwater Substitution 2021/05/05 2021/05/14 - Notice 2021/06/01 2021/06/29 - Order
12140, 12321, 12622, 16060 City of Sacramento 14,650 Groundwater Substitution 2021/04/30 2021/05/10 - Notice 2021/06/09 2021/07/07 - Order
3544 Montague Water Conservation District 500 Reservoir Release 2021/04/21 2021/04/28 - Notice 2021/05/28 2021/06/04 - Order
10030 Tule Basin Farms 3,520 Groundwater Substitution 2021/04/16 2021/04/26 - Notice 2021/05/26 2021/06/18 - Withdrawn
5724 Stevinson Water District and East Side Canal & Irrigation Company 5,000 Conservation 2021/04/14 2021/10/22 - Notice 2021/11/22 2023/03/22 - Order
1699 Garden Highway Mutual Water Company 5,500 Groundwater Substitution 2021/03/19 2021/03/29 - Notice 2021/04/28 2021/05/28 - Order
480 Plumas Mutual Water Company 2,000 Groundwater Substitution 2021/03/12 2021/03/22 - Notice 2021/04/21 2021/05/28 - Order
23, 234, 1465, 5638 U.S. Bureau of Reclamations 76,069 Reservoir Release 2021/01/29 2021/02/08 - Notice 2021/03/10 2021/04/30 - Order

  Process to Anticipate

The process for temporary water transfers is governed by Water Code section 1726. The number of days are in statute and are calendar days. Note that petitioners will likely need to provide responses to comments received.

Submittal

1. Submittal Process
Records room notifies staff of transfer

~6 Days

2. Six days
Prepare notice and send out for newspaper publication

10 Days

3. Ten days
Notice the transfer, lyris, web-posting

+30 Days

4. Thirty days
Interested parties may submit comments

+5 Days

5. Five days
Issue the Order if no comments or issues

+20 Days

6. Twenty days
Additional time to resolve comments or issues

To request a transfer petition, the petitioner must follow these steps:

  • Review Program Criteria and Limitations. The prospective petitioner reviews the information about the program to determine if the petition is appropriate. A call to the State Water Board's Division of Water Rights at (916) 341-5300 may be helpful.
  • Submit a Petition. The process is initiated when the petitioner files a petition. Options include:
    • Long Term Transfer Petition. Use for a transfer of water that will last for more than one year.

The petition specifically describes the proposed changes to the project to accomplish the transfer. Typically a transfer involves a willing buyer and seller or an exchange. The water right is modified to include the new of point of diversion/re-diversion of the water, the new purposes of use of the water (if different from the water right) and the new place of use (such as the service area of the buyer). The petitioner must provide a copy of the petition to the Department of Fish and Wildlife, the board of supervisors of the county in which the petitioner currently stores or uses the water, and the board of supervisors of the county to which the water is proposed to be transferred. The Board notifies the petitioner shortly after receipt if the petition is incomplete.

  • Environmental Review.
    • Long Term Transfers: Consideration of environmental effects is required by the California Environmental Quality Act before a long term transfer petition can be issued. The Board examines the proposed project's potential environmental impacts and determines whether mitigation measures will be needed.

In addition to any obligation the State Water Board may have under the California Environmental Quality Act, the State Water Board has an independent obligation to consider the effect of the proposed project on public trust resources and to protect those resources where feasible

  • Public Notice and Comment Consideration. The State Board issues a notice of the right holder's intent to change their project and invites comment. The Board considers any comments that have been filed. In some cases, a formal hearing is held before one or more members of the State Board. The Board's decision is based upon the record produced during the hearing.
  • Order Issuance. Board findings are required before a petition can be issued including:
    • Long Term Transfers:
      • Change does not initiate a new water right;
      • Change can be made without substantial injury to other legal users of water, and
      • Change can be made without unreasonable effect upon fish, wildlife or other instream beneficial uses;
    • Change is in the public interest, a concept that is an overriding concern in all Board decisions.
    • The Order is then issued if the Board determines that the proposed change meets these criteria. If it determines otherwise, conditions may be imposed to ensure they are satisfied or the petition may be denied.

For long term transfers, processing time can extend from up to a year to several years, depending on the complexity of the project and the amount of information gathering and coordination the party has completed prior to submittal of the petition.

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Water Rights General Phone Line: (916) 341-5300