President Donald Trump on Monday issued a memorandum directing the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of the Interior to develop a new plan within 90 days “to route more water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to...more
California officials have joined a legal effort to restore water to the Kern River after an abrupt shutoff of water dried up the river and killed thousands of fish in Bakersfield....more
Farmers in southern Tulare County will face greater scrutiny for groundwater pumping after the state placed the region on probation following a lengthy hearing in Sacramento on Tuesday....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
If there is one truism in California water, it is that there is not enough of it. In part to try to help address that issue, on December 19, 2023, the California State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) adopted...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
On September 7, 2022, California became the first government in the world to require microplastics testing for drinking water, an emerging contaminant that is found throughout the environment. The State Water Resources...more
California adopts emergency water conservation regulations Bullet Los Angeles Times - May 24 The State Water Resources Control Board on Tuesday voted to adopt emergency drought rules that increase conservation requirements...more
EPA to propose first-ever PFAS discharge limits - The Hill – September 8 - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on Wednesday that it will propose a rule to set the first-ever limits on the...more
California water managers vote to cut off farmers as statewide drought intensifies - Courthouse News Service – June 15 - Citing severe drought conditions, the California State Water Resources Control Board on Tuesday sent...more
San Francisco sues state to retain access to vital water supply - Courthouse News Service – May 14 - The city of San Francisco sued the State Water Resources Control Board in Tuolumne County Superior Court last Friday...more
Governor Newsom moves to ban hydraulic fracturing by 2024 - NPR – April 23 - Governor Gavin Newsom announced plans last Friday to ban hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking, by 2024 as part of a longer-term...more
If you were unable to attend our recent webinar “Flood or Drought? A Discussion of the Election’s Potential Legislative Impacts on the Water Sector”, please check out the several key take-aways from the presentation...more
Last week, on June 16, the California State Water Resources Control Board (“State Water Board”) unanimously adopted a definition for microplastics, making it the first state to adopt a definition specifically applied to...more
The State Water Resources Control Board (Water Board) announced on March 26, 2020, that it does not anticipate bringing enforcement actions against water rights holders who are required to make annual filings by April 1,...more
The State of California recently sent a 60-day notice of intent to sue to the Secretaries of Commerce and the Interior and concurrently filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California...more
Governor Newsom proposes new plan for San Joaquin River Delta - Governor Gavin Newsom revealed a novel approach Tuesday to managing the San Joaquin River Delta that would keep more water in the fragile delta while restoring...more
Results from the first phase of sampling drinking water supply wells for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were recently published by the California State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) and show...more
New California Law to Help Achieve SGMA Requirements - Assembly Bill 658, signed into law last week, creates new temporary diversion permits allowing for excess surface water capture during high-flow events. Permits...more
On January 3, 2019, the California State Water Resources Control Board (“State Water Board”) released a draft version of its long-awaited report to the California State Legislature on the feasibility of a statewide program to...more
Regulation of “toxicity” in the State of California has generally been following 3 State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) precedential decisions that require dischargers under an NPDES permit, which have a...more
Gov. Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 1668 and Senate Bill 606 yesterday, which are jointly designed to overhaul California’s approach to conserving water. ...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
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
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