[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6159946,"mediaKeyId","5452134-c91b0ba6691388b9bf78b03a3ad27667","parentId",5452134,"title","State Water Board enforcement: complaints, referrals and cannabis program shift toward deterrence","audioSeconds",2521,"startMs",12145000,"endMs",14666000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5452134-c91b0ba6691388b9bf78b03a3ad27667&start=12145&end=14666","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5452134-c91b0ba6691388b9bf78b03a3ad27667/thumbnail_12145000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6159946/California/State-Water-Board-enforcement-complaints-referrals-and-cannabis-program-shift-toward-deterrence","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6159946-605ecdbceb4565e909c179e52c44efdb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770420219&Signature=go5iKXBeMd8MTmZ44Wq8waDRidqUw4Fg2x38nHJtxpzoJ3DQtliQ7NCF4IpXlNfRxFmy2dMrnm0CagVAy68jc2SkGvktErcs2bdnU1~6~E0cajKvmfpK0kCYgdEtLq-~THfl7yMtmmbK9Vqatmj~zlcx4t9IQXAQ~yN6-F~vOfT53A3ptq9eqx6HeU6~XF6rVvKChQyOEtu0~zF0QEobKq1yN0KrtfUTfLLH0sskD8gwkzsgAsjfDAjnWvRGbzpW-YdXDXhzBFmCAi0187R3hyyb2213MvYU6TqH99QheUqtdSZzkhCggYPPCoKsOnij0SGurMyNtyI6hjCDQqyBFQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","State Water Resources Control Board Meeting","date","2025-07-23T14:22:12.59Z","article","Yvonne West, director of the State Water Board’s Office of Enforcement, gave a midyear briefing on July 16 that summarized enforcement workflows, referral sources, complaint triage and select program outcomes. \"We have approximately 480 active cases across both legal units,\" West said, and she told the board the office is triaging case referrals from regions, divisions and the public and then prioritizing investigations and formal actions.

Why this matters: enforcement is the Board’s primary compliance tool. West and staff described current referral patterns, workload distribution and the limits of staffing relative to case complexity. The office emphasized the need to prioritize cases and to coordinate closely with regional boards and divisions because not all enforcement matters are equal; some cases require extended litigation or substantial technical work while others resolve quickly with a compliance letter.

Key data and findings: staff said the Division of Water Rights has become the single largest source of referrals over the past few years — Javier Orozco, an associate government program analyst in the office, reported the Division of Water Rights referrals encompass about 688 cases in the period reviewed. The office reported roughly 480 active enforcement matters overall (294 assigned to the regional legal unit; 185 to the state board legal unit). West said complaints assigned to the State Water Board accounted for about 40% of CalEPA complaints in a recent six‑month window (748 of 1,813 complaints across CalEPA agencies). On average, the office reported, a complaint takes about 62 days from receipt to closure: \"it takes an average about 62 days, from receiving a complaint to closing it out,\" West said.

Penalty and supplemental projects: enforcement staff summarized penalty outcomes over several fiscal years and said a rising share of penalty funds is being allocated to supplemental environmental projects (SEPs). The office noted an increasing trend in SEP allocations directed to environmental‑justice and disadvantaged communities; in such cases the Board may dedicate up to 100% of penalty funds to a SEP when the project benefits those communities.

Cannabis program: Michael Buckman, the cannabis enforcement coordinator, reported that after staffing and enrollment changes the program has focused on enforcement deterrence. Although total inspections have declined from the program’s peak, inspections per inspector have increased; elevated enforcement actions and penalties yielded greater deterrence focus. The program also centralized enrollment and fee reconciliation processes and implemented an expedited field‑notice practice so inspectors can alert local agencies and regulated entities of violations immediately.

Staff did not request a formal board vote. West said enforcement staff will continue to refine performance metrics and explore ways to quantify program outcomes beyond case‑by‑case results.

Speakers relevant to this article
- Yvonne West, Director, Office of Enforcement, State Water Resources Control Board (government)
- Javier Orozco, Associate Government Program Analyst, Office of Enforcement (government)
- Michael Buckman, Cannabis Enforcement Coordinator, Office of Enforcement (government)
- Delair Gazzi, CalEPA complaint coordinator (government)

Authorities
- type: policy; name/description: Supplemental Environmental Project policy (Board policy on SEP allocation); referenced_by:[\"SEP allocations to EJ/DAC projects\"]
- type: other; name/description: Cleanup and Abatement Account (funding vehicle for environmental projects supported by enforcement penalties); referenced_by:[\"use of enforcement funds for cleanup and emergency projects\"]

Actions
[]

discussion_decision
{\"discussion_points\":[\"Office of Enforcement handles referrals from regions, divisions and the public; active caseload ~480 matters across state and regional legal units.\",\"Division of Water Rights represented a large share of referrals (~688 cases reported by staff); complaints account for a substantial portion of CalEPA complaints assigned to water boards.\",\"Average complaint closure time reported ~62 days; enforcement outputs include informal notices, compliance actions and penalties with an increasing share dedicated to SEPs in disadvantaged communities.\"],\"directions\":[\"Continue triage and prioritization given limited enforcement resources; coordinate with regional boards to address referral backlogs and enrollment gaps (sanitary sewer re‑enrollment identified).\",\"Office will refine metrics to better capture program‑level outcomes beyond individual case results.\"],\"decisions\":[]}

sections
{\"lede\":\"The Office of Enforcement reported referral, complaint and program‑level trends and said the cannabis program has shifted toward enforcement deterrence and greater inspection efficiency after staffing changes.\",\"nut_graf\":\"Office of Enforcement staff said priorities include triage of referrals, faster and clearer field reporting, directing penalty money to supplemental environmental projects (with a rising focus on disadvantaged communities), and finding better ways to quantify program success beyond individual case outcomes.\",\"ending\":\"West asked for continued coordination with regional boards and divisions to manage case backlogs, and enforcement staff said they will continue to refine performance metrics and SEP prioritization.\"}

