State Water Resources Control Board – Pre-1914 Water Rights Diversions / Senate Bill 88; Water Measurement & Reporting Informational Meeting
NOTICE OF AVAILABLE WATER TO DIVERT UNDER PRE-1914 WATER RIGHTS FOR THE YUBA, AMERICAN AND SAN JOAQUIN RIVER WATERSHEDS
SENATE BILL 88 – Water Measurement and Reporting Regulation
Senate Bill 88 was signed by Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. on June 24, 2015. Sections 15 through 18 of SB 88 add measurement and reporting requirements for a substantial number of diverters. The measurement requirements authorized under SB 88 could go into effect on or after January 1, 2016. The State Water Board is adopting a regulation to implement these new provisions.
The legislation authorizes the State Water Board to adopt a regulation requiring measurement for water right holders and claimants who divert 10 acre-feet of water or more per year. The measurement requirement would apply to approximately 12,000 water right holders and claimants. The legislation also authorizes the State Water Board to adopt a regulation requiring annual reporting from statement holders and persons authorized to approriate under a permit, license, registration (small domestic, small irrigation, or livestock stockpond), or certificate for livestock stockpond use.
The legislation authorizes the State Water Board to adopt an initial regulation as an emergency regulation that shall remain in effect until revised by the State Water Board. The adoption of the initial regulation is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
The State Water Board anticipates that the new measurement requirements could present challenges to the regulated community. The State Water Board is holding meetings and workshops in affected areas around the state to receive input on key issues to be addressed in the emergency regulation. See the Meetings and Workshops section below for more information. The State Water Board will use the input from the meetings and workshops to shape a draft regulation which will be broadly circulated around the State in mid-November. The draft regulation will be presented for discussion at a State Water Board Workshop on November 18, 2015.
The emergency regulation is tentatively scheduled to be presented to the State Water Board for adoption at its Board meeting on December 15, 2015. If the emergency regulation is approved, it will be sent to the Office of Adminstrative Law for approval. The State Water Board is attempting to have an emergency regulation adopted by January 1, 2016, when the measurement requirements authorized under SB 88 could go into effect.oo
INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS
The State Water Board is scheduling five public meetings to provide the public opportunity to help formulate the proposed regulation to implement the measurement and reporting authority under Senate Bill 88. A quorum of the State Water Board may be present at the meetings. However, no State Water Board action will be taken.
DATE
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TIME
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LOCATION
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November 2, 2015 (Monday)
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6:00 – 9:00 pm
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Junipero Serra State Office Building, Carmel Room |
November 4, 2015 (Wednesday)
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6:00 – 9:00 pm
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The City of Redding |
November 5, 2015 (Thursday)
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6:00 – 9:00 pm
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State Office Building, Auditorium |
November 9, 2015 (Monday)
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1:00 – 4:00 pm
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CalEPA Building, Coastal Hearing Room
1001 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95812 |
A webcast of the meeting on November 9 in Sacramento will be available at http://www.calepa.ca.gov/broadcast/
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November 12, 2015 (Thursday)
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6:00 – 9:00 pm
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Steele Lane Community Center
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For more information: