California Department of Water Resources

California government department

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "California Department of Water Resources" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (November 2009) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

California Department of Water Resources

Seal of the California Department of Water Resources

Agency overview
Formed| 1956
Preceding agencies|

* Water Project Authority
* Department of Public Works

Headquarters| 715 P St, Sacramento, California
Agency executive|

* Karla Nemeth, Director

Parent agency| California Natural Resources Agency
Website| http://www.water.ca.gov/

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) is part of the California Natural Resources Agency and is responsible for the management and regulation of the State of California's water usage.[1] The department was created in 1956 by Governor Goodwin Knight following severe flooding across Northern California in 1955, where they combined the Division of Water Resources of the Department of Public Works with the State Engineer's Office, the Water Project Authority, and the State Water Resources Board.[1] It is headquartered in Sacramento.[2]

## History

[edit]

### 1850-1875

[edit]

California recognizes many types of water rights. Prior to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, signed in 1848, California was part of Mexico.[3] Riparian rights were the most prevalent type of water right. Under riparian rights, which have their origins in Roman law, a landowner can use water flowing by his property for use on his property.[4] When California became part of the United States, the United States agreed to recognize existing law. Pueblo rights were the only vested water rights at the time. Pueblo rights provided that Spanish and Mexican pueblos were entitled to the paramount beneficial use of all needed naturally occurring water from the entire watershed of a stream flowing through the pueblo.[5]

When gold was discovered in 1848, immigrants from all over the world came to California. During the California Gold Rush, gold miners would divert large quantities of water from rivers and streams for hydraulic mining.[6] Local custom dictated how water was shared in mining camps, but in general, the miners followed the same practice in allocating water as they did in staking their mineral claims. In its earliest form, an appropriative water right was created simply by taking water and putting it to beneficial use. However, to "state a claim" miners would often post a notice to others that they were taking and using water. Soon after California became a U.S. state in 1850, the first session of the California State Legislature immediately adopted laws to deal with the state's water. This included the adoption of the English common law system, which also included the doctrine of riparian rights, although this system was better suited to the water-rich eastern United States. Shortly thereafter, Californian courts recognized appropriative water rights.

Because of these plural systems of water allocation, disputes soon ensued; these differences were resolved by the state courts. In 1872, the Legislature adopted a procedure in the Civil Code to provide a method for those claiming an appropriative water right to record their claims with the county recorder of each county. In 1886, the courts addressed competing claims between riparians and appropriators in the case of "Lux v. Haggin." However, within 25 years, excessive claims to water rights threatened to affect economic development in the state. In response, the governor formed a Water Commission to make recommendations regarding California's water law. In 1913, Californian voters adopted by referendum the Water Commission Act, which created the state Water Commission and set forth an administrative procedure for acquiring an appropriative right.

In 1926, the courts held that a riparian water user was entitled to the full flow of a stream, without regard to the reasonableness of the use. In response, in 1928, the California Constitution was amended to require that all water use in California be reasonable and beneficial. (Article X, Section 2).

### 1875–1900

[edit]

In 1878, William Hammond Hall of the Office of State Engineer conducted a series of investigations in California's Central Valley and drafted a series of plans calling for various publicly funded and owned irrigation projects. Hall's study was accomplished on a budget of $100,000.[7] The Central Valley continued to grow in the absence of a state-run project, yet Central Valley landowners and coastal cities (including San Francisco) managed to acquire water rights in the Sierra Nevada mountain range for use in the valley.

### 1900–1925

[edit]

This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2009) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

In response to growing political and legal contests for limited water resources, the Water Commission Act of 1913 established the Water Commission to oversee permits associated with the rights to use surface water. The Water Commission Act became effective on December 19, 1914. Landowners or water users that had established water usage prior to 1914 became senior water rights users in many of the more accessible watersheds in the state. Appropriative water rights were processed by the Division of Water Rights, originally under the State Engineer, and subsequently under the Department of Water Resources, the State Water Rights Board, and finally, the State Water Resources Control Board.

