California Department of Water Resources
Encyclopedia
The California Department of Water Resources (DWR), is a department within the California Natural Resources Agency. The Department of Water Resources is responsible for the State of California's management and regulation of water
usage. The department was created in 1956 by Governor Goodwin Knight
following severe flooding across Northern California
in 1955, combining the Division of Water Resources of the Department of Public Works with the State Engineer's Office, the Water Project Authority, and the State Water Resources Board. It has its headquarters in Sacramento
.
recognizes many types of water rights. These rights have developed with the State over time. Prior to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
, signed in 1848, California was part of Mexico. Riparian rights were the most prevalent type of water right. Under riparian rights, which have their origins in Roman law, a landowner can use water flowing by his property for use on his property. However, the Mexican Government also provided for agricultural pueblos, by granting water on the public domain for these pueblos. When California became part of the United States
, the United States agreed to recognize existing law. Pueblo rights were the only vested water rights at the time. Pueblo rights provided that Spanish and Mexican Pueblos were entitled to the paramount beneficial use of all needed naturally occurring water from the entire watershed of a stream flowing through the pueblo.
When gold was discovered in 1848, immigrants from all over the world came to California. During the California Gold Rush
, gold miners, who were not generally land owners, would divert large quantities of water from rivers and streams for hydraulic mining
. Local custom dictated how water was shared in mining camps, but in general, the miners followed the same practice in allocating water as they did in staking their mineral claims. In its earliest form, an appropriative water right was created simply by taking water and putting it to beneficial use. However, to "state a claim" miners would often post a notice to others that they were taking and using water. Soon after California became a U.S. state
in 1850, the first session of the California State Legislature
immediately adopted laws to deal with the State's water. This included the adoption of the English common law system, which also included the doctrine of riparian rights, although this system was better suited to the water rich eastern United States
. Shortly thereafter, the California courts recognized appropriative water rights.
Because of these plural systems of water allocation, disputes soon ensued; these differences were resolved by the state courts. In 1872, the Legislature adopted a procedure in the Civil Code to provide a method for those claiming an appropriative water right to record their claims with the County Recorder of each county. In 1886, the courts addressed competing claims between "riparians and appropriators in the case of "Lux v. Haggin." However, within 25 years, excessive claims to water rights threatened to affect economic development in the State. In response, the Governor formed a Water Commission to make recommendations regarding California's water law. In 1913, the California voters adopted by referendum the Water Commission Act, which created the state Water Commission and set forth an administrative procedure for acquiring an appropriative right.
In 1926, the courts held that a riparian water user was entitled to the full flow of a stream, without regard to the reasonableness of the use. In response, in 1928, the California Constitution
was amended to require that all water use in California be reasonable and beneficial. (Article X, Section 2).
of the Office of State Engineer conducted a series of investigations in California's Central Valley and drafted a series of plans calling for various publicly funded and owned irrigation projects. Hall's study was accomplished on a budget of $100,000.http://www.usbr.gov/history/cvpintro.htm. The Central Valley continued to grow in the absence of a state-run project, yet Central Valley land owners and coastal cities (including San Francisco) managed to acquire water rights in the Sierra Nevada mountain range for use in the valley.
s in the state. Appropriative water rights were processed by the Division of Water Rights, originally under the State Engineer, and subsequently under the Department of Water Resources, the State Water Rights Board, and finally, the State Water Resources Control Board.
In 1919, Col. Robert B. Marshall, Chief Surveyor for the U.S. Geological Survey, purposed a plan for the federal government to build a series of diversion dams, and two grand canals along the sides of the Sacramento
and San Joaquin Valley
s, consequently irrigating California's Central Valley. Though national interest in Marshall's plan was limited, there was an interest in California for pursuing the proposed project.
and Governor Sunny Rolphy approved the construction of the Central Valley Project
, with initial plans to build a 420 foot dam at Kennett. This would provide regular flows out to the San Francisco Estuary, reducing salinity intrusion into the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Unable to finance the construction of Kennett Dam
, the state applied to the Federal government for aid. After the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Rivers and Harbors reviewed the state plans, Congress enacted the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1935, giving the U.S. federal government control over the Central Valley Project
(CVP).