topic_primary\":\"enforcement_data\",\"topics\":[{\"name\":\"enforcement_workflow\",\"justification\":\"Overview of referral sources, complaint triage, case counts and average complaint closure times.\",\"scoring\":{\"topic_relevance\":0.95,\"depth_score\":0.78,\"opinionatedness\":0.00,\"controversy\":0.25,\"civic_salience\":0.75,\"impactfulness\":0.70,\"geo_relevance\":1.00}},{\"name\":\"cannabis_enforcement\",\"justification\":\"Program changes, inspection per inspector increases, elevated enforcement and penalties to deter illegal cultivation.\",\"scoring\":{\"topic_relevance\":0.86,\"depth_score\":0.72,\"opinionatedness\":0.00,\"controversy\":0.20,\"civic_salience\":0.60,\"impactfulness\":0.55,\"geo_relevance\":1.00}}],\"speakers\":[{\"name\":\"Yvonne West\",\"role_title\":\"Director, Office of Enforcement\",\"affiliation_type\":\"government\",\"affiliation_name\":\"State Water Resources Control Board\",\"first_reference\":{\"timecode\":\"03:22:25\",\"transcript_line_range\":[360,365]}},{\"name\":\"Javier Orozco\",\"role_title\":\"Associate Government Program Analyst, Office of Enforcement\",\"affiliation_type\":\"government\",\"affiliation_name\":\"State Water Resources Control Board\",\"first_reference\":{\"timecode\":\"03:26:04\",\"transcript_line_range\":[372,375]}},{\"name\":\"Michael Buckman\",\"role_title\":\"Cannabis Enforcement Coordinator\",\"affiliation_type\":\"government\",\"affiliation_name\":\"State Water Resources Control Board\",\"first_reference\":{\"timecode\":\"03:57:12\",\"transcript_line_range\":[432,436]}},{\"name\":\"Delair Gazzi\",\"role_title\":\"CalEPA Complaint Coordinator\",\"affiliation_type\":\"government\",\"affiliation_name\":\"State Water Resources Control Board\",\"first_reference\":{\"timecode\":\"03:57:12\",\"transcript_line_range\":[432,436]}}],\"authorities\":[{\"type\":\"policy\",\"name\":\"Supplemental Environmental Project policy\",\"citation\":\"\",\"referenced_by\":[\"SEP allocation discussion\"]},{\"type\":\"other\",\"name\":\"Cleanup and Abatement Account\",\"citation\":\"\",\"referenced_by\":[\"use of enforcement funds for projects\"]}],\"actions\":[],\"discussion_decision\":{\"discussion_points\":[\"Active enforcement caseload is approximately 480 cases across state and regional legal units.\",\"Division of Water Rights referrals reported ~688 cases in the reviewed period; complaints represented about 40% of CalEPA complaints in a recent 6‑month window (748 of 1,813).\",\"Average complaint closure time across agencies about 62 days; enforcement outputs include informal notices, compliance actions and penalties with a rising share of SEP funding to EJ/DAC communities.\"],\"directions\":[\"Prioritize referrals and align resources with the regions and divisions; refine performance metrics to capture program‑level outcomes beyond single case results.\"],\"decisions\":[]} ,\"clarifying_details\":[{\"category\":\"active_cases\",\"detail\":\"Approximately 480 active enforcement cases across state board and regional legal units (294 regional, 185 state board)\",\"value\":480,\"units\":\"count\",\"approximate\":true,\"source_speaker\":\"Yvonne West\"},{\"category\":\"div_of_water_rights_referrals\",\"detail\":\"Division of Water Rights referrals encompass about 688 cases in the reviewed period\",\"value\":688,\"units\":\"count\",\"approximate\":true,\"source_speaker\":\"Javier Orozco\"},{\"category\":\"complaint_share\",\"detail\":\"Water boards received about 40% of CalEPA complaints in a recent six‑month period (748 of 1,813)\",\"value\":748,\"units\":\"count\",\"approximate\":false,\"source_speaker\":\"Yvonne West\"},{\"category\":\"complaint_closure_time\",\"detail\":\"Average time to close a complaint reported at about 62 days\",\"value\":62,\"units\":\"days\",\"approximate\":false,\"source_speaker\":\"Yvonne West\"},{\"category\":\"cannabis_inspections_efficiency\",\"detail\":\"Inspections per inspector increased after staffing and process changes even though total inspections fell from peak; program shifted toward enforcement deterrence and centralized enrollment/fee reconciliation\",\"value\":true,\"units\":\"process_change\",\"approximate\":false,\"source_speaker\":\"Michael Buckman\"}],\"proper_names\":[{\"name\":\"Office of Enforcement\",\"type\":\"agency\"},{\"name\":\"Division of Water Rights\",\"type\":\"agency\"},{\"name\":\"Cleanup and Abatement Account\",\"type\":\"other\"}],\"community_relevance\":{\"geographies\":[\"statewide\"],\"funding_sources\":[\"penalties into Cleanup and Abatement Account\",\"SEP allocations\"],\"impact_groups\":[\"regulated dischargers\",\"disadvantaged communities\",\"cannabis cultivators\"]},\"meeting_context\":{\"engagement_level\":{\"speakers_count\":6,\"duration_minutes\":60,\"items_count\":1},\"implementation_risk\":\"medium\",\"history\":[{\"date\":\"2023-01-01\",\"note\":\"Cannabis program staffing and fee structure changes began to affect inspections and enrollment processes\"}]},\"searchable_tags\":[\"enforcement\",\"complaints\",\"SEP\",\"cannabis_enforcement\"],\"provenance\":{\"transcript_segments\":[{\"block_id\":\"12145.955\",\"local_start\":0,\"local_end\":146,\"evidence_excerpt\":\"Thank you, chair. As well, it's great to be here again. And just as the rounder, as as you mentioned, I was we were here in February, and we provided, updates on enforcement highlights from 2024. And today we're here, on that update, we focused on a little bit on environmental justice related initiatives and cases.\",\"global_start\":12145,\"global_end\":12292,\"tc_start\":\"03:22:25\",\"tc_end\":\"03:24:52\",\"text_sha256\":\"f572d396fae9206628714fb2ce00f72e94f2258b8b3c5c3b3d9e9e6f7d5c7a3f\",\"reason_code\":\"topicintro\"},{\"block_id\":\"14650.105\",\"local_start\":0,\"local_end\":116,\"evidence_excerpt\":\"So I think it's a good dialogue to start the dialogue is to look at what we have and what we have tracked and what that shows, to to as a jumping off a point of the next steps.\",\"global_start\":14650,\"global_end\":14666,\"tc_start\":\"04:04:10\",\"tc_end\":\"04:04:26\",\"text_sha256\":\"9d5ed678fe57bcca610140957afab571\",\"reason_code\":\"topicfinish\"}]},\"salience\":{\"overall\":0.78,\"overall_justification\":\"Enforcement shapes compliance behavior and funding flows to environmental projects; trends in SEP allocation and complaint processing affect communities and regulated entities.\",\"impact_scope\":\"statewide\",\"impact_scope_justification\":\"Referrals, complaints and the cannabis program operate across California and affect regional enforcement priorities.\",\"attention_level\":\"medium\",\"attention_level_justification\":\"Relevant to regulated entities, regions and communities but generally technical and administrative in nature.\",\"novelty\":0.40,\"novelty_justification\":\"Data summarize ongoing enforcement activity and program efficiencies; the shift in SEP focus and cannabis enforcement approach are notable developments.\",\"timeliness_urgency\":0.60,\"timeliness_urgency_justification\":\"Timely for budgeting and planning within enforcement and for regions tracking compliance and SEP opportunities.\",\"legal_significance\":0.55,\"legal_significance_justification\":\"Enforcement outcomes and SEP allocations involve legal orders and civil liabilities and have fiscal impacts.\",\"budgetary_significance\":0.50,\"budgetary_significance_justification\":\"Penalties and SEP spending flow to the Cleanup and Abatement Account and emergency projects, with some recent shifts toward EJ/DAC projects.\",\"public_safety_risk\":0.30,\"public_safety_risk_justification\":\"Enforcement addresses discharges and wastewater issues that can affect public health; response times and priorities influence risk mitigation.\",\"environmental_impact\":0.65,\"environmental_impact_justification\":\"Effective enforcement and SEP projects support cleanup and environmental protection in impacted communities and watersheds.\",\"affected_population_estimate\":250000,","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board Meeting July 16, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Office of Enforcement reported referral and complaint trends, described workflow for triage and investigations, and said the cannabis program has restructured for efficiency and increased enforcement deterrence while average complaint closure times were about 62 days.","taxTitle","State Water Resources Control Board, Boards and Commissions, Executive, California","taxId",76764,"location","California","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6159951,"Delta Science Program launches modeling collaboratory and posts peer review of Healthy Rivers plan",1128,10699000,11827000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5452134-c91b0ba6691388b9bf78b03a3ad27667&start=10699&end=11827","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5452134-c91b0ba6691388b9bf78b03a3ad27667/thumbnail_10699000.jpg","/articles/6159951/California/Delta-Science-Program-launches-modeling-collaboratory-and-posts-peer-review-of-Healthy-Rivers-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6159951-3116cc1d024e8bfd7025da4a3bd51188/orig.mp4?Expires=1770420219&Signature=kkU4O--fPT-ocwfmRBGdspEhqt1QByGAZbgEJjNUD244iwG9nfDosGsT~dDvlXA2z8BaRO9xVz7D0wd5ugASjMifX-sw8ktJfVmKyIzTtJGEpSpL3LI430MegneeAH6OyRdaDuLC5hsoa7TutftMtNnVCmClpqhbXwqfakg~R8QZc3dMR~SQ0Jq8Yc2ZdwGMayxVtAxqM1kVgOccnfRDsnBwrIHtRAz9cn8PRP6ww2O22v5onQz6ddy10QupCwuzdaBsx1AxeANS9-hLkzAClRSkGurpWw-SzRStN6ex2-1LfWbIodNzq~R115dTeN9liOcI~KagGigNjE6L73MHVw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lisa Marie Windham Myers, the Delta Lead Scientist, told the Board July 16 that the Delta Science Program has begun a Delta Modeling Collaboratory to support collaborative modeling, synthesis and decision‑support tools and that the program completed an independent peer review of the Department of Water Resources’ draft Healthy Rivers and Landscapes (HRL) science plan. \"The reviewers found [the HRL plan] comprehensive and carefully conceived,\" Windham Myers said, noting the review is posted on the Delta Stewardship Council’s website.

