Title WAT, California Water Code

Appointments shall be for terms of four years. Vacancies shall be immediately filled by the Governor for the unexpired portion of the terms in which they occur. (Repealed and added by Stats. 1957, Ch. 1932.)

The appointments made by the Governor to membership on the California Water Commission shall be subject to confirmation by the Senate at the next regular or special session of the Legislature and the refusal or failure of the Senate to confirm an appointment shall create a vacanc…

The members of the California Water Commission may be removed from office by the Legislature, by concurrent resolution adopted by a majority vote of all members elected to each house, for dereliction of duty or corruption or incompetency. (Amended by Stats. 1957, Ch. 1941.)

Each member of the California Water Commission shall receive one hundred dollars ($100) for each day during which the member is engaged in the performance of official duties, but shall not be compensated for more than 40 days in any one fiscal year, except that the chairperson of…

The California Water Commission shall maintain its headquarters at Sacramento and shall hold meetings at such times and at such places as shall be determined by it. All meetings of the commission shall be open and public. (Amended by Stats. 1957, Ch. 1941.)

Special meetings may be called at any time by the chairman or by the executive officer at the request of any four members, upon notice specifying the matters to be acted upon at such meeting, but no other matters shall be acted upon at special meetings which were not so noticed, …

The members of the California Water Commission shall select one of the members to serve as chairman, who shall hold office as chairman at the pleasure of the commission. (Amended by Stats. 1957, Ch. 1941.)

The California Water Commission shall confer with, advise, and make recommendations to the director with respect to any matters and subjects under his jurisdiction. The rulemaking power of the department shall be exercised in the following manner. All rules and regulations of the…

The California Water Commission shall have the power to name all facilities of the State Water Resources Development System owned by the state. The commission may receive testimony from the public on matters involving its responsibilities under this section, and, after public hea…

It is the intention of the Legislature that in the making of all major departmental determinations, policies and procedures, such as departmental recommendations to the Legislature, the director and the California Water Commission shall be in agreement whenever possible; but for …

The commission may employ an executive officer, exempt from civil service, under subdivision (e) of Section 4 of Article XXIV of the Constitution, and a staff engineer from the staff of the department who shall be responsible to the commission. The commission may also employ such…

The department shall furnish to the California Water Commission, at its request, such assistance, including technical, legal, and clerical services, as is required to the extent funds are made available therefor. (Amended by Stats. 1968, Ch. 1041.)

The commission may hold any hearings and conduct any investigations in any part of the state necessary to carry out the powers vested in it, and for such purposes has the powers conferred upon heads of departments of the state by Article 2 (commencing with Section 11180), Chapter…

The California Water Commission shall conduct an annual review of the progress of construction and operation of the State Water Resources Development System, and shall make a report on its findings to the department and to the Legislature, together with whatever recommendations i…

The California Water Commission shall hold public hearings on all additional facilities proposed to be added to the State Water Resources Development System by the department pursuant to the authority granted by Sections 12931 and 12938. (Added by Stats. 1967, Ch. 180.)

On or before the day on which the petition is presented to the board of supervisors, a copy of the petition shall be filed in the office of the department. (Amended by Stats. 1957, Ch. 1932.)

Upon the adoption of the preliminary formation resolution the board of supervisors shall send a copy of the resolution to the department. (Added by Stats. 1943, Ch. 372.)

Upon receiving a copy of the resolution, the department shall make such preliminary investigation as may be practicable to determine the feasibility of the proposed project. (Added by Stats. 1943, Ch. 372.)

The department shall report in writing to the board of supervisors as soon as practicable, but at all events within 90 days from the date of the adoption of the preliminary formation resolution, except that upon receiving a written request from the department the board of supervi…

If the department reports within the specified time that the supply of water available for the use of the proposed district or that may be acquired by any practicable means, including the condemnation of existing rights, is not sufficient or that the project is not feasible for a…

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in any district where there are not more than 15 voters at such time as the publication of notice of a general district election, no such general district election shall be held, and all offices shall be filled by appointment pursuant t…

All water distributed by districts for irrigation purposes shall except when otherwise provided in this article be apportioned ratably to each landowner upon the basis of the ratio which the last assessment against his land for district purposes bears to the whole sum assessed in…

Any landowner may assign for use within the district his right to the whole or any portion of the water apportioned to him pursuant to Section 22250. (Added by Stats. 1943, Ch. 372.)

