The State Water Resources Control Board recently posted updated forms for notifying the State Water Board about changes in ownership and contact information and associated with water rights. The forms were updated to conform to new regulations the State Water Board adopted earlier this year that outlines how water right owners or diverters must notify the Board of changes in ownership and contact information.
The State Water Board requires water right holders and diverters to notify the Board of changes of ownership, diverter, or contact information related to their water rights within 30 days of a change (Title 23, §§ 831 and 915(a), CCR).
Parties required to file a Statement of Water Diversion and Use must also notify the Board of diverter name or contact information changes for the statement within 30 days of the change (Title 23, §§ 915(c) and 920(c), CCR).
Requests for these changes are submitted electronically to the State Water Board through the Water Rights Online portal. If the forms are not submitted to the State Water Board within 30 days of a change, owners may be in violation of the California Code of Regulations and subject to fines of up to five hundred dollars ($500) per day, pursuant to Water Code §1846.
The updated forms can be found on the State Water Board’s website at https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/changerequest/.
Reporting Dates
Additionally, the new regulation aligns the water use reporting dates to match the reporting period and deadlines in Senate Bill 155 (2021). SB 155 changes the reporting periods for statement of water diversion and use, supplemental statements of water diversion and use, and notices of extraction and diversion to the water year, October 1 – September 30, and the respective reporting due dates to before February 1.
Reporting for the 2022-23 water year begins on October 1, 2023, and reports must be submitted to the Board electronically before February 1, 2024.
All water rights holders are required to submit an Annual Report of Water Diversion and Use electronically through the Board’s Report Management System. Paper reports are not available.
Questions
If you have any questions concerning the content of this Legal Alert, please contact the following from our office or the attorney with whom you normally consult.
Dan O’Hanlon
dohanlon@kmtg.com | 916.321.4522
Holly Roberson
hroberson@kmtg.com | 916.321.4517
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