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State Water Resources Control Board to launch Cal Waters; proposes clearer SB 88 reporting rules to boost metering compliance
Summary
Board staff outlined the rollout of a new California Water Accounting and Tracking System (Cal Waters) and proposed revisions to SB 88 metering and measurement regulations intended to clarify reporting formats and increase usable data submission from groundwater diverters.
State Water Resources Control Board staff told stakeholders at a virtual water rights fee meeting that a modernized data system—Cal Waters—will replace older reporting tools and that proposed regulatory revisions to SB 88 aim to clarify reporting requirements and improve low compliance with metering and measurement rules.
A staff presenter said the broader modernization effort (referred to in the meeting materials as Upward) includes digitizing millions of pages of records, adding remote sensing capability and rebuilding the agency’s data system. “We achieved a minimum viable product in October of 2024,” the presenter said, and staff said they expect a public go‑live date of July 14, 2025. Staff advised that annual water-report submissions will move to the new system, with the initial calendar guidance showing reports uploaded to Cal Waters by Feb. 1, 2026 for the new water year.
The presenter said the Cal Waters work was initially funded with $30 million in one-time general‑fund allocations in fiscal year 2020–21 and a subsequent allocation; staff emphasized that those funds have not come from water rights fees. Staff said a user advisory group (UAG) will tentatively begin reviewing the system in May 2025 and discussed plans to refine the system’s user interface and templates to reduce reporting burden.
On SB 88 (the state metering and measurement statute), staff said historical compliance is low. Of roughly 12,000 diversions the presenter said may be covered, about 38 percent have never reported a device, roughly 20 percent have reported a device but not a data file, 18 percent do not divert, and about 23 percent provided both a device and a data file; staff cautioned that usable data is substantially lower than the 23 percent number. Staff filed a proposed regulatory package that was published Feb. 28 as a notice of proposed rulemaking; the package includes more prescriptive formatting for data files and plans to provide templates to simplify compliance. The board will hold a virtual public hearing on April 16 and staff said the draft goal is to have revised regulations in effect Oct. 1, 2025; those revised regulations would apply to reporting due Feb. 1, 2027.
The presenter said the proposed revisions aim to make the regulations clearer, reduce the reporting burden by providing templates and formats, and enable easier joint or group reporting and alternative compliance plans. A stakeholder (Bob) asked whether the user advisory group would remain engaged during the first years after rollout; the participant urged keeping the group in place “through the first couple of years to help guide it.” Staff responded that maintaining engagement with a users group is a good idea and that they would consult the Cal Waters point person, Brent Vanderberg.
Separately, staff said recharge permitting positions that had been held vacant were filled in mid‑February 2025; those positions have been in place for roughly three weeks at the time of the meeting.
No votes or formal actions were taken; staff invited written comments and participation in upcoming workshops and said the next fee stakeholder meeting is June 11.