When any charges for the use of water are fixed by a district the water for the use of which the charges have been fixed shall be distributed equitably as determined by the board among those offering to make the required payment. (Added by Stats. 1943, Ch. 372.)

The board by the unanimous vote of all of the directors may specify a date prior to which applications for water for the ensuing irrigation season are to be received for all crops or for annual crops and new plantings and may require a cash deposit not to exceed the water charge …

The action of a board in fixing or changing any such date shall be ineffective until notice thereof is given by publication once a week for two successive weeks in a newspaper published in the district, or if no newspaper is published in the district, then in a newspaper publishe…

In any year in which the board determines that the water supplies of the district will be inadequate to provide water in a quantity furnished in years of average precipitation, the board may specify a date prior to which applications for water for the ensuing irrigation season ar…

When a mutual water company has been formed to furnish water to certain specified land within a district, the district may contract for the delivery of water for the specified land through the mutual water company only. (Added by Stats. 1943, Ch. 372.)

If a district has contracted to deliver and is delivering water to a mutual water company for distribution to territory served by the latter, the water shall be apportioned on a basis found by the board to be equitable and for the best interests of all persons concerned. (Added b…

When its board deems it in the best interests of the district, the district may regulate the amount of water to be used to irrigate crops within the district when seepage from the irrigation would damage adjacent land inside or outside of the district or may require as a conditio…

A district may refuse to furnish water to any land to which it holds title by virtue of collector’s deeds to the district or to any or all land on which the district has an outstanding unredeemed certificate of sale for the nonpayment of a district assessment. (Amended by Stats. …

Each district shall establish equitable rules for the distribution and use of water, which shall be printed in convenient form for distribution in the district. A district may refuse to deliver water through a ditch which is not clean or not in suitable condition to prevent waste…

A district required by law or provisions of agreements under which all or part of the water supply of the district was acquired to furnish water outside its boundaries to consumers whose rights to service were at the time the supply of water was acquired by the district enforceab…

If its board deems it to be for the best interests of the district, a district may enter into a contract for the lease or sale of any surplus water or use of surplus water not then necessary for use within the district, for use either within or without the district. (Added by Sta…

Nothing in this article authorizes the sale of any water right. (Added by Stats. 1943, Ch. 372.)

No right in any water or water right owned by the district shall be acquired by use permitted under this article. (Added by Stats. 1943, Ch. 372.)

Nothing contained in this division authorizes any person to divert the water of any stream or conduit from its channel to the detriment of any person having any interest in the stream, conduit, or the water therein, unless previous compensation be ascertained and paid. (Added by …

Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 116275) of Part 12 of Division 104 of the Health and Safety Code shall not apply to districts except in specific areas concerning which the State Department of Health Services gives written notice to the district. In areas where the service rend…

Districts may cooperate and contract with the United States under the Federal Reclamation Act of June 17, 1902, and all acts amendatory thereof or supplementary thereto or any other act of Congress heretofore or hereafter enacted permitting cooperation. (Added by Stats. 1943, Ch.…

The co-operation and contract may be for any or all of the following purposes: (a) Acquisition, extension, or operation of works for irrigation or drainage or development and distribution of electric power or any or all of these purposes. (b) A water supply. (c) Assumption as pri…

In a contract made pursuant to Section 23196 a district may include provision for either or both of the following: (a) Delivery and distribution of water for the land in the district under the relevant acts of Congress and the rules and regulations established thereunder. (b) Con…

When a contract has been made with the United States, if so provided by the contract and authorized pursuant to this chapter, bonds of the district may be transferred to or deposited with the United States, at not less than 95 percent of their par value, to the amount or any part…

The contract with the United States may likewise call for the payment of the amount or any part thereof to be paid by the district to the United States, at the times, in the installments, and with interest charges not exceeding 8 percent per year, all as may be agreed upon, and f…

All water, the right to the use of which is acquired by a district under any contract with the United States shall be distributed and apportioned by the district in accordance with the applicable acts of Congress, the rules and regulations of the Secretary of the Interior thereun…

A district may pursuant to the contract sell or lease water for private land, to entrymen, or to municipalities, in the neighborhood of the district. (Added by Stats. 1943, Ch. 372.)

When a contract pursuant to this chapter has been entered into between the United States and any district, the district shall not be dissolved, nor shall its boundaries be changed, except upon written consent of the Secretary of the Interior filed with the official records of the…