Title WAT, California Water Code

“Revenue fund” means the Central Valley Water Project Revenue Fund. (Added by Stats. 1943, Ch. 370.)

Unless the context otherwise requires, “bond” means any bond or other written evidence of indebtedness which the department may issue under this part in order to secure funds with which to carry out the purposes of this part. (Amended by Stats. 1957, Ch. 1932.)

Whenever the terms stream, lake or other body of water, or water occurs in relation to applications to appropriate water or permits or licenses issued pursuant to such applications, such term refers only to surface water, and to subterranean streams flowing through known and defi…

All water flowing in any natural channel, excepting so far as it has been or is being applied to useful and beneficial purposes upon, or in so far as it is or may be reasonably needed for useful and beneficial purposes upon lands riparian thereto, or otherwise appropriated, is he…

The following are hereby declared to constitute unappropriated water: (a) All water which has never been appropriated. (b) All water appropriated prior to December 19, 1914, which has not been in process, from the date of the initial act of appropriation, of being put, with due d…

Any water the right to the use of which is held by any municipality which is in excess of the existing municipal needs therefor may be appropriated by any person entitled to the possession of land upon which such excess water may be put to beneficial use but the right of such per…

Chapters 1 and 2 of this part shall be known and may be cited as “The State Water Resources Law of 1945.” (Added by Stats. 1953, Ch. 196.)

In any suit brought in any court of competent jurisdiction in this State for determination of rights to water, the court may order a reference to the board, as referee, of any or all issues involved in the suit. (Amended by Stats. 1957, Ch. 1932.)

In any suit brought in any court of competent jurisdiction in this State for determination of rights to water, the court may refer the suit to the board for investigation of and report upon any or all of the physical facts involved. (Amended by Stats. 1957, Ch. 1932.)

A majority in number of the holders of title to land susceptible of irrigation from a common source and by the same system of works, including pumping from subsurface or other water, who are also the holders of title to a majority in value of the land may propose the formation of…

The land proposed to be formed into a district need not consist of contiguous parcels. (Added by Stats. 1943, Ch. 372.)

“Land susceptible of irrigation” as used in section 20700 of this code includes land used for residential or business purposes susceptible of receiving water for domestic or agriculture purposes and if land of that character constitutes a majority in area of the land in the propo…

(a) Each director, except as otherwise provided in this division, shall be a voter and a landowner in the district and a resident of the division that he or she represents at the time of his or her nomination or appointment and through his or her entire term, except in the case o…

(a) This section applies to the Pixley Irrigation District. (b) Notwithstanding Section 21100, the board of directors of the district may adopt a resolution that authorizes a person who meets only the landownership requirement of Section 21100 to be a director of the district. (c…

(a) This section only applies to the Tulelake Irrigation District. For the purpose of this section, the following terms have the following meanings: (1) “Corporation” means any legal entity, public or private, properly organized under the laws of the state in which it was created…

(a) This section applies to the Hills Valley Irrigation District. (b) Notwithstanding Section 21100, the board of directors of the district may adopt a resolution that authorizes a person who meets only the landownership requirement of Section 21100 to be a director of the distri…

(a) This section applies to the Stratford Irrigation District. (b) Notwithstanding Section 21100, the board of directors of the district may adopt a resolution that authorizes a person who meets the landownership requirement of Section 21100 and resides in Kings County to be a di…

(a) This section applies to the Byron-Bethany Irrigation District. (b) (1) Notwithstanding Section 21100, the board of directors of the district may adopt a resolution that authorizes a person who meets the landownership requirement of Section 21100 and resides in the County of A…

The landownership requirements set forth in subdivision (a) of Section 21100 do not apply to the South Bay Irrigation District. (Added by Stats. 2009, Ch. 99, Sec. 1. (AB 348) Effective January 1, 2010.)

(a) This section only applies to the South Fork Irrigation District. For the purpose of this section, the following terms have the following meanings: (1) “Corporation” means any legal entity, public or private, properly organized under the laws of the state in which it was creat…

Notwithstanding Sections 10505 and 10554 of the Elections Code, elective officers, irrespective of the method of their selection, take office as soon as they qualify, except that officers elected at a general district election take office at noon on the first Friday in December n…

Prior to the first Friday in December next following the general district election each elective officer shall take and subscribe the official oath and file it in the office of the district and execute the bond required of him or her. (Amended by Stats. 1993, Ch. 1195, Sec. 26.1.…

The term of office of each elective officer subsequent to the officers elected at the formation election is four years or until his successor qualifies and takes office. (Amended by Stats. 1965, Ch. 2019.)

