Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Hydrology Emergency Regulations topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
State Water Board: Northern Sierra snowpack near normal, reservoirs above average; Scott and Shasta emergency regs continue
Summary
At the April 2 meeting the board received a hydrologic update showing near‑normal statewide snowpack and reservoirs above average. Emergency regulations for the Scott and Shasta rivers remain in force and curtailments are suspended; water‑rights reporting remains incomplete for about 31% of holders.
The State Water Resources Control Board received its regular hydrologic conditions briefing on April 2, which showed mixed precipitation and snowpack across the state, above‑average major reservoirs and continued emergency rules for two northern watersheds.
“Statewide major reservoirs are at 117% of average,” said Abby Warner, an environmental scientist in the Division of Water Rights, summarizing reservoir storage and precipitation data through March 31. Warner said statewide snow water content stood at about 96% of normal; regional splits reported by the Department of Water Resources were 118% of average for the Northern Sierra, 91% for the Central Sierra and 84% for the Southern Sierra.
Warner updated the board on emergency regulations for the Scott River and Shasta River watersheds that were readopted Jan. 27, 2025, and are effective for one year. Curtailments remain suspended in both watersheds while flows remain above the emergency minimums, she said. The maximum reported daily flow so far this water year in the Scott River was 4,970 cubic feet per second on Jan. 4; the Shasta River’s maximum daily flow was 2,200 cfs on Feb. 4.
Warner said the Division of Water Rights has begun compiling material for an economic analysis and scientific basis report on baseline minimum flows for the Scott and Shasta watersheds and invited public feedback by April 25.
On water‑rights annual reporting, Warner told the board that 54% of water rights holders filed by the Feb. 1 deadline, another 8% filed in the 30‑day late fee grace period, and 7% reported after that window — leaving about 31% still outstanding. She reminded the board that post‑1914 late fees continue to apply to delinquent filers.
Vice Chair D’Adamo asked whether the existence of the emergency regulation itself has affected water use patterns in the basins and requested staff explore the relationship between flows under the emergency regulation and typical agricultural water use. Executive Director Eric Oppenheimer said staff will follow up and, if possible, provide additional analysis.
Ending: Warner closed by inviting stakeholders to submit data for the Scott and Shasta minimum‑flow analyses by April 25 and reiterated that curtailments remain suspended in both watersheds while observed flows exceed the emergency minimums.