In 1919, Col. Robert B. Marshall, Chief Surveyor for the U.S. Geological Survey, proposed a plan for the federal government to build a series of diversion dams, and two grand canals along the sides of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys, consequently irrigating California's Central Valley. Though national interest in Marshall's plan was limited, there was an interest in California for pursuing the proposed project.

### 1925–1950

[edit]

In 1927, the California State Legislature passed a law authorizing the Department of Finance to file applications with the Division of Water Rights to reserve any unappropriated surface water for future development. A number of claims were filed on July 30, 1927. The department subsequently acquired water rights permits that resulted from some of these filings. In 1933, the California State Legislature and Governor James Rolph approved the construction of the Central Valley Project, with initial plans to build a 420-foot dam at Kennett. This would provide regular flows out to the San Francisco Estuary, reducing salinity intrusion into the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Unable to finance the construction of Kennett Dam, the state applied to the federal government for aid. After the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Rivers and Harbors reviewed the state plans, Congress enacted the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1935, giving the U.S. federal government control over the Central Valley Project (CVP).

### 1950–1975

[edit]

In the mid-1950s, California was experiencing substantial growth. San Francisco's Caspar W. Weinberger, Chairman of the California Assembly Government Organization Committee, held a series of statewide hearings in 1954 and 1955 focused on creating a State Water Project that could supply the growing municipal and agricultural demands of the state. On July 5, 1956, in a special session of the California Assembly, Governor Goodwin J. Knight signed Weinberger's bill to combine the then Division of Water Resources of the Department of Public Works with the State Engineer's Office, the Water Project Authority, and the State Water Resources Board into a new department: the Department of Water Resources. Consulting engineer Harvey O. Banks was appointed by Governor Knight as the department's first director and given the task of developing a plan for the proposed State Water Project.

In 1959, the Legislature enacted the Burns-Porter Act which authorized $1.75 billion for the construction of the proposed State Water Project. The Burns-Porter Act was approved by Californian voters in 1960 and in the same year the Whale Rock Dam, DWR's first major water project located near San Luis Obispo, was completed.

In 1961, William Warne was appointed director of the department and oversaw the construction of a key facility in the operation of the State Water Project: Oroville Dam. The DWR and the United States Bureau of Reclamation also signed an agreement to design a joint reservoir in San Luis. Because water from the Oroville and Shasta dams (from the existing Central Valley Project) would be moved down the existing Sacramento River channel into the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, excess flows would roll through the delta and then be stored in the Central Valley until needed. Construction of the Harvey O. Banks Pumping Plant, located near Tracy, California, also began in 1963.

### DWR timeline

[edit]

Year  | Event(s)

|

1850  |

* California becomes the 31st state in the United States of America

1878  |

* Office of State Engineer established with appointment of civil engineer William Hammond Hall

1887  |

* California Legislature approves the Wright Act which enables citizens to create local irrigation districts

1919  |

* US Geological Survey Lt. Colonel Robert Marshall publishes a plan to transfer water from the Sacramento River to the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California

1929  |

* First California Snow Survey conducted
* In response to the St. Francis Dam disaster, California Legislature creates a dam safety program

1933  |

* Bond act approved for Central Valley Project (CVP), but due to dwindling state coffers from the Great Depression, funding was not enough for the state government to build the project, thus the CVP was turned over to the U.S. federal government

1951  |

* Bulletin 1, an inventory of Californian water resources, is published by the State Water Resources Board
* State Engineer A.D. Edmonston proposed the Feather River Project (which later becomes the State Water Project)

1955  |

* Bulletin 2, which updates the information from Bulletin 1 and forecasts future water needs, is published by the State Water Resources Board

1956  |

* Governor Goodwin Knight calls a special session of the Legislature to create a Department of Water Resources
* Harvey O. Banks is appointed as the first director

1957  |

* Work begins in the city of Oroville for construction of a dam on the Feather River
* Bulletin 3, now named the California Water Plan Update, is published by the DWR