, Chairman of the California Assembly Government Organization Committee, held a series of state-wide hearings in 1954 and 1955 focused on creating a State Water Project that could supply the growing municipal and agricultural demands of the state. On July 5, 1956 in a special session of the California Assembly, Governor Goodwin J. Knight
signed Weinberger's bill to combine the then Division of Water Resources of the Department of Public Works with the State Engineer's Office, the Water Project Authority, and the State Water Resources Board into a new department: the Department of Water Resources. Consulting engineer Harvey O. Banks
was appointed by Governor Knight as the Department's first Director and given the task of developing a plan for the proposed State Water Project.
In 1959, the Legislature enacted the Burns-Porter Act which authorized $1.75 billion for the construction of the proposed State Water Project. The Burns-Porter Act was approved by California voters in 1960 and in the same year the Whale Rock Dam, DWR's first major water project located near San Luis Obispo, was completed.
In 1961, William Warne was appointed Director of the Department and oversaw the construction of a key facility in the operation of the State Water Project: Oroville Dam. DWR and the United States Bureau of Reclamation
also signed an agreement to design a joint reservoir in San Luis. Because water from the Oroville
and Shasta
dams (from the existing Central Valley Project) would be moved down the existing Sacramento River
channel into the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, excess flows would roll through the Delta and then be stored in the Central Valley until needed. Construction of the Harvey O. Banks Pumping Plant, located near Tracy, California
, also began in 1963.
and State Legislature. Flood control and local assistance programs often have a basis in DWR's role as a resource trustee, while water supply, environmental mitigation
, and electricity generation are often related to DWR's role as a water permittee.
the impacts of the operation of the State Water Project.
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
usage. The department was created in 1956 by Governor Goodwin Knight
Goodwin Knight
Goodwin Jess Knight , known as "Goodie Knight", was a U.S. politician who was the 31st Governor of California from 1953 until 1959.-Early life:...
following severe flooding across Northern California
Northern California
Northern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The San Francisco Bay Area , and Sacramento as well as its metropolitan area are the main population centers...
in 1955, combining the Division of Water Resources of the Department of Public Works with the State Engineer's Office, the Water Project Authority, and the State Water Resources Board. It has its headquarters in Sacramento
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...
.
1850-1875
CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
recognizes many types of water rights. These rights have developed with the State over time. Prior to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is the peace treaty, largely dictated by the United States to the interim government of a militarily occupied Mexico City, that ended the Mexican-American War on February 2, 1848...
, signed in 1848, California was part of Mexico. Riparian rights were the most prevalent type of water right. Under riparian rights, which have their origins in Roman law, a landowner can use water flowing by his property for use on his property. However, the Mexican Government also provided for agricultural pueblos, by granting water on the public domain for these pueblos. When California became part of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the United States agreed to recognize existing law. Pueblo rights were the only vested water rights at the time. Pueblo rights provided that Spanish and Mexican Pueblos were entitled to the paramount beneficial use of all needed naturally occurring water from the entire watershed of a stream flowing through the pueblo.
When gold was discovered in 1848, immigrants from all over the world came to California. During the California Gold Rush
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
, gold miners, who were not generally land owners, would divert large quantities of water from rivers and streams for hydraulic mining
Hydraulic mining
Hydraulic mining, or hydraulicking, is a form of mining that uses high-pressure jets of water to dislodge rock material or move sediment. In the placer mining of gold or tin, the resulting water-sediment slurry is directed through sluice boxes to remove the gold.-Precursor - ground...
