Title WAT, California Water Code

“Treasurer” means the treasurer of a district. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 391.)

“Holder of title” includes a holder of evidence of title and, also, a holder of land under a possessory right acquired by entry or purchase from the United States or the State of California. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 391.)

“Property,” except in Part 9, embraces all real and personal property, including water, water rights, works, franchises, concessions and rights. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 391.)

“Works” includes water works, conduits, reservoirs, storage sites, water sheds, machinery, wells, pumps, dams, storage tanks, tunnels, hydrants, meters, other appliances, and their appurtenances. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 391.)

“Conduit” includes canals, laterals, ditches, flumes, pipes, and their appurtenances. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 391.)

“Acquire” includes construct, purchase, lease, exchange, condemn, jointly acquire when joint acquisition is permitted, and contract to acquire. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 391.)

“Dispose” includes sell, contract to lease, contract to sell, and the making of any instrument necessary therefor. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 391.)

“Operate” includes use, maintain, and repair. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 391.)

“General election” is the election required to be held in districts in each odd-numbered year. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 391.)

“Special election” means any election other than a general election. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 391.)

“Acknowledged” means acknowledged and certified in the same form and manner as is required for recording of conveyances of real property. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 391.)

“Office county” means the county in which the office of the district is kept. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 391.)

“Other district” means any district or other public agency formed under any law of the state. (Amended by Stats. 1965, Ch. 756.)

“Principal county” means the county in which the greater portion of the land of a district is located. (Added by Stats. 1999, Ch. 779, Sec. 8. Effective October 10, 1999.)

“Board of supervisors” means the board of supervisors of the principal county. (Added by Stats. 1999, Ch. 779, Sec. 9. Effective October 10, 1999.)

The department shall determine the practicability, feasibility, and utility of the proposed project, and for that purpose may make all necessary studies, examinations, surveys, plans, and estimates of cost. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 391.)

The department, for the purposes of the determination, may employ all necessary assistants, or acquire and use any existing estimates, surveys, and reports. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 391.)

The total of all expenses incurred pursuant to this chapter shall not exceed a sum in dollars equal in amount to one-fourth the number of acres in the proposed district and is a part of the expense of the project. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 391.)

The department shall issue warrants to pay expenses incurred pursuant to this chapter, which warrants shall be considered and treated as warrants of the district and shall be payable out of the funds of the district when its formation has been completed. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch…

Provision may be made for payment of warrants issued pursuant to this article in any bond issue authorized for the purposes of the district. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 391.)

If the district is not organized, any warrants issued by the department shall be a charge upon the undertakings provided for in this part and shall thereupon become due and payable by the sureties on the undertakings, and the holders of the warrants shall have a cause of action a…

The department shall divide the State into watermaster service areas so constituted and adjusted as to insure the most practical and economical supervision of the distribution of water on the part of the State. (Enacted by Stats. 1943, Ch. 368.)

Service areas shall be created from time to time as rights to water are ascertained and determined. (Enacted by Stats. 1943, Ch. 368.)

The rights may be ascertained and determined by any or all of the following: (a) Under procedure provided for in this division; (b) Under procedure provided by law, other than this division; (c) By agreement in writing entered into by the respective claimants; (d) By permits and …

When rights are ascertained and determined by agreement, the agreement shall be recorded in the office of the county recorder of each county in which is situated any water rights involved, and in the office of the county recorder of each county in which is situated the land, or a…

When rights are ascertained and determined by court decree, certified copies of the decree shall be recorded as agreements are required to be recorded by Section 4028. (Added by Stats. 1943, Ch. 375.)

Upon the creation of a service area the department shall record in the office of the county recorder of each county in which a portion of the service area is situated a certified copy of the order creating the service area and a description by 40-acre subdivision or other smalles…

From time to time the department shall record supplemental or revised descriptions as the descriptions are changed. (Amended by Stats. 1959, Ch. 51.)

Service areas may be enlarged, reduced, consolidated, or abolished from time to time as convenience of administration may require. (Enacted by Stats. 1943, Ch. 368.)

A vacancy in the office of director shall be filled pursuant to Section 1780 of the Government Code. (Amended by Stats. 1975, Ch. 1059.)

The board shall establish a convenient number of election precincts in the district and define the boundaries thereof. At least one precinct must be established for each division of the district. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 391.)

The board may at any time, but not less than 60 days before an election to be held in the district, change the boundaries of any election precinct. The changes shall be entered upon the minutes of the board. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 391.)

The redivision order of the board shall be filed in the office of the secretary and a copy certified by the secretary shall be filed with the department. (Amended by Stats. 1992, Ch. 1020, Sec. 47. Effective January 1, 1993.)

The board shall at its next regular meeting establish a convenient number of election precincts in each of the new divisions. No precinct shall include any land situate in more than one of the divisions. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 391.)

The directors in office at the time new divisions are established shall continue in office for the divisions from which they were elected until the expiration of the terms for which they were elected, but their successors shall be elected from the new divisions. (Added by Stats. …

The board has all powers and authority necessary to enable it to fully perform the duties imposed upon it by this division. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 391.)

The board may enter into any agreement with the United States or with any state, county, district, public corporation, or municipality of any kind, for a purpose appertaining to or beneficial to the project of the district, and it may do any acts necessary or proper for the perfo…

The board may: (a) Adopt a seal. (b) Make and execute all necessary contracts. (c) Employ and appoint such agents, officers, and employees as may be required, and prescribe their duties. (d) Itself or by agents enter upon any lands to make surveys, locate works, or for any other …

The board may construct works across or intersecting any stream of water, watercourse, street, avenue, highway, railway, or conduit in such manner as to afford security for life and property. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 391.)

The board shall restore any property altered or damaged when so crossed or intersected to its former state as nearly as may be, or in a manner so as not to have impaired unnecessarily its usefulness. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 391.)

Every company whose railroad is intersected or crossed by the works shall unite with the board in forming intersections and crossings, and grant privileges necessary to construct the works. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 391.)

If any railroad company and the board, or the owners and controllers of the property to be crossed, cannot agree upon the amount to be paid for the privilege, or the points or the matter of the crossings or intersections, the same shall be ascertained and determined in all respec…

The right of way is hereby given, dedicated, and set apart for the location, construction, and maintenance of works over and through any land which is or may be the property of this State. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 391.)

All waters and water rights belonging to this State within the district are given, dedicated, and set apart for the uses and purposes of the district. (Added by Stats. 1951, Ch. 391.)

The department and board shall, respectively, cause to be entered in books to be kept for that purpose a complete and connected record of all their acts and transactions. All contracts and other written instruments shall be executed in duplicate, one copy of each of which, togeth…