PART 5.1. STATEMENTS OF WATER DIVERSIONS AND USE [5100. - 5107.]

Cal. Water Code - WAT 5.1.

in effect

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 5100. Section 5100.

As used in this part: (a) “Best available technologies” means technologies at the highest technically practical level, using flow totaling devices, and if necessary, data loggers and telemetry. (b) “Best professional practices” means practices attaining and maintaining the accuracy of measurement and reporting devices and methods. (c) “Diversion” means taking water by gravity or pumping from a surface stream or subterranean stream flowing through a known and definite channel, or other body of surface water, into a canal, pipeline, or other conduit, and includes impoundment of water in a reservoir. (d) “Person” means all persons whether natural or artificial, including the United States of America, State of California, and all political subdivisions, districts, municipalities, and public agencies.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 5101. Section 5101.

(a) Each person who, after December 31, 1965, diverts water shall file with the board a statement of their diversion and use, as provided in subdivision (b), except that a statement is not required to be filed if the diversion is any of the following: (1) From a spring that does not flow off the property on which it is located and from which the person’s aggregate diversions do not exceed 25 acre-feet in any year. (2) Covered by a registration for small domestic use, small irrigation use, or livestock stockpond use, or permit or license to appropriate water on file with the board. (3) Included in a notice filed pursuant to Part 5 (commencing with Section 4999). (4) Regulated by a watermaster appointed by the department and included in annual reports filed with a court or the board by the watermaster, which reports identify the persons who have diverted water and describe the general purposes and the place, the use, and the quantity of water that has been diverted from each source. (5) Included in annual reports filed with a court or the board by a watermaster appointed by a court or pursuant to statute to administer a final judgment determining rights to water, which reports identify the persons who have diverted water and give the general place of use and the quantity of water that has been diverted from each source. (6) For use in compliance with Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 1226) or Article 2.7 (commencing with Section 1228) of Chapter 1 of Part 2. (7) A diversion that occurs before January 1, 2009, if any of the following applies: (A) The diversion is from a spring that does not flow off the property on which it is located, and the person’s aggregate diversions do not exceed 25 acre-feet in any year. (B) The diversion is covered by an application to appropriate water on file with the board. (C) The diversion is reported by the department in its hydrologic data bulletins. (D) The diversion is included in the consumptive use data for the Delta lowlands published by the department in its hydrologic data bulletins. (b) (1) For diversions after December 31, 1965, and before January 1, 2021, the statement shall be filed before July 1 of the year after the diversion. (2) For diversions after December 31, 2020, and before October 1, 2021, the statement shall be filed before April 1, 2022. (3) For diversions after September 30, 2021, the statement shall include diversions during the one-year period from October 1 of each year through September 30, inclusive, of the following year, and shall be filed before February 1 of the year after that one-year period.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 5102. Section 5102.

The statement may be filed either by the person who is diverting water or, on his behalf, by an agency which he designates and which maintains a record of the water diverted. A separate statement shall be filed for each point of diversion.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 5103. Section 5103.

Each statement shall be prepared on a form provided by the board. The statement shall include all of the following information: (a) The name and address of the person who diverted water and of the person filing the statement. (b) The name of the stream or other source from which water was diverted, and the name of the next major stream or other body of water to which the source is tributary. (c) The place of diversion. The location of the diversion works shall be depicted on a specific United States Geological Survey topographic map, or shall be identified using the California Coordinate System, or latitude and longitude measurements. If assigned, the public land description to the nearest 40-acre subdivision and the assessor’s parcel number shall also be provided. (d) The capacity of the diversion works and of the storage reservoir, if any, and the months in which water was used during the preceding calendar year. (e) (1) (A) At least monthly records of water diversions. The measurements of the diversion shall be made in accordance with Section 1840. (B) (i) On and after July 1, 2016, the measurement of a diversion of 10 acre-feet or more per year shall comply with regulations adopted by the board pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 1840) of Chapter 12 of Part 2. (ii) The requirement of clause (i) is extended to January 1, 2017, for any statement filer that enters into a voluntary agreement that is acceptable to the board to reduce the statement filer’s diversions during the 2015 irrigation season. (2) (A) The terms of, and eligibility for, any grant or loan awarded or administered by the department, the board, or the California Bay-Delta Authority on behalf of a person that is subject to paragraph (1) shall be conditioned on compliance with that paragraph. (B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), the board may determine that a person is eligible for a grant or loan even though the person is not complying with paragraph (1), if both of the following apply: (i) The board determines that the grant or loan will assist the grantee or loan recipient in complying with paragraph (1). (ii) The person has submitted to the board a one-year schedule for complying with paragraph (1). (C) It is the intent of the Legislature that the requirements of this subdivision shall complement and not affect the scope of authority granted to the board by provisions of law other than this article. (f) (1) The purpose of use. (2) The amount of water used, if any, for cannabis cultivation. (g) A general description of the area in which the water was used. The location of the place of use shall be depicted on a specific United States Geological Survey topographic map and on any other maps with identifiable landmarks. If assigned, the public land description to the nearest 40-acre subdivision and the assessor’s parcel number shall also be provided. (h) The year in which the diversion was commenced as near as is known.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 5104. Section 5104.

