[VIDEO] The Price of an Aging Infrastructure on the Environment
The Water Values Podcast - How Can We Resolve Water Conflicts?
A judge has temporarily blocked a plan by a California state water board to take over monitoring groundwater use in a portion of the crop-rich San Joaquin Valley, according to a copy of the decision obtained on July 16. Kings...more
Like much of the western and southwestern U.S., California has experienced drought conditions on and off for decades. Fortunately, the regulatory landscape is starting to catch up with water treatment technology, paving the...more
The future of California water storage reached a major milestone on Thursday with the finalization of plans for the Sites Reservoir in Northern California. The reservoir would be the second largest off-stream reservoir in the...more
On October 8, 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Senate Bill 389 (“SB 389”), which amended § 1051 of the Water Code to expand the investigatory authority of the State Water Resources Control Board (“Water Board”)....more
The California 2023 Legislative Session ended on September 14, 2023, and presented the Governor with several important changes to California’s water-related statutes. The Governor had until October 14, 2023, to sign all...more
California legislators have passed a bill articulating the scope of the State Water Resources Control Board’s authority to investigate water rights. Senate Bill 389, which will go to Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk for a final...more
A California Court of Appeal held that the EIR for a public water authority’s river diversion and water storage project adequately described the unadjudicated waters to be diverted and adequately analyzed impacts to water...more
In western states that have legalized cannabis over the last few years, water agencies have seen a sharp increase of permit applications to secure water rights. Cannabis is an agricultural crop and, of course, it needs water...more
The California State Water Resources Control Board (“Board”) has scheduled a February 5th public hearing to discuss updates to the state’s: Cannabis Policy - Cannabis Cultivation General Order - 2016 California...more
With the release of California’s budget trailer bill came proposed new legislation that would add an Administrative Hearing Office within the State Water Resources Control Board....more
• In Northern California Water Association et al. v. State Water Resources Control Board et al., the California Third District Court of Appeal rejected challenges to a new annual fee on water right permit and license holders...more
The State Water Resources Control Board exceeded its jurisdictional authority under Water Code section 1052 when it issued curtailment notices to pre-1914 and riparian water rights holders, a Santa Clara County Superior Court...more
The Supreme Court of South Carolina considered the constitutionality of the registration provisions of its Surface Water Withdrawal Act (“Act”). See Jowers v. South Carolina Dept. of Health and Environmental Control, 2017 WL...more
On November 1, 2017 the Earth Law Center, San Diego Coastkeeper and Los Angeles Waterkeeper (Petitioners) filed a Verified Petition for Writ of Mandate seeking to compel the State Water Resources Control State Board (Board)...more
California Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed AB 313, which would have shifted the hearing process for certain water rights enforcement actions to a new Water Rights Division within the Office of Administrative Hearings. However, his...more
Environmental and Policy Focus - State lawmaker seeks to close old SoCal Gas wells in Aliso Canyon - Los Angeles Business - Jan 12 State Senator Fran Pavley is calling for Southern California Gas Co. to close older...more
The State Water Resources Control Board on Tuesday issued a notice lifting water diversion restrictions for the holders of all senior water rights in the Sacramento-San Joaquin watersheds and Delta. The Board issued the...more
Environmental and Policy Focus: Coastkeeper's suit against water agency dismissed - San Diego Union-Tribune - Jul 31: A San Diego superior court judge ruled against an environmental group on July 30, rejecting its...more
Environmental and Policy Focus - California State Water Board seeks fines from local water district for alleged drought-related violations: Sacramento Bee - Jul 20 - State drought regulators went on the offensive against...more
In the first of possibly many enforcement actions this year, the State Water Resource Control Board issued a draft cease-and-desist order against West Side Irrigation District in Tracy, Calif., demanding the District curb its...more
Environmental and Policy Focus - Water rights ruling a setback for California drought regulators: Sacramento Bee - Jul 10: In a significant ruling that could hinder California's ability to order water cutbacks, a judge...more
Environmental and Policy Focus - State Water Contractors accuse California farmers of illegally taking river water: KPCC - Jun 16: The State Water Contractors, an association of 27 public agencies that purchase water...more
Just as it did in 2014, the State Water Resources Control Board has issued several notices of curtailment for surface water rights holders in various watersheds because California’s extreme drought has resulted in...more
Environmental and Policy Focus: State Water Board launches investigation into claims of senior water rights - Allen Matkins - Feb 9: On February 4, 2015, the State Water Resources Control Board issued an order seeking...more
Recent Rainfall Not Enough to Stop Drought Emergency Measures - Despite some rainfall and the temporary lifting of certain 2014 surface water curtailment notices during the fall, the drought emergency in California...more