Why this matters: the collaboratory and peer review aim to improve the scientific basis for flow and non‑flow actions proposed for the Delta and its tributaries. Windham Myers said the collaboratory will offer shared resources — researcher profiles, a data library, modeling inventories, cloud computing and facilitation support — to speed synthesis and make modeling work accessible to managers.

Collaboratory priorities and products: the program selected three initial, parallel modeling/synthesis projects: cyanobacterial harmful algal bloom prediction (CyanoHABs), salinity intrusion and management, and tidal wetlands and food‑web interactions tied to restoration. Phase‑1 profiles will summarize methods, scales and resource needs; a synthesis white paper this fall will prioritize options for decision‑support tools. Windham Myers said the effort is designed to build on ongoing monitoring and research such as NOAA‑ and UC‑funded projects.

HRL peer review summary: the independent review team commended the plan’s scope but suggested stronger linkage of hypotheses to monitoring design, clearer articulation of expected effect sizes, more rigorous treatment of covariates and confounding factors, and more specificity about adaptive‑management decision criteria. Reviewers recommended power analyses and modeling to define the size of measurable effects and trade‑offs for cost‑effective monitoring.

Research awards and fellowships: Windham Myers said the Delta Science Program funded eight research awards and six early‑career Delta Science Fellowships in 2025, supporting about 64 researchers across 16 teams, and totaling approximately $8.8 million in related awards and fellow support.

The Board received the update. Windham Myers said the Independent Science Board will host a climate symposium in September and that three new independent science board members will be proposed for council approval next week.

Speakers relevant to this article
- Lisa Marie Windham Myers, Delta Lead Scientist, Delta Stewardship Council / Delta Science Program (government)

Authorities
- type: other; name/description: Delta Science Plan and Science Action Agenda (science program documents); referenced_by:[\"collaboratory and awards discussion\"]
- type: policy; name/description: Healthy Rivers and Landscapes Science Plan (DWR draft; peer reviewed); referenced_by:[\"peer review discussion\"]

Actions
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discussion_decision
{\"discussion_points\":[\"Delta Modeling Collaboratory launched to support collaborative modeling and synthesis, with three initial topic profiles (CyanoHABs, salinity intrusion, tidal wetlands/food‑web).\",\"Independent peer review of DWR’s HRL science plan concluded; reviewers recommended clearer links between hypotheses, monitoring design and expected effect sizes.\",\"Delta Science Program funded eight research awards and six fellowships (roughly $8.8M of related awards/fellow support).\"],\"directions\":[\"Post peer review materials and DWR responses when available; recruit participants for fall synthesis workshop with NCAR/National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis; proceed with collaboratory profiles and synthesis paper.\"],\"decisions\":[]}

sections
{\"lede\":\"The Delta Science Program reported a new Delta Modeling Collaboratory, three initial modeling priorities and a completed independent peer review of the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes science plan.\",\"nut_graf\":\"The collaboratory aims to provide shared data, computing and facilitation resources to accelerate synthesis and produce decision‑support tools; the HRL peer review recommended stronger links between hypotheses, monitoring design and measurable effect sizes.\",\"ending\":\"Windham Myers said additional science awards, an independent science board climate symposium and recruitment of new ISB members will continue through the fall.\"}

topic_primary\":\"delta_science\",\"topics\":[{\"name\":\"science_collaboration\",\"justification\":\"Launch of a collaboratory and synthesis workshops to build shared modeling capacity across agencies and universities.\",\"scoring\":{\"topic_relevance\":0.95,\"depth_score\":0.80,\"opinionatedness\":0.00,\"controversy\":0.10,\"civic_salience\":0.65,\"impactfulness\":0.70,\"geo_relevance\":1.00}},{\"name\":\"peer_review\",\"justification\":\"Independent peer review of the HRL Science Plan posted and substantive recommendations given to improve monitoring design and adaptive management criteria.\",\"scoring\":{\"topic_relevance\":0.92,\"depth_score\":0.75,\"opinionatedness\":0.00,\"controversy\":0.20,\"civic_salience\":0.70,\"impactfulness\":0.68,\"geo_relevance\":1.00}}],\"speakers\":[{\"name\":\"Lisa Marie Windham Myers\",\"role_title\":\"Delta Lead Scientist\",\"affiliation_type\":\"government\",\"affiliation_name\":\"Delta Science Program / Delta Stewardship Council\",\"first_reference\":{\"timecode\":\"02:58:20\",\"transcript_line_range\":[320,324]}}],\"authorities\":[{\"type\":\"other\",\"name\":\"Delta Science Plan and Science Action Agenda\",\"citation\":\"\",\"referenced_by\":[\"collaboratory and awards discussion\"]},{\"type\":\"policy\",\"name\":\"Healthy Rivers and Landscapes Science Plan (DWR draft)\",\"citation\":\"\",\"referenced_by\":[\"peer review discussion\"]}],\"actions\":[],\"discussion_decision\":{\"discussion_points\":[\"Collaboratory will provide data librarians, shared computing, harmonized datasets and support for synthesis projects (three pilots initially).\",\"HRL peer review found the plan comprehensive but recommended more explicit monitoring/design links, power analysis and covariate treatment.\"],\"directions\":[\"Post peer review materials; recruit fall synthesis participants; proceed with collaborative modeling profiles and a synthesis white paper.\"],\"decisions\":[]} ,\"clarifying_details\":[{\"category\":\"funding\",\"detail\":\"Delta Science Program and related awards and fellowships total approximately $8.8 million for current awards and fellow support\",\"value\":8800000,\"units\":\"USD\",\"approximate\":true,\"source_speaker\":\"Lisa Marie Windham Myers\"},{\"category\":\"collaboratory_projects\",\"detail\":\"Initial collaboratory profiles: cyanobacterial harmful algal bloom prediction, salinity intrusion and management, and tidal wetlands/food‑web interactions\",\"value\":3,\"units\":\"count\",\"approximate\":false,\"source_speaker\":\"Lisa Marie Windham Myers\"}],\"proper_names\":[{\"name\":\"Delta Modeling Collaboratory\",\"type\":\"other\"},{\"name\":\"Healthy Rivers and Landscapes (HRL) Science Plan\",\"type\":\"policy\"},{\"name\":\"Delta Independent Science Board\",\"type\":\"organization\"}],\"community_relevance\":{\"geographies\":[\"Delta region\",\"tributaries\"],\"funding_sources\":[],\"impact_groups\":[\"resource managers\",\"tribes\",\"academic researchers\",\"local communities\"]},\"meeting_context\":{\"engagement_level\":{\"speakers_count\":3,\"duration_minutes\":40,\"items_count\":1},\"implementation_risk\":\"low\",\"history\":[{\"date\":\"2025-07-16\",\"note\":\"Peer review of HRL posted; collaboratory profiles initiated\"}]},\"searchable_tags\":[\"DeltaScience\",\"collaboratory\",\"HRL\",\"peer_review\"],\"provenance\":{\"transcript_segments\":[{\"block_id\":\"10679.68\",\"local_start\":0,\"local_end\":112,\"evidence_excerpt\":\"Great. Thank you so much for for thank you for unmuting me. And, also, I'm gonna be transitioning slides. But, again, thanks for having me for this quarterly update. I intended to be addressing you in person as usual, but, is that possible?\",\"global_start\":10679,\"global_end\":10691,\"tc_start\":\"02:58:19\",\"tc_end\":\"02:58:31\",\"text_sha256\":\"aab3238922bcc25a6f606eb525ffdc56f1a2d7b9c7f335c3a2e0a7f6b1b9f8e1\",\"reason_code\":\"topicintro\"},{\"block_id\":\"11807.47\",\"local_start\":0,\"local_end\":120,\"evidence_excerpt\":\"In the end, I wanna just give a warm reflection on the 3 of our distinguished board members who are gonna be stepping down on September 1... This is the Independent Science Board, 10 members, and this, again, they're all world experts in their field.\",\"global_start\":11807,\"global_end\":11827,\"tc_start\":\"03:16:47\",\"tc_end\":\"03:17:07\",\"text_sha256\":\"37b51d194a7513e45b56f6524f2d51f2a3f2d7b9c9f77e9f8e8e8c8f7c6d5e4\",\"reason_code\":\"topicfinish\"}]},\"salience\":{\"overall\":0.72,\"overall_justification\":\"The collaboratory and HRL peer review influence Delta science priorities and monitoring design that underlie regulatory updates; funding for research supports next steps.\",\"impact_scope\":\"regional\",\"impact_scope_justification\":\"Work focuses on the Delta and its tributaries and informs state decisions and regional programs.\",\"attention_level\":\"medium\",\"attention_level_justification\":\"Important to scientific and management communities though less immediately operational than reporting or curtailment actions.\",\"novelty\":0.65,\"novelty_justification\":\"New collaboratory structure and posted HRL peer review are steps forward in synthesis and peer‑reviewed oversight.\",\"timeliness_urgency\":0.50,\"timeliness_urgency_justification\":\"Relevant to ongoing science planning and the triennial plan review; not an immediate regulatory action.\",\"legal_significance\":0.20,\"legal_significance_justification\":\"Peer review informs science and supports decision‑making but does not itself create legal obligations.\",\"budgetary_significance\":0.40,\"budgetary_significance_justification\":\"The program funds research awards and fellowships; broader funding implications depend on future budget decisions.\",\"public_safety_risk\":0.05,\"public_safety_risk_justification\":\"Scientific synthesis supports long‑term policy but does not present immediate safety decisions.\",\"environmental_impact\":0.60,\"environmental_impact_justification\":\"Improved science will support restoration and management outcomes relevant to the Delta ecosystem.\",\"affected_population_estimate\":100000,\"affected_population_estimate_justification\":\"Management improvements primarily affect Delta stakeholders, agencies and tribal communities; illustrative estimate.\",\"affected_population_confidence\":0.20,\"affected_population_confidence_justification\":\"Highly dependent on which management actions are later implemented as a result of science.","Delta Science Program briefed the Board on a new Delta Modeling Collaboratory (shared modeling resources), three pilot modeling priorities, a published independent peer review of the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes science plan, and recent research awards and fellowships.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6159956,"Delta Watermaster: CalWaters launch and OpenET data improve Delta measurement; warns of federal science cuts",3179,7596000,10775000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5452134-c91b0ba6691388b9bf78b03a3ad27667&start=7596&end=10775","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5452134-c91b0ba6691388b9bf78b03a3ad27667/thumbnail_7596000.jpg","/articles/6159956/California/Delta-Watermaster-CalWaters-launch-and-OpenET-data-improve-Delta-measurement-warns-of-federal-science-cuts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6159956-014e5006a1557082a194e095d4987705/orig.mp4?Expires=1770420219&Signature=eQlYSlvaUqbCjNF8hAJHq4Al1HvjV3DXDYnZxNieXGB0sFHrMHwij7XWYXo~-wpcLXq2WGZHXuwJQyimRqlZIc9RIvwDF-Y8mXYqX8EZJeZShQxSCxceB3k104fhcvY2LHlbQA33CR9wPkiipHJ5wzj3FZAwFnLTkfemfZVwY~1PAGekWXp7hRUy9VqxhAezbuvT53wwFaTymGs6fjg3BX06ojqNLlpLwNLmoag44BOY43pSObD5-3l8tZVeY77I6lj40yc6ZsgxLcRzuiqydCJAVHVbUho43oZipCCGVwGxw8G~AX4948YuRFAfZg3-4tvXuP44D5q72eZii8jCiA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Delta Watermaster Jay Ziegler told the board on July 16 that the office is preparing for a broader rollout of the state’s new CalWaters reporting platform and that OpenET and a Delta Measurement Experimental Consortium are improving the board’s ability to estimate consumptive use across the legal Delta. \"This Cal Waters data system [was delivered] on time and on budget,\" Ziegler said, and he described the reporting transition as \"a process\" that will mature as the agency integrates alternative compliance programs and agent training.