. Local custom dictated how water was shared in mining camps, but in general, the miners followed the same practice in allocating water as they did in staking their mineral claims. In its earliest form, an appropriative water right was created simply by taking water and putting it to beneficial use. However, to "state a claim" miners would often post a notice to others that they were taking and using water. Soon after California became a U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
in 1850, the first session of the California State Legislature
California State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
immediately adopted laws to deal with the State's water. This included the adoption of the English common law system, which also included the doctrine of riparian rights, although this system was better suited to the water rich eastern United States
Eastern United States
The Eastern United States, the American East, or simply the East is traditionally defined as the states east of the Mississippi River. The first two tiers of states west of the Mississippi have traditionally been considered part of the West, but can be included in the East today; usually in...
. Shortly thereafter, the California courts recognized appropriative water rights.
Because of these plural systems of water allocation, disputes soon ensued; these differences were resolved by the state courts. In 1872, the Legislature adopted a procedure in the Civil Code to provide a method for those claiming an appropriative water right to record their claims with the County Recorder of each county. In 1886, the courts addressed competing claims between "riparians and appropriators in the case of "Lux v. Haggin." However, within 25 years, excessive claims to water rights threatened to affect economic development in the State. In response, the Governor formed a Water Commission to make recommendations regarding California's water law. In 1913, the California voters adopted by referendum the Water Commission Act, which created the state Water Commission and set forth an administrative procedure for acquiring an appropriative right.
In 1926, the courts held that a riparian water user was entitled to the full flow of a stream, without regard to the reasonableness of the use. In response, in 1928, the California Constitution
California Constitution
The document that establishes and describes the duties, powers, structure and function of the government of the U.S. state of California. The original constitution, adopted in November 1849 in advance of California attaining U.S. statehood in 1850, was superseded by the current constitution, which...
was amended to require that all water use in California be reasonable and beneficial. (Article X, Section 2).
1875-1900
In 1878, William Hammond HallWilliam Hammond Hall
William Hammond Hall was a civil engineer who was the first State Engineer of California, and designed Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, CA.After serving with the U.S...
of the Office of State Engineer conducted a series of investigations in California's Central Valley and drafted a series of plans calling for various publicly funded and owned irrigation projects. Hall's study was accomplished on a budget of $100,000.http://www.usbr.gov/history/cvpintro.htm. The Central Valley continued to grow in the absence of a state-run project, yet Central Valley land owners and coastal cities (including San Francisco) managed to acquire water rights in the Sierra Nevada mountain range for use in the valley.
1900-1925
In response to growing political and legal contests for limited water resources, the Water Commission Act of 1913 established the Water Commission to oversee permits associated with the rights to use surface water. The Water Commission Act became effective on December 19, 1914. Landowners or water users that had established water usage prior to 1914 became senior water rights users in many of the more accessible watershedDrainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
s in the state. Appropriative water rights were processed by the Division of Water Rights, originally under the State Engineer, and subsequently under the Department of Water Resources, the State Water Rights Board, and finally, the State Water Resources Control Board.
In 1919, Col. Robert B. Marshall, Chief Surveyor for the U.S. Geological Survey, purposed a plan for the federal government to build a series of diversion dams, and two grand canals along the sides of the Sacramento
Sacramento Valley
The Sacramento Valley is the portion of the California Central Valley that lies to the north of the San Joaquin-Sacramento Delta in the U.S. state of California. It encompasses all or parts of ten counties.-Geography:...
and San Joaquin Valley
San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
s, consequently irrigating California's Central Valley. Though national interest in Marshall's plan was limited, there was an interest in California for pursuing the proposed project.
1925-1950
In 1927, the California State Legislature passed a law authorizing the Department of Finance to file applications with the Division of Water Rights to reserve any unappropriated surface water for future development. A number of claims were filed on July 30, 1927. The Department subsequently acquired water rights permits that resulted from some of these filings. In 1933, the California State LegislatureCalifornia State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
and Governor Sunny Rolphy approved the construction of the Central Valley Project
Central Valley Project
The Central Valley Project is a Bureau of Reclamation federal water project in the U.S. state of California. It was devised in 1933 in order to provide irrigation and municipal water to much of California's Central Valley—by regulating and storing water in reservoirs in the water-rich northern...