1959  |

* Burns-Porter Act passes the Legislature, authoring construction of a State Water Project

1960  |

* Voters approve bond to finance the State Water Project
* Metropolitan Water District of Southern California signs up as first contractor for SWP water
* US Congress authorizes construction of the San Luis Unit of the CVP

1961  |

* Frenchman Dam is completed
* Davis-Dolwig Act passes the Legislature, allowing for recreation, fish, and wildlife enhancement
* William Warne appointed as second DWR director

1962  |

* Work begins on Oroville Dam
* Patterson Dam completed
* State and federal governments agree to construct San Luis Joint-Use Complex

1963  |

* California Supreme Court rules that the DWR can sell additional revenue bonds to finance SWP construction

1964  |

* Antelope Dam is completed
* Oroville Fish Barrier Dam is completed

1965  |

* Santa Clara Terminal Reservoir is completed

1966  |

* Dos Amigos Pumping Plant is completed

1967  |

* Grizzly Dam (Lake Davis) is completed
* Oroville Dam is completed
* Hyatt Pumping/Generating Plant is completed
* Feather River Fish Hatchery is completed and begins operation
* O'Neill Dam, San Luis Dam, and Gianelli Pumping/Generating Plant are completed
* William Gianelli is appointed as third Director

1968  |

* Oroville Diversion Dam is completed
* Thermalito Afterbay Dam is completed
* North Bay Aqueduct & Napa Turnout Reservoir are completed
* Del Valle Dam is completed
* California Aqueduct from Banks Pumping Plant to San Luis Reservoir is completed
* California Aqueduct - San Luis Canal completed
* Los Perillas and Badger Hill Pumping Plants are completed
* Governor Ronald Reagan dedicates Lake Oroville and Oroville Dam, initiating beginning of operations of the SWP
* State Water Resources Control Board Decision 1379 is adopted, setting water quality standards for the SWP and CVP

1969  |

* Thermalito Pumping / Generating Plant is completed
* South Bay Pumping Plant is completed
* Del Valle Pumping Plant is completed
* Banks Pumping Plant is completed (4 additional pumps are added in 1986)
* Clifton Court Forebay is completed

1970  |

* John E. Skinner Delta Fish Protection Facility is completed

1971  |

* California Aqueduct constructed to Tehachapi Crossing
* Cedar Springs Dam (Silverwood Lake) is completed

1972  |

* Buena Vista and Terrink Pumping Plants are completed
* Oso Pumping Plant is completed
* Clean Water Act is enacted by both houses of the U.S. Congress

1973  |

* Chrisman Pumping Plant is completed
* Pyramid Dam and Castaic Power Plant are completed
* Pearblossom Pumping Plant is completed
* Santa Anna Pipeline is completed
* John R. Teerink is appointed fourth director

1974  |

* Castaic Dam is completed
* Devil Canyon Power Plant completed
* Perris Dam is completed

1975  |

* Ronald Robie appointed fifth director

1982  |

* California Aqueduct West Branch completed
* Warne Power Plant completed
* Irrigation management weather stations provided to farmers

1983  |

* DWR is classified as a "bulk entity" and begins entering its own electricity contracts
* David N. Kennedy is appointed sixth director

2007  |

* Judge orders DWR to cease its export operations through the delta, citing that it does not have a valid permit to operate the California State Water Project pumps per the California Environmental Quality Act.

## Legal and political authorization

[edit]

Though the DWR was formed in 1956 with the purpose to build and operate the State Water Project, as a state organization responsible for the development and protection of water resources, the department has since been subject to numerous legislative, judicial, and administrative orders that dictate how the department should protect the public trust. Like any other water user, the DWR must apply for water rights permits from the State Water Resources Control Board. The water rights decisions of the Control Board limit the amount of water that the department can provide to communities and also are responsible for many of the legal, administrative, and environmental projects that the department has adopted. Unlike most other users, the department also must answer to the Governor's Office and State Legislature. Flood control and local assistance programs often have a basis in the DWR's role as a resource trustee, while water supply, environmental mitigation, and electricity generation are often related to the DWR's role as a water permittee.

