Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Water Measurement Regulation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
State Water Board adopts revised Water Measurement and Reporting Regulation (SB 88); CalWaters integration, templates and phased rollout set
Summary
The State Water Resources Control Board unanimously adopted revised water‑measurement and reporting regulations Aug. 5, a comprehensive rewrite to standardize data submissions, require CalWaters registration and introduce templates and definitions designed to increase usable measurement data for water‑rights management.
The State Water Resources Control Board voted Aug. 5 to adopt revised measurement and reporting regulations commonly referred to as SB 88, a rewrite staff said will improve data quality and standardization statewide. Staff presented a multi‑year engagement and rulemaking record and said the update is intended to make measurement data more usable for water‑rights administration and to align requirements with the new CalWaters reporting platform.
Division of Water Rights staff—Lindsay Kamire (senior water resource control engineer), Pablo Ortiz and Sierra Kennison—told the board the regulation restructures the rules (new sections 9.31–9.39), clarifies definitions, adopts standardized data templates for CalWaters and tightens the large‑diversion threshold definition (diverters reporting large diversions defined as greater than 10,000 acre‑feet per year or more than 30 cfs at any time). Staff described a phased implementation: an Oct. 1, 2025 effective date to align with CalWaters registration and an implementation timeline that delays full new data‑submission requirements until reporting windows in 2026–2027 so users have time to transition.
Key features include required email registration for CalWaters, standardized templates for data files, a new concept of measurement methodology (device plus interpretation), expanded eligibility and clearer review paths for alternative compliance plans (ACPs), and flexibility for watershed‑specific adjustments. Staff acknowledged limited internal review capacity—hundreds of existing ACPs and constrained staff resources—and said regionally prioritized ACP review and a consultant contract would help. Board members pressed on compliance rates (staff estimated roughly 20% of water rights provided data files, representing about 30% of diverted volume) and the practical effect of weekly reporting thresholds; staff said CalWaters, clearer templates and outreach should raise compliance. The board adopted the resolution and staff will submit the final rulemaking package to the Office of Administrative Law.