Each district shall contain five divisions unless otherwise provided by the more recent of: (a) The order on final hearing on the formation petition. (b) An order made pursuant to this article. (c) An order made pursuant to Article 2 of this chapter. (Added by Stats. 1943, Ch. 37…

Directors shall be elected by the division each represents unless otherwise provided by the more recent of: (a) The order on final hearing on the formation petition. (b) An order made pursuant to this article. (c) An order made pursuant to Article 2 of this chapter. (Added by Sta…

As provided in this article the number of divisions may be changed to three or five or the method of electing directors may be changed to election by the district at large or by divisions, or both changes may be made simultaneously. (Added by Stats. 1943, Ch. 372.)

(a) Notwithstanding Sections 21550, 21551 and 21552, the local agency formation commission, in approving either a consolidation of districts or the reorganization of two or more districts into a single irrigation district may, pursuant to subdivisions (k) and (n) of Section 56886…

The board shall order a change in the number of divisions or the method of electing directors, or both, or increase the number of directors from three to five in a district without divisions, if a petition therefor, signed by a majority of the holders of title to all of the land …

The board shall submit at a general district election or at a special election a proposal for a change in the number of divisions or the method of electing directors or both when either: (a) At least 120 days before the general district election a petition for the submission of a…

With regard to submitting a proposal at the general district election, the notices required by Section 12112 of the Elections Code shall contain a statement of the change or changes proposed to appear on the ballot. (Amended by Stats. 2006, Ch. 588, Sec. 20. Effective January 1, …

(a) Notice of a special election called pursuant to Section 21554 shall specify the purpose of the election and the day, hours, and polling places in each precinct for holding the election, and shall be posted in three public places in each election precinct in the district for a…

Each proposal shall be stated on the ballot, and the method of voting on it shall be as nearly as practicable in conformity with the provisions relating to bond elections. (Added by Stats. 1943, Ch. 372.)

If a proposal receives the approval of a majority of the voters voting on it in the district and also a majority of the voters voting on it in each of a majority of the divisions, the board shall order the change or changes in accordance with the proposal. (Added by Stats. 1943, …

If an order made pursuant to this article changes the method of electing directors, all directors thereafter elected in the district shall be elected as provided in the order. (Added by Stats. 1943, Ch. 372.)

If an order made pursuant to this article changes the number of divisions, the board shall forthwith redivide the district into the number of divisions specified in the order. (Added by Stats. 1943, Ch. 372.)

If an order made pursuant to this article changes the number of divisions, the terms of office of all directors shall expire at noon on the first Friday in December following the next general district election after the order, and the directors elected at that election shall be e…

Notwithstanding Sections 21550 and 21551, or any other provision of law to the contrary, directors of the Jackson Valley Irrigation District shall be nominated and elected at large. All vacancies in the offices of directors of the Jackson Valley Irrigation District shall be fille…

Notwithstanding Section 21550, if a district contains no divisions and the board consists of three members, without establishing divisions the district may increase the number of directors from three to five by following the procedure set forth in this article. (Added by Stats. 1…

(a) This section applies to the Alta Irrigation District. (b) Notwithstanding Section 21550, the board of directors of the district may adopt a resolution that increases the number of directors and the divisions from which they are elected from five to seven in accordance with th…

A district may do any act necessary to furnish sufficient water in the district for any beneficial use. (Added by Stats. 1943, Ch. 372.)

A district may do any act in order to put to any beneficial use any water under its control. (Added by Stats. 1943, Ch. 372.)

A district may deliver water for fire protection purposes. (Added by Stats. 1943, Ch. 372.)

A district may control, distribute, store, spread, sink, treat, purify, recapture and salvage any water including but not limited to sewage waters for the beneficial use or uses of the district or its inhabitants or the owners of rights to waters therein. (Added by Stats. 1953, C…

A district may impose a special tax pursuant to Article 3.5 (commencing with Section 50075) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 1 of Title 5 of the Government Code. The special taxes shall be applied uniformly to all taxpayers or all real property within the district, except that …

No district furnishing water for residential use to a tenant shall seek to recover any charges or penalties for the furnishing of water to or for the tenant’s residential use from any subsequent tenant on account of nonpayment of charges by a previous tenant. The district may, ho…