## State Water Project

[edit]

### Scope

[edit]

The project makes deliveries to two-thirds of California's population. It includes 34 storage facilities, reservoirs and lakes; 20 pumping plants; four pumping-generating plants; five hydroelectric power plants; and about 701 miles of open canals and pipelines.

### State Water Project facts and figures

[edit]

Number of storage Facilities  |

|

Lakes/Reservoirs (primary)  |

Total Reservoir Storage  |

5.8 million acre-feet = 7.2 cubic kilometers

Highest Dam Structure  |

770 feet (230 meters)

Largest Annual Energy Output  |

8.57 Billion kWh (2002)

Average Net Energy Use  |

5.1 Billion kWh

## List of DWR projects

[edit]

San Luis Reservoir in July 2021

### Conveyance and storage facilities

[edit]

* Oroville Dam (1967)
* North Bay Aqueduct
* Clifton Court Forebay
* Harvey O. Banks Pumping Plant (1968)
* South Bay Aqueduct
* California Aqueduct
* West Branch
* East Branch
* Coastal Branch
* O'Neill Forebay
* San Luis Reservoir (1967)
* Whale Rock Dam (1960)
* Edmonston Pumping Plant (1971)
* Silverwood Lake
* Lake Perris

### Flood control projects

[edit]

* Sutter Bypass
* Tisdale Weir
* Tisdale Bypass
* Sacramento Weir
* Yolo Bypass

### Recreation projects

[edit]

* Antelope Dam (1964)

### Mitigation/restoration projects

[edit]

The following is a list of projects that the DWR oversees or contributes to that are designed to mitigate the impacts of the operation of the State Water Project.

* Feather River Salmon and Steelhead Hatchery (1967)
* Thermalito Afterbay (1968)
* Yolo Bypass Wildlife Recreation Area
* Suisun Marsh
* Skinner Fish Facility
* South Delta Improvements Program[8]
* South Delta Temporary Barriers Program

## List of directors

[edit]

This is a list of DWR directors.[9]

Director  | Term  | Notes

|
|

Harvey Oren Banks | July 5, 1956–December 12, 1960  | DWR's first director.
William E. Warne | January 1, 1961–December 30, 1966  |
William R. Gianelli | January 1, 1967–April 31, 1973  |
John R. Teerink | September 1, 1973–March 3, 1975  |
Ronald B. Robie | March 6, 1975–December 31, 1982  |
Howard Eastin | January 3, 1983–June 21, 1983  | Interim Director
David N. Kennedy | June 22, 1983–December 31, 1998  |
Thomas M. Hannigan | March 1, 1999–June 1, 2003  |
Michael J. Spear | June 9, 2003–November 16, 2003  | Interim Director
Linda S. Adams  | November 17, 2003–February 23, 2004  | DWR's first female director.
Lester A. Snow  | February 24, 2004–January 31, 2010  |
Mark W. Cowin  | February 1, 2010–Dec 31, 2016  |
Bill Croyle  | January 1, 2017 - July 1, 2017  | Interim Director
Grant Davis  | July 19, 2017 - January 10, 2018  | [10]
Karla Nemeth  | January 10, 2018 – Present  | [11]

## Regions and drainage areas

[edit]

Main article: California hydrologic regions

## See also

[edit]

* California portal

* California Department of Water Resources dams
* California Environmental Protection Agency (CAL EPA)
* California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB)
* Southern California Coastal Water Research Project
* United States Bureau of Reclamation
* Water in California topics