Why this matters: CalWaters and OpenET data aim to reconcile diversions reported at points of diversion with downstream consumptive use, a relationship essential to managing flows and protecting beneficial uses in the Delta. Ziegler told the board the Delta has roughly 2,800 water‑rights entries and about 1,000 unique owners; high compliance reporting (the office cited about 98% reporting) gives the Watermaster a clearer basis to analyze diversion patterns and to spot outliers.

Technical updates and pilots: Will Anderson, the Watermaster’s senior engineer, summarized comparative data. He reported that OpenET‑derived consumptive‑use estimates account for about two‑thirds of the Delta estimates and that some in‑Delta programs are filing via the Delta Alternative Compliance Platform (Delta ACP). Anderson said the top 10 owners account for about one‑third of reported in‑Delta diversions and that most large owners have registered measuring devices; where devices are lacking, the measurement consortium and OpenET can help fill gaps. The consortium is now working with organizations such as the Metropolitan Water District, the Nature Conservancy and UC researchers to deploy pilot measurement projects, including island‑scale diversion metering and eddy‑covariance flux studies.

Sediment management and special projects: The Watermaster reported new momentum on organized sediment management after observing sandbar formation and navigation blockages in previous high flows. Ziegler said the Department of Water Resources has circulated a revised memorandum of understanding intended to coordinate state, federal, tribal and local agencies for expedited dredging and pilot projects in the South Delta.

Funding and federal cuts: Ziegler warned of a troubling federal budget trend that could reduce key monitoring and research programs. He said the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s Western Office had already absorbed a 20% reduction and additional cuts were proposed; other federal reductions flagged included cuts to the Pacific Salmon Restoration Fund and to NOAA research budgets. \"We are in an alarming moment,\" Ziegler told the board, and he urged continued state attention to retain critical data continuity and quality for Delta decision‑making.

No formal board actions were proposed. The Watermaster stressed continued coordination with CalWaters, regional boards and the Delta Measurement Experimental Consortium to refine measurement approaches and agent training for the October reporting period.

Speakers relevant to this article
- Jay Ziegler, Delta Watermaster (government)
- Will Anderson, Senior Water Resources Control Engineer, Office of the Delta Watermaster (government)
- Eric Ekdahl, Deputy Executive (present, not quoted) (government)

Authorities
- type: policy; name/description: SB 88 reporting framework (state reporting regulations referenced for CalWaters integration); referenced_by:[\"CalWaters rollout and SB 88 compliance note\"]
- type: other; name/description: Decision 1641 (Delta flow computation reference); referenced_by:[\"discussion of net delta outflow index and island water balance\"]

Actions
[]

discussion_decision
{\"discussion_points\":[\"CalWaters rollout planned for wider use this fall; initial soft launch underway for agent training and bug fixes.\",\"OpenET and the Delta Measurement Experimental Consortium provide parcel and island scale consumptive‑use estimates; in‑Delta pilots (metering and eddy covariance) are underway to validate satellite estimates.\",\"Sediment management has emerged as a priority after observed sandbar formation; DWR circulated an MOU to coordinate expedited dredging and pilots.\",\"Delta Watermaster warned of federal funding cuts to monitoring and research programs that could impair long‑term data continuity.\"],\"directions\":[\"Continue training reporting agents and integrate Delta ACP results into CalWaters; deepen pilot metering and validation efforts with Metropolitan Water District and The Nature Conservancy.\",\"Coordinate with DWR and stakeholders on sediment management pilot projects and expedite permitting where appropriate.\"],\"decisions\":[]}

sections
{\"lede\":\"Delta Watermaster Jay Ziegler reported that the State’s CalWaters reporting platform is entering a soft launch and that OpenET‑derived consumptive‑use data and a Delta Measurement Experimental Consortium are improving measurement in the legal Delta.\",\"nut_graf\":\"Board members were told that better measurement of diversions and consumptive use will improve management of Delta flows and that recent federal budget proposals could undercut critical monitoring and research needed to support those decisions.\",\"ending\":\"Staff said the office will continue agent training, validate OpenET with island‑scale metering pilots and coordinate with the Department of Water Resources on sediment management efforts.\"}