(a) Supplemental statements shall be filed annually, as provided in subdivision (b). They shall contain the quantity of water diverted and the rate of diversion by months in the preceding calendar year and any change in the other information contained in the preceding statement. (b) (1) For diversions before January 1, 2021, a supplemental statement required under this section shall be filed before July 1 of the year after the diversion. (2) For diversions after December 31, 2020, and before October 1, 2021, the supplemental statement shall be filed before April 1, 2022. (3) For diversions after September 30, 2021, the supplemental statement shall include diversions during the one-year period from October 1 of each year through September 30, inclusive, of the following year, and shall be filed before February 1 of the year after that one-year period. (c) If there is a change in the name or address of the person diverting the water, a supplemental statement shall be filed with the board that includes the change in name or address. (d) A supplemental statement filed prior to July 1, 2016, shall include data satisfying the requirements of subdivision (a) for any diversion of water in the 2012, 2013, and 2014 calendar years, that was not reported in a supplemental statement submitted prior to July 1, 2015. (e) This section does not limit the authority of the board to require additional information or more frequent reporting under any other law.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 5105. Section 5105.

Upon failure of any person to file a statement required by this part, the board may, at the expense of such person, investigate and determine in writing the facts required by either Sections 5103 or 5104, provided the board first gives such person written notice of its intention to investigate and determine the facts and 60 days in which to file the statement without penalty.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 5106. Section 5106.

(a) Neither the statements submitted under this part nor the determination of facts by the board pursuant to Section 5105 shall establish or constitute evidence of a right to divert or use water. (b) (1) The board may rely on the names and addresses included in statements submitted under this part for the purpose of determining the names and addresses of persons who are to receive notices with regard to proceedings before the board. (2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), any person may submit, in writing, a request to the board to provide notification to a different address, and the board shall provide the notification to that address. (3) If the board provides notice to persons who file statements under this part, the notice shall not be determined to be inadequate on the basis that notice was not received by a person, other than a party to whom the board’s action is directed, who fails to file a statement required to be filed under this part. (4) This subdivision does not affect the requirement in Section 2527 to provide notice to all persons who own land that appears to be riparian to the stream system. (c) In any proceeding before the board to determine whether an application for a permit to appropriate water should be approved, any statement submitted under this part or determination by the board pursuant to Section 5105 is evidence of the facts stated therein.

Cal. Water Code - WAT § 5107. Section 5107.

(a) The making of any willful misstatement pursuant to this part is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000) or by imprisonment in the county jail for not to exceed six months, or both. (b) Any person who fails to file a statement required to be filed under this part for a diversion or use that occurs after January 1, 2009, who tampers with any measuring device, or who makes a material misstatement pursuant to this part may be liable civilly as provided in subdivisions (c) and (d). (c) Civil liability may be administratively imposed by the board pursuant to Section 1055 in an amount not to exceed the following amounts: (1) For failure to file a statement, one thousand dollars ($1,000), plus five hundred dollars ($500) per day for each additional day on which the violation continues if the person fails to file a statement within 30 days after the board has called the violation to the attention of that person. (2) For a violation resulting from a physical malfunction of a measuring device not caused by the person or any other unintentional misstatement, two hundred fifty dollars ($250), plus two hundred fifty dollars ($250) per day for each additional day on which the measuring device continues to malfunction or the misstatement is not corrected if the person fails to correct or repair the measuring device or correct the misstatement within 60 days after the board has called the malfunction or violation to the attention of that person. (3) For knowingly tampering with any measuring device or knowingly making a material misstatement in a statement filed under this part, twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000), plus one thousand dollars ($1,000) for each day on which the violation continues if the person fails to correct the violation within 30 days after the board has called the violation to the attention of that person. (4) For any other violation, five hundred dollars ($500), plus two hundred fifty dollars ($250) for each additional day on which the violation continues if the person fails to correct the violation within 30 days after the board has called the violation to the attention of that person. (d) When an additional penalty may be imposed under subdivision (c) for failure to correct a violation or correct or repair a malfunctioning measuring device within a specified period after the violation has been called to a person’s attention by the board, the board, for good cause, may provide for a longer period for correction of the problem, and the additional penalty shall not apply if the violation is corrected within the period specified by the board. (e) In determining the appropriate amount, the board shall consider all relevant circumstances, including, but not limited to, all of the following factors: (1) The extent of harm caused by the violation. (2) The nature and persistence of the violation. (3) The length of time over which the violation occurs. (4) Any corrective action undertaken by the violator. (f) All funds recovered pursuant to this section shall be deposited in the Water Rights Fund established pursuant to Section 1550. (g) Remedies under this section are in addition to, and do not supersede or limit, any other remedies, civil or criminal.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026