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "About". water.ca.gov. Archived from the original on April 27, 2020. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
2. ^ "Contact Information". water.ca.gov. Archived from the original on April 17, 2017. Retrieved November 19, 2009.
3. ^ Solar envelope zoning: application to the city planning process. Los Angeles case study (Report). June 1, 1980. doi:10.2172/5141598. OSTI 5141598.
4. ^ "Water Rights in California". Water Education Foundation. Archived from the original on November 3, 2019. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
5. ^ Todd, Victoria R. (1977). "Geologic map of Cuyamaca Peak 7 1/2' Quadrangle, San Diego County, California". Open-File Report. US Geological Survey. doi:10.3133/ofr77405. ISSN 2331-1258.
6. ^ "Mineral resources of the Appalachian region". Professional Paper. US Geological Survey. 1968. doi:10.3133/pp580. ISSN 2330-7102.
7. ^ "The Central Valley Project - Introduction" Archived 2006-06-21 at the Wayback Machine
8. ^ "SDIP Brochure" (PDF). water.ca.gov. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 22, 2006.
9. ^ "History". ca.gov. Archived from the original on December 2, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
10. ^ "Grant Davis". ca.gov. August 1, 2017. Archived from the original on December 2, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
11. ^ "Karla Nemeth, Director". ca.gov. Archived from the original on December 2, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2021.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)()

## External links

[edit]

* California Department of Water Resources official site
* DWR South Delta Improvements Program
* DWR publications and digitized DWR reports on archive.org

* v
* t
* e

California State Water Project

Dams|

* Antelope
* B.F. Sisk
* Bethany
* Castaic
* Cedar Springs
* Del Valle
* Elderberry Forebay
* Fish Barrier
* Frenchman
* Grizzly Valley
* Little Panoche
* Los Banos Dam
* O'Neill
* Oroville
* Perris
* Pyramid
* Quail Lake
* Thermalito Afterbay
* Thermalito Diversion
* Thermalito Forebay

Reservoirs|

* Antelope Lake
* Bethany Reservoir
* Castaic Lake
* Clifton Court Forebay
* Elderberry Forebay
* Frenchman Lake
* Lake Davis
* Lake Del Valle
* Lake Oroville
* Lake Perris
* Little Panoche Reservoir
* Los Banos Reservoir
* O'Neill Forebay
* Pyramid Lake
* Quail Lake
* San Luis Reservoir
* Silverwood Lake
* Tehachapi Afterbay
* Thermalito Afterbay
* Thermalito Forebay

Rivers and bodies of water|

* Feather River
* Piru Creek
* Sacramento River
* Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta
* San Luis Creek

Aqueducts and canals|

* California Aqueduct
* North Bay Aqueduct
* South Bay Aqueduct

Other facilities|

* Banks Pumping Plant
* Buena Vista Pumping Plant
* Castaic Power Plant
* Devil Canyon Power Plant
* Dos Amigos Pumping Plant
* Edmonston Pumping Plant
* Feather River Fish Hatchery
* Kern River Intertie
* O'Neill Pumping-Generating Plant
* Oroville–Thermalito Complex
* South Bay Pumping Plant

Related|

* CALFED Bay-Delta Program
* California Department of Water Resources
* Peripheral Canal
* Bay Delta Conservation Plan

* v
* t
* e

Electric and gas utilities in California

Investor-owned utilities|

* Bear Valley Electric
* Liberty Utilities
* Pacific Power
* PG&E
* SDG&E
* SCE
* SoCalGas
* Southwest Gas

Community and
municipality owned|

* Alameda Municipal Power
* Anaheim Public Utilities
* Azusa Light & Power
* Banning Public Utilities
* Biggs Municipal Utilities
* Burbank Water and Power
* Cerritos Electric Utility
* City of Industry Public Utility
* Colton Electric Utility
* Corona Water and Power
* Eastside Power Authority
* Glendale Water & Power
* Gridley Electric Utility
* Healdsburg Electric Utility
* Hercules Municipal Utility
* Imperial Irrigation District
* Kirkwood Meadows Public Utility District
* Lassen Municipal Utility District
* Lodi Electric Utility
* Lompoc Public Utility
* Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
* City of Long Beach Department of Gas and Water
* Merced Irrigation District
* Modesto Irrigation District
* Moreno Valley Electrical Utility
* Needles Public Utility
* Palo Alto Public Utility
* Pasadena Water & Power
* Pittsburg Public Utility
* Port of Oakland
* Port of Stockton
* Power & Water Resources Pooling Authority
* Rancho Cucamonga Municipal Utility
* Redding Electric Utility
* Riverside Public Utilities
* Roseville Electric
* Sacramento Municipal Utility District
* San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
* Shasta Lake Public Utility
* Shelter Cove Resort Improvement District
* Silicon Valley Power
* Trinity Public Utilities District
* Truckee Donner Public Utilities District
* Turlock Irrigation District
* Ukiah Public Utility
* Vernon Light and Power
* Victorville Municipal Utilities Services