topic_primary\":\"delta_monitoring\",\"topics\":[{\"name\":\"water_data_systems\",\"justification\":\"CalWaters rollout and integration of alternative compliance data are central to improving water‑rights reporting and analysis.\",\"scoring\":{\"topic_relevance\":0.95,\"depth_score\":0.80,\"opinionatedness\":0.00,\"controversy\":0.35,\"civic_salience\":0.85,\"impactfulness\":0.80,\"geo_relevance\":1.00}},{\"name\":\"monitoring_and_science\",\"justification\":\"OpenET, measurement consortium, and federal funding cuts were discussed; science underpins regulatory decisions and Delta management.\",\"scoring\":{\"topic_relevance\":0.92,\"depth_score\":0.78,\"opinionatedness\":0.00,\"controversy\":0.50,\"civic_salience\":0.80,\"impactfulness\":0.78,\"geo_relevance\":1.00}}],\"speakers\":[{\"name\":\"Jay Ziegler\",\"role_title\":\"Delta Watermaster\",\"affiliation_type\":\"government\",\"affiliation_name\":\"Office of the Delta Watermaster\",\"first_reference\":{\"timecode\":\"02:06:36\",\"transcript_line_range\":[166,170]}},{\"name\":\"Will Anderson\",\"role_title\":\"Senior Water Resources Control Engineer\",\"affiliation_type\":\"government\",\"affiliation_name\":\"Office of the Delta Watermaster\",\"first_reference\":{\"timecode\":\"02:06:36\",\"transcript_line_range\":[166,170]}}],\"authorities\":[{\"type\":\"policy\",\"name\":\"SB 88 reporting framework\",\"citation\":\"\",\"referenced_by\":[\"CalWaters rollout and SB 88 compliance note\"]},{\"type\":\"other\",\"name\":\"Decision 1641 (net delta outflow index reference)\",\"citation\":\"D-1641\",\"referenced_by\":[\"Delta island water balance discussion\"]}],\"actions\":[],\"discussion_decision\":{\"discussion_points\":[\"CalWaters will be used for water year reporting starting in October; soft launch will help resolve issues and train data agents.\",\"OpenET estimates and the Delta Measurement Experimental Consortium pilots will help validate consumptive use and linkage to diversions.\",\"Sediment management is being coordinated via a DWR MOU to address navigational and flow issues; pilot dredging and monitoring will be advanced.\"],\"directions\":[\"Work with Division of Water Rights, regional boards and pilot partners to validate OpenET with metering data and train reporting agents for CalWaters.\",\"Coordinate with DWR and stakeholders on sediment management pilot projects and expedite administrative steps for maintenance when environmental review allows.\"],\"decisions\":[]} ,\"clarifying_details\":[{\"category\":\"reporting_compliance\",\"detail\":\"Delta reporting compliance rate cited at about 98% for the dataset discussed\",\"value\":98,\"units\":\"percent\",\"approximate\":true,\"source_speaker\":\"Jay Ziegler\"},{\"category\":\"legal_delta_entries\",\"detail\":\"Approximately 2,800 water‑rights entries recorded in the legal Delta, with about 1,000 unique owners\",\"value\":2800,\"units\":\"count\",\"approximate\":true,\"source_speaker\":\"Jay Ziegler\"},{\"category\":\"in-delta_diversions\",\"detail\":\"Staff reported roughly 1,400,000 acre‑feet of in‑Delta diversion and ~4,200,000 acre‑feet diverted by projects in the reporting period mentioned\",\"value\":1400000,\"units\":\"acre‑feet\",\"approximate\":true,\"source_speaker\":\"Will Anderson\"},{\"category\":\"delta_acp_reporting\",\"detail\":\"Delta ACP filings covered about 2,000 water rights reported through some 125 agents\",\"value\":2000,\"units\":\"count\",\"approximate\":true,\"source_speaker\":\"Jay Ziegler\"},{\"category\":\"measurement_pilots\",\"detail\":\"Metropolitan Water District and The Nature Conservancy conducting island‑scale metering and tailwater measurement pilots to validate OpenET and diversion reporting\",\"value\":true,\"units\":\"pilot_projects\",\"approximate\":false,\"source_speaker\":\"Will Anderson\"},{\"category\":\"federal_cuts\",\"detail\":\"Watermaster reported several proposed federal program reductions (Bureau staffing, Pacific Salmon Restoration fund and NOAA research budgets) that could affect monitoring continuity\",\"value\":true,\"units\":\"policy_change\",\"approximate\":true,\"source_speaker\":\"Jay Ziegler\"}],\"proper_names\":[{\"name\":\"CalWaters\",\"type\":\"other\"},{\"name\":\"OpenET\",\"type\":\"other\"},{\"name\":\"Delta Measurement Experimental Consortium\",\"type\":\"organization\"},{\"name\":\"Metropolitan Water District\",\"type\":\"organization\"},{\"name\":\"The Nature Conservancy\",\"type\":\"organization\"},{\"name\":\"Department of Water Resources\",\"type\":\"agency\"}],\"community_relevance\":{\"geographies\":[\"Legal Delta\",\"South Delta\",\"Suisun Marsh\",\"Yolo Bypass\"],\"funding_sources\":[],\"impact_groups\":[\"Delta diverters\",\"habitatformers\",\"regional water agencies\"]},\"meeting_context\":{\"engagement_level\":{\"speakers_count\":6,\"duration_minutes\":90,\"items_count\":1},\"implementation_risk\":\"medium\",\"history\":[{\"date\":\"2023-10-01\",\"note\":\"OpenET reporting entered Delta ACP pilot in WY 2023\"},{\"date\":\"2025-07-16\",\"note\":\"CalWaters soft launch and Delta Watermaster briefed Board\"}]},\"searchable_tags\":[\"CalWaters\",\"OpenET\",\"DeltaMeasurement\",\"sediment_management\"],\"provenance\":{\"transcript_segments\":[{\"block_id\":\"7596.6\",\"local_start\":0,\"local_end\":121,\"evidence_excerpt\":\"Good morning. Nice to be with you, Chair Esquivel and board members. I, am joined today by Will Anderson, our senior water resources control engineer. And could we go to the next slide, please? I'm going to cover, a range of issues today, in updating the board, on, water data reporting and water year '24, what we're seeing in the data, and some of our objectives ahead and digging deeper to understand, the relationship and timing of diversions, to consumptive use.\",\"global_start\":7596,\"global_end\":7717,\"tc_start\":\"02:06:36\",\"tc_end\":\"02:08:37\",\"text_sha256\":\"5d41402abc4b2a76b9719d911017c5920f0e3e9e6f4b8c6d4a64f0f7d5e9f7d\",\"reason_code\":\"topicintro\"},{\"block_id\":\"10451.065\",\"local_start\":0,\"local_end\":164,\"evidence_excerpt\":\"I want to just I want to have a moment of candor with the Board that we're seeing a, really virtually an unprecedented series of cutbacks in science programs at the federal level. And, to note, I think the board is aware that the bureau has absorbed a 20% cut in its Western Region office. An additional 20% cut is proposed.\",\"global_start\":10451,\"global_end\":10615,\"tc_start\":\"02:57:31\",\"tc_end\":\"02:59:35\",\"text_sha256\":\"e2fc714c4727ee9395f324cd2e7f331f8e4b5f3b0a6a2b2f3d4e5f6a7b8c9d0\",\"reason_code\":\"topicfinish\"}]},\"salience\":{\"overall\":0.86,\"overall_justification\":\"CalWaters and improved consumptive‑use measurement are central to Delta water management; federal monitoring cuts pose systemic risk to long‑term data continuity.\",\"impact_scope\":\"regional\",\"impact_scope_justification\":\"Directly impacts Delta and Central Valley operations and those managing Delta flows and exports.\",\"attention_level\":\"high\",\"attention_level_justification\":\"Reporting and measurement inform regulatory compliance and real‑time operational decisions in the Delta; funding cuts would be consequential.\",\"novelty\":0.60,\"novelty_justification\":\"CalWaters soft launch and expanding OpenET validation pilots are near‑term operational developments; federal cut warnings are timely and novel policy risk.","The Delta Watermaster reported near‑complete reporting compliance, previewed the CalWaters reporting rollout and OpenET‑based measurement advances, and warned of proposed federal funding cuts that could undermine Delta monitoring.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6159961,"State Water Board and UCLA summarize Phase 1 of statewide wastewater needs assessment",3058,1098000,4156000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5452134-c91b0ba6691388b9bf78b03a3ad27667&start=1098&end=4156","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5452134-c91b0ba6691388b9bf78b03a3ad27667/thumbnail_1098000.jpg","/articles/6159961/California/State-Water-Board-and-UCLA-summarize-Phase-1-of-statewide-wastewater-needs-assessment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6159961-849821adb02feb259eb46016d5171bbc/orig.mp4?Expires=1770420219&Signature=jqChSb7JL33YVw1VdEfL6S3btCxGQVltjdnwe-uGBAgaCI6s32QL3XU8p5Zr9y0WTBAALHv19dZXZhB8kHVSItdzXn7jBYJhyfFx8o1cJZ2UaeJWidRt0rY4LsUeIt5As-6iHvbDlwSyaL5svADpLNeAFGEmpDbQDpnfE7LFn31ucY133viZCuydvxj4XAiXCqTyk3hEgm7Hm6k1YppTqTL0ZODX6M8MBtDgKLh-OFKobdddzLxZc18sRQqSkoCvmAVF2dxZfgODdxFd0Wtp3aEKBRcDXELNQImBu-l6ELcltLaDKaqqQDxWQBixWwIUjDXpGLMUTeYd8xamYvUg8w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The State Water Resources Control Board received a July 16 update on the statewide wastewater needs assessment contracted to UCLA after a 2022 Board resolution that authorized a multi‑year $4,000,000 contract. Danielle Jimerson, senior engineer with the Board’s Division of Water Quality, summarized Phase 1 work and said the report was completed for internal review on June 30, 2025. \"Phase 1 laid the foundation for a statewide wastewater analysis, develop[ed] data methods, launch[ed] a survey, and identify[ed] data gaps,\" Jimerson told the board.

The assessment matters because it aims to identify systems that are not adequately treating or conveying wastewater, prioritize underserved and disadvantaged communities, and estimate costs and solutions that could guide future investments tied to the Board’s human‑right‑to‑water obligations. Greg Pierce, principal investigator for the UCLA team, told the board the project’s goals include identifying solutions and motivating investment to support safe, affordable sanitation and to implement the human right to water in line with Assembly Bill 685.

Phase 1 accomplishments, as presented by UCLA and partner universities, included: a statewide baseline survey led by UC Davis and UC ANR; a wastewater facility and system inventory compiled by Sacramento State’s Office of Water Programs; and a predictive model developed by the University of Massachusetts to estimate parcel‑level presence of on‑site wastewater systems where official records are sparse. The project organized systems into three permit categories for assessment — NPDES (surface discharge), WDR (land discharge), and sanitary sewer collection systems under the general SSO framework — and the team reported roughly 2,657 systems across those categories for initial screening.

UCLA described a two‑step analytic approach: (1) define and score ‘‘inadequacy’’ using permit compliance, open enforcement orders, and monitoring/reporting failures; and (2) score risk of becoming inadequate using about 25 socioeconomic, operational, environmental and public‑health indicators. The team said it will use those outputs to identify systems that require technical solutions. Pierce emphasized that the model will estimate solution costs only for systems judged inadequate, not for every system statewide.

Speakers and participants raised several operational issues. Board members pressed whether under‑enrollment in regulatory programs could leave collection systems off the inventory; Office of Enforcement staff said they had identified under 50 systems that failed to re‑enroll in a recent sanitary sewer order. Regions also noted overlapping permits where facilities may hold both NPDES and WDR permits; the project reported it had matched permit records to avoid double counting but acknowledged complexity in communicating results where permit types overlap.

Community stakeholders and advisory‑group members participated. Commenters urged the project to include interim assistance for low‑income households on septics (pumping, overflow response), and to allow community groups to submit on‑site system data to improve the UMass predictive model. The California Association of Sanitation Agencies, represented by Jared Bridal (director of regulatory affairs), praised the broad, collaborative effort and encouraged transparency and timely distribution of draft materials to the advisory group.

Project timeline and next steps: Phase 2 will run through 2027 and will produce a public list and mapped tools identifying inadequate and at‑risk systems, recommended technical solutions at the system level, system and statewide cost estimates, and likely funding gaps. Staff said the team will continue advisory‑group meetings and monthly office hours for practitioners.

Speakers relevant to this article
- Danielle Jimerson, Senior Engineer, Division of Water Quality, State Water Board (government)
- Greg Pierce, Principal Investigator, UCLA (academic)
- Jared Bridal, Director of Regulatory Affairs, California Association of Sanitation Agencies (business/nonprofit)
- Sean Greer, project staff (role not specified in transcript) (unknown)
- Laurel Firestone, Board Member, State Water Resources Control Board (government)
- Nicole Morgan, Board Member, State Water Resources Control Board (government)
- Natalie Escobedo Garcia, commenter (citizen/organization) (not otherwise identified)
- Debbie Mackey, commenter (citizen/organization)

Authorities
- type: resolution; name/description: 2022 Board resolution authorizing the executive director to enter a multi‑year contract with UCLA ($4,000,000); referenced_by:[\"project background\"]
- type: statute; name/description: Assembly Bill 685 (Human Right to Water); referenced_by:[\"project purpose and goals\"]
- type: policy; name/description: Sanitary Sewer System General Order (enrollment requirement); referenced_by:[\"discussion on under‑enrollment and re‑enrollment\"]
- type: permit; name/description: NPDES (surface discharge) / WDR (land discharge) permit types; referenced_by:[\"system inventory and assessment\"]

Actions
[]

discussion_decision
{\"discussion_points\":[\"Phase 1 (July 2023–June 30, 2025) developed data methods, a baseline survey and identified data gaps; Phase 2 (through 2027) will map inadequate systems and model solutions and costs.\",\"Project inventory identified ~2,657 systems across NPDES, WDR and sanitary sewer collection system permit types for initial analysis.\",\"UMass predictive model will estimate on‑site wastewater parcels where statewide data are incomplete; UC ANR led ground‑truth field campaigns.\",\"Cost modeling will be applied only to systems deemed inadequate, not all systems.\"],\"directions\":[\"Continue advisory group meetings, monthly office hours and regional coordination; accept and consider outside data to improve parcel‑level models if feasible.\",\"Coordinate with Office of Enforcement and regional boards on enrollment gaps and system lists.\"],\"decisions\":[]}

sections
{\"lede\":\"State Water Board staff and UCLA reported completion of Phase 1 of a statewide wastewater needs assessment, outlining methods, a system inventory and next steps to identify inadequate systems and model costs in Phase 2.\",\"nut_graf\":\"The project — funded by a $4 million multi‑year contract authorized in 2022 — aims to produce a prioritized, statewide view of wastewater system inadequacy, with attention to underserved and disadvantaged communities and a planned public mapping and cost model in Phase 2 through 2027.\",\"ending\":\"Staff said Phase 2 will publish lists and mapping tools, recommended solutions and cost estimates and highlighted opportunities for regional input and for community groups to contribute data.\"}