Joint powers authorities|

* Northern California Power Agency
* Southern California Public Power Authority

Government agencies|

* California Department of Water Resources
* Western Area Power Administration

Community choice aggregation|

* Marin Energy Authority

Cooperatives|

* Anza Electric Cooperative
* Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative
* Surprise Valley Electrification Corporation

Native American utilities|

* Aha Macav Power Service
* Morongo Band of Mission Indians

* v
* t
* e

Executive state agencies, departments and other entities of the State of California

Cabinet-level superagencies|

* Business, Consumer Services and Housing
* Government Operations
* Environmental Protection
* Health and Human Services
* Labor and Workforce Development
* Natural Resources
* Transportation

Cabinet-level departments|

* Corrections and Rehabilitation
* Education
* Finance
* Food and Agriculture
* Insurance
* Justice
* Military

Cabinet-level offices|

* Governor's Office of Emergency Services
* Governor's Office of Planning and Research
* Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development

BCSH departments|

* Consumer Affairs
* Board of Accountancy
* Bureau of Automotive Repair
* Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education
* Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers
* Contractors State License Board
* Medical Board
* Fair Employment and Housing
* Housing and Community Development
* Housing Finance Agency
* Business Oversight
* Real Estate
* Alcoholic Beverage Control
* Alcoholic Beverage Control Appeals Board
* Horse Racing Board

GOA departments|

* CalPERS
* CalSTRS
* Franchise Tax Board
* FI$CAL
* General Services
* Human Resources
* State Personnel Board
* Tax and Fee Administration
* Technology
* Office of Administrative Law
* Office of Data and Innovation
* Complete Count Committee
* Victim Compensation Board

CalEPA departments|

* Air Resources Board
* Pesticide Regulation
* CalRecycle
* Toxic Substances Control
* Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment
* State Water Resources Control Board

HHS departments|

* Aging
* Child Support Services
* Community Services and Development
* Developmental Services
* Medical Services Authority
* Health Care Services
* Managed Health Care
* Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board
* Public Health
* Rehabilitation
* Social Services
* State Hospitals
* Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development
* Office of Health Information Integrity
* Office of Law Enforcement Support
* Office of the Patient Advocate

LWDA departments|

* Industrial Relations
* Agricultural Labor Relations Board
* Employment Development Department
* Public Employment Relations Board
* Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board
* Workforce Development Board
* Employment Training Panel

CNRA departments|

* Conservation
* Conservation Corps
* Fish and Wildlife
* Forestry and Fire Protection
* Parks and Recreation
* Water Resources
* CALFED Bay-Delta Program
* Coastal Commission
* Energy Commission
* State Lands Commission
* San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission
* Colorado River Board

CalSTA departments|

* Motor Vehicles
* Caltrans
* Highway Patrol
* Board of Pilot Commissioners
* Transportation Commission
* High-Speed Rail Authority
* New Motor Vehicle Board
* Office of Traffic Safety

Independent entities|

* University of California
* Board of Regents
* California State University
* California Community Colleges
* Public Utilities Commission
* State Auditor
* Fair Political Practices Commission
* Little Hoover Commission

Future superagencies|

* Housing and Homelessness Agency
* Business and Consumer Services Agency

Former superagencies|

* Business, Transportation and Housing Agency
* State and Consumer Services Agency

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template