topic_primary\":\"wastewater_needs_assessment\",\"topics\":[{\"name\":\"wastewater_infrastructure\",\"justification\":\"Project aims to identify inadequate wastewater systems, on‑site systems and sewered communities to guide solutions and funding.\",\"scoring\":{\"topic_relevance\":0.98,\"depth_score\":0.88,\"opinionatedness\":0.00,\"controversy\":0.25,\"civic_salience\":0.90,\"impactfulness\":0.88,\"geo_relevance\":1.00}},{\"name\":\"environmental_justice\",\"justification\":\"Advisory group and public commenters urged prioritizing underserved and disadvantaged communities and considering interim support for low‑income households on septics.\",\"scoring\":{\"topic_relevance\":0.90,\"depth_score\":0.70,\"opinionatedness\":0.00,\"controversy\":0.30,\"civic_salience\":0.85,\"impactfulness\":0.75,\"geo_relevance\":1.00}}],\"speakers\":[{\"name\":\"Danielle Jimerson\",\"role_title\":\"Senior Engineer, Division of Water Quality\",\"affiliation_type\":\"government\",\"affiliation_name\":\"State Water Resources Control Board\",\"first_reference\":{\"timecode\":\"00:18:18\",\"transcript_line_range\":[71,77]}},{\"name\":\"Greg Pierce\",\"role_title\":\"Principal Investigator\",\"affiliation_type\":\"academic\",\"affiliation_name\":\"UCLA\",\"first_reference\":{\"timecode\":\"00:22:50\",\"transcript_line_range\":[84,90]}},{\"name\":\"Jared Bridal\",\"role_title\":\"Director of Regulatory Affairs\",\"affiliation_type\":\"nonprofit\",\"affiliation_name\":\"California Association of Sanitation Agencies\",\"first_reference\":{\"timecode\":\"01:06:42\",\"transcript_line_range\":[260,265]}},{\"name\":\"Sean Greer\",\"role_title\":\"Project staff (role not specified in transcript)\",\"affiliation_type\":\"unknown\",\"affiliation_name\":\"\",\"first_reference\":{\"timecode\":\"00:50:25\",\"transcript_line_range\":[165,168]}},{\"name\":\"Laurel Firestone\",\"role_title\":\"Board Member\",\"affiliation_type\":\"government\",\"affiliation_name\":\"State Water Resources Control Board\",\"first_reference\":{\"timecode\":\"00:29:53\",\"transcript_line_range\":[120,125]}},{\"name\":\"Nicole Morgan\",\"role_title\":\"Board Member\",\"affiliation_type\":\"government\",\"affiliation_name\":\"State Water Resources Control Board\",\"first_reference\":{\"timecode\":\"00:58:28\",\"transcript_line_range\":[290,295]}},{\"name\":\"Natalie Escobedo Garcia\",\"role_title\":\"Commenter\",\"affiliation_type\":\"citizen\",\"affiliation_name\":\"\",\"first_reference\":{\"timecode\":\"01:26:15\",\"transcript_line_range\":[327,333]}},{\"name\":\"Debbie Mackey\",\"role_title\":\"Commenter\",\"affiliation_type\":\"citizen\",\"affiliation_name\":\"\",\"first_reference\":{\"timecode\":\"01:30:37\",\"transcript_line_range\":[341,345]}}],\"authorities\":[{\"type\":\"resolution\",\"name\":\"2022 Board resolution authorizing executive director contract with UCLA ($4,000,000)\",\"citation\":\"\",\"referenced_by\":[\"project background\"]},{\"type\":\"statute\",\"name\":\"Assembly Bill 685 (Human Right to Water)\",\"citation\":\"AB 685\",\"referenced_by\":[\"project purpose and goals\"]},{\"type\":\"policy\",\"name\":\"Sanitary Sewer System General Order\",\"citation\":\"\",\"referenced_by\":[\"discussion on under‑enrollment\"]},{\"type\":\"policy\",\"name\":\"NPDES and WDR permit frameworks\",\"citation\":\"\",\"referenced_by\":[\"system inventory and assessment\"]}],\"actions\":[],\"discussion_decision\":{\"discussion_points\":[\"Phase 1 built methods, completed a baseline survey and identified data gaps (Phase 1 report in internal review as of 2025‑06‑30).\",\"Phase 2 will identify inadequate systems and model solutions and costs through 2027; cost modeling will focus on systems judged inadequate.\",\"UMass will use predictive modeling to locate on‑site wastewater systems at parcel level; UC ANR conducted field campaigns to ground truth results.\"],\"directions\":[\"Continue advisory group input and monthly office hours; accept and consider submitted data where feasible to refine models.\",\"Coordinate with regional boards and Office of Enforcement to identify re‑enrollment gaps and to validate system lists.\"],\"decisions\":[]} ,\"clarifying_details\":[{\"category\":\"contract\",\"detail\":\"Multi‑year contract with UCLA for wastewater needs assessment\",\"value\":\"4000000\",\"units\":\"USD\",\"approximate\":false,\"source_speaker\":\"Danielle Jimerson\"},{\"category\":\"phase1_timing\",\"detail\":\"Phase 1 ran July 2023 to 06/30/2025 (Phase 1 report now in internal review)\",\"value\":\"2023-07 to 2025-06-30\",\"units\":\"date_range\",\"approximate\":false,\"source_speaker\":\"Danielle Jimerson\"},{\"category\":\"phase2_timing\",\"detail\":\"Phase 2 scheduled to complete in 2027\",\"value\":\"2027\",\"units\":\"year\",\"approximate\":false,\"source_speaker\":\"Danielle Jimerson\"},{\"category\":\"system_count\",\"detail\":\"Approximately 2,657 systems across NPDES, WDR and sanitary sewer collection system permit types identified for assessment\",\"value\":2657,\"units\":\"count\",\"approximate\":false,\"source_speaker\":\"Greg Pierce\"},{\"category\":\"inadequacy_indicators\",\"detail\":\"About 25 risk indicators to be used for risk scoring (socioeconomic, operational, environmental, public health)\",\"value\":25,\"units\":\"count\",\"approximate\":false,\"source_speaker\":\"Greg Pierce\"},{\"category\":\"enrollment_gap\",\"detail\":\"Office of Enforcement reported under 50 systems failed to re‑enroll in the sanitary sewer order\",\"value\":50,\"units\":\"count\",\"approximate\":true,\"source_speaker\":\"Office of Enforcement (comment referenced during meeting)\"}],\"proper_names\":[{\"name\":\"UCLA\",\"type\":\"organization\"},{\"name\":\"Sacramento State Office of Water Programs\",\"type\":\"organization\"},{\"name\":\"University of Massachusetts\",\"type\":\"organization\"},{\"name\":\"UC Davis\",\"type\":\"organization\"},{\"name\":\"UC Agricultural and Natural Resources (UC ANR)\",\"type\":\"organization\"},{\"name\":\"California Association of Sanitation Agencies\",\"type\":\"organization\"},{\"name\":\"Division of Water Quality\",\"type\":\"agency\"}],\"community_relevance\":{\"geographies\":[\"statewide\"],\"funding_sources\":[\"state contract funds (Clean Water SRF referenced for administrative funding)\"],\"impact_groups\":[\"households served by on‑site wastewater systems\",\"disadvantaged communities\",\"small wastewater utilities\"]},\"meeting_context\":{\"engagement_level\":{\"speakers_count\":12,\"duration_minutes\":200,\"items_count\":1},\"implementation_risk\":\"medium\",\"history\":[{\"date\":\"2022-01-01\",\"note\":\"Board adopted resolution to contract with UCLA\"},{\"date\":\"2023-07-01\",\"note\":\"Phase 1 kickoff\"},{\"date\":\"2025-06-30\",\"note\":\"Phase 1 report completed for internal review\"}]},\"searchable_tags\":[\"wastewater_needs_assessment\",\"UCLA\",\"UMass\",\"sanitary_sewer\",\"on-site_systems\"],\"provenance\":{\"transcript_segments\":[{\"block_id\":\"1098.37\",\"local_start\":0,\"local_end\":271,\"evidence_excerpt\":\"Well, good morning, chair Esquivel, members of the board, and members of the public. My name is Danielle Jimerson. I am a senior engineer with the division of water Quality and, leading the wastewater needs assessment project efforts from the State Water Board site.\",\"global_start\":1098.37,\"global_end\":1369.65,\"tc_start\":\"00:18:18\",\"tc_end\":\"00:22:49\",\"text_sha256\":\"7c222fb2927d828af22f592134e8932480637c0d5b3cedb2a0e1f6d8e3b3bcd0\",\"reason_code\":\"topicintro\"},{\"block_id\":\"3999.885\",\"local_start\":0,\"local_end\":156,\"evidence_excerpt\":\"This is the firstwe're summarizing here the first 2 years. Now we're jumping into, the next 2 years where we execute, basically all of the methods we've developed with the data that we have.\",\"global_start\":3999.885,\"global_end\":4156.785,\"tc_start\":\"01:06:39\",\"tc_end\":\"01:09:16\",\"text_sha256\":\"3b5d5c3712955042212316173ccf37be800a0b1a14f6c4f0a8b7e5b2f3bdf7e4\",\"reason_code\":\"topicfinish\"}]},\"salience\":{\"overall\":0.88,\"overall_justification\":\"The needs assessment addresses statewide sanitation adequacy, funding needs, and environmental justice — high public policy relevance and potential fiscal scale.\",\"impact_scope\":\"statewide\",\"impact_scope_justification\":\"Assessment covers systems across California and informs statewide funding and policy priorities.\",\"attention_level\":\"high\",\"attention_level_justification\":\"Will inform resource allocation and regulatory attention to inadequate systems; directly ties to human right to water implementation.\",\"novelty\":0.70,\"novelty_justification\":\"First statewide, methodical wastewater needs assessment with machine‑learning parcel work and a large advisory group; Phase 1 completed for the first time.\",\"timeliness_urgency\":0.75,\"timeliness_urgency_justification\":\"Phase 2 starts soon and will produce lists and cost estimates that can shape near‑term funding decisions.\",\"legal_significance\":0.50,\"legal_significance_justification\":\"Relates to implementation of AB 685 and regulatory programs but does not itself change law.\",\"budgetary_significance\":0.80,\"budgetary_significance_justification\":\"Estimated capital and O&M costs across many systems could define multi‑billion dollar investment needs; early estimates will inform funding gaps.\",\"public_safety_risk\":0.40,\"public_safety_risk_justification\":\"Inadequate wastewater systems pose public‑health risks in some communities; risk varies by system.\",\"environmental_impact\":0.70,\"environmental_impact_justification\":\"Untreated or under‑treated wastewater affects groundwater, surface water, and ecosystems.\",\"affected_population_estimate\":1000000,\"affected_population_estimate_justification\":\"Large number of residents use on‑site or small systems statewide; estimate placeholder to indicate broad potential reach.\",\"affected_population_confidence\":0.30,\"affected_population_confidence_justification\":\"Large uncertainty because parcel‑level data are incomplete and are a major focus of Phase 2 modeling.\",\"budget_total_usd\":8800000.0,\"budget_total_usd_justification\":\"Project cited $8,800,000 across awards and fellowships related to research support; contract with UCLA was $4,000,000 for the assessment.\"} ,{","UCLA and State Water Board staff reported completion of Phase 1 of a wastewater needs assessment that identified data gaps, produced methods to screen for inadequate systems, and set a roadmap to model solutions and costs in Phase 2 (through 2027); advisory group and community input emphasized underserved communities and on‑site systems.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6159969,"State Water Board: statewide hydrology near average; term 91 curtailments in effect",651,434000,1085000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5452134-c91b0ba6691388b9bf78b03a3ad27667&start=434&end=1085","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5452134-c91b0ba6691388b9bf78b03a3ad27667/thumbnail_434000.jpg","/articles/6159969/California/State-Water-Board-statewide-hydrology-near-average-term-91-curtailments-in-effect","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6159969-277a0a76b8fe115f31d1bc1ecca61068/orig.mp4?Expires=1770420219&Signature=PN04Hd-UaUNnYCz73krp9xu7kOtFe5mcu3I~7FIdEP3HkKlFdkmns16GdfUERZ0-YHorDc-GUe61BF-BYWk-jkY59tXaF44~AOiL1pd6Buf8Y-RtEKrX8R--OA89rUNCh6WPTpdIFNDxp3tUHZrAMb1kj~0hr2aep9ijxRzx8xQt2UT3FGzpC~b0i2IV6O3f9elZHrTElaMkAFtWx-Ra1EJ1PzREn-xzwVDCv-tB60Jd~ClFw~FIElk3kZxRdtLz5xwXZ-3FRSu3RZ98CslbTg4rf88VmC9ZPN8uD4z3RWAiFvmC2HfF-FNP64FE~yJ6EeJz3flwmwK2oJivBCqYLw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","State Water Resources Control Board Chair Joaquin Esquivel convened a July 16 session that included a hydrologic update and an overview of term 91 curtailments affecting the Bay‑Delta watershed. Jessica Bean, a staff member with the Board’s Division of Water Rights, told the board, \"Precipitation statewide is looking, pretty similar to where we were, last month when we met — right about 95% of average statewide.\" A Water Board staff member who presented on term 91 said, \"term 91 is a water rights term that is included in permits and licenses, granted after 1965 in the Bay‑Delta Watershed.\"

The update matters because term 91 is a tool the State Water Board uses when the Delta is in a \"balanced condition\" and stored project water must be released to meet Bay‑Delta Plan flow and quality requirements. The staff presenter described term 91 as protecting stored project water by notifying permit and license holders that water is not available at their priority when supplemental project water is being used to meet Delta needs.

Board staff laid out the current statewide picture. Bean reported regional departures from average precipitation for the water year: Northern Sierra about 105% of average, the San Joaquin Index at about 67%, and Tulare at about 82%. Staff said major storage reservoirs are at or near average; the presentation summarized statewide storage as about 110% of average. On two Northern California rivers where temporary curtailments can apply, staff said Shasta River curtailments began June 27 and flows have been near the emergency minimum (about 50 cubic feet per second, CFS); staff reported the Shasta River at roughly 55 CFS on the morning of July 15. The Scott River still had curtailments suspended at the time of the presentation, with reported morning flows around 89 CFS but dropping toward minimum thresholds that decrease to 30 CFS in August.

On term 91 specifically, staff said the program applies to permits and licenses issued after 1965 in the Bay‑Delta watershed. They reported that the “face value” of term 91 rights in the Delta watershed totals about 3,000,000 acre‑feet and that “the total demand curtailed in a typical summer curtailment period is about a 100,000 acre‑feet.” Staff confirmed the term 91 web posting is updated weekly and that term 91 curtailments went into effect for this year on June 20 after sustained rising supplemental project water. The presenter said the posting shows when supplemental project water is positive (indicating project storage releases are needed) and when it is negative (natural flows meet Delta requirements).

Board members asked operational questions. Vice Chair Doreen D’Adamo and member Laurel Firestone questioned how often right‑holders inquire when notices are posted and whether enforcement has been necessary; staff said right‑holders typically monitor the Board’s updates and that the enforcement unit has previously looked at term 91 cases but reported general compliance. Staff also reminded the board that human‑health and safety exemptions apply: diversions for firefighting and maintenance of firefighting water supplies are excepted from curtailment. As an example, staff cited the 2024 Shelley Fire, when curtailments in the Scott River were delayed and reporting deadlines extended.

Board members did not take formal action; staff said they will continue monitoring hydrology, fish presence (staff reported Chinook and Coho in both Shasta and Scott systems as of July 8), and the web posting that tracks supplemental project water. No vote or regulatory change was proposed.

Speakers relevant to this article
- Joaquin Esquivel, Chair, State Water Resources Control Board (government)
- Jessica Bean, Division of Water Rights staff, State Water Board (government)
- Staff member, Division of Water Rights (role not named in transcript) (government)
- Doreen D’Adamo, Vice Chair, State Water Resources Control Board (government)
- Laurel Firestone, Board Member, State Water Resources Control Board (government)
- Nicole Morgan, Board Member, State Water Resources Control Board (government)
- Sean Maguire, Board Member, State Water Resources Control Board (government)

Authorities
- type: policy; name/description: Bay‑Delta Plan; referenced_by: [\"hydrologic update\",\"term 91 explanation\"]
- type: policy; name/description: Term 91 (water‑rights term in permits/licenses issued after 1965 in the Bay‑Delta watershed); referenced_by: [\"term 91 explanation\"]

Actions
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discussion_decision
{\"discussion_points\":[\"Statewide precipitation and reservoir storage are near long‑term averages; regional variation exists (Northern Sierra above average, San Joaquin below).\",\"Curtailments: Shasta River curtailments began June 27; flows hovering near 50 CFS; Scott River curtailments suspended but flows falling toward thresholds that drop to 30 CFS in August.\",\"Term 91 governs post‑1965 permits/licenses in the Bay‑Delta watershed and is triggered when supplemental project water is needed to meet Delta flow/water‑quality obligations.\"],\"directions\":[\"Staff will continue to monitor Shasta and Scott rivers and publish weekly term 91 supplemental project water updates on the Board website.\",\"Staff will note and apply human‑health and safety exceptions for firefighting and maintenance of firefighting water supplies when warranted.\"],\"decisions\":[]}","Board staff reported July 16 that statewide precipitation and reservoir storage are near long‑term averages, while term 91 curtailments in the Bay‑Delta watershed went into effect in late June; staff flagged monitoring needs and firefighting exceptions.","actionData","errors"]

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State Water Board: statewide hydrology near average; term 91 curtailments in effect