, with initial plans to build a 420 foot dam at Kennett. This would provide regular flows out to the San Francisco Estuary, reducing salinity intrusion into the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Unable to finance the construction of Kennett Dam
Shasta Dam
Shasta Dam is an arch dam across the Sacramento River in the northern part of the U.S. state of California, at the north end of the Sacramento Valley. The dam mainly serves long-term water storage and flood control in its reservoir, Shasta Lake, and also generates hydroelectric power...
, the state applied to the Federal government for aid. After the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Rivers and Harbors reviewed the state plans, Congress enacted the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1935, giving the U.S. federal government control over the Central Valley Project
Central Valley Project
The Central Valley Project is a Bureau of Reclamation federal water project in the U.S. state of California. It was devised in 1933 in order to provide irrigation and municipal water to much of California's Central Valley—by regulating and storing water in reservoirs in the water-rich northern...
(CVP).
1950-1975
In the mid-1950s, California was experiencing substantial growth. San Francisco's Caspar W. WeinbergerCaspar Weinberger
Caspar Willard "Cap" Weinberger , was an American politician, vice president and general counsel of Bechtel Corporation, and Secretary of Defense under President Ronald Reagan from January 21, 1981, until November 23, 1987, making him the third longest-serving defense secretary to date, after...
, Chairman of the California Assembly Government Organization Committee, held a series of state-wide hearings in 1954 and 1955 focused on creating a State Water Project that could supply the growing municipal and agricultural demands of the state. On July 5, 1956 in a special session of the California Assembly, Governor Goodwin J. Knight
Goodwin Knight
Goodwin Jess Knight , known as "Goodie Knight", was a U.S. politician who was the 31st Governor of California from 1953 until 1959.-Early life:...
signed Weinberger's bill to combine the then Division of Water Resources of the Department of Public Works with the State Engineer's Office, the Water Project Authority, and the State Water Resources Board into a new department: the Department of Water Resources. Consulting engineer Harvey O. Banks
Harvey Oren Banks
Harvey Oren Banks was an American civil engineer who was appointed State Engineer of California in 1955 and the first Director of the California Department of Water Resources in 1956. Under his direction, DWR completed its first California Water Plan and initiated the first stage of planning of...
was appointed by Governor Knight as the Department's first Director and given the task of developing a plan for the proposed State Water Project.
In 1959, the Legislature enacted the Burns-Porter Act which authorized $1.75 billion for the construction of the proposed State Water Project. The Burns-Porter Act was approved by California voters in 1960 and in the same year the Whale Rock Dam, DWR's first major water project located near San Luis Obispo, was completed.
In 1961, William Warne was appointed Director of the Department and oversaw the construction of a key facility in the operation of the State Water Project: Oroville Dam. DWR and the United States Bureau of Reclamation
United States Bureau of Reclamation
The United States Bureau of Reclamation , and formerly the United States Reclamation Service , is an agency under the U.S...
also signed an agreement to design a joint reservoir in San Luis. Because water from the Oroville
Oroville Dam
Oroville Dam spans the Feather River about northeast of the city of Oroville, California. It forms Lake Oroville, which stores water for irrigation, flood control, municipal water supply and hydroelectricity generation in California's Sacramento Valley. The dam lies in the foothills of the Sierra...
and Shasta
Shasta Dam
Shasta Dam is an arch dam across the Sacramento River in the northern part of the U.S. state of California, at the north end of the Sacramento Valley. The dam mainly serves long-term water storage and flood control in its reservoir, Shasta Lake, and also generates hydroelectric power...
dams (from the existing Central Valley Project) would be moved down the existing Sacramento River
Sacramento River
The Sacramento River is an important watercourse of Northern and Central California in the United States. The largest river in California, it rises on the eastern slopes of the Klamath Mountains, and after a journey south of over , empties into Suisun Bay, an arm of the San Francisco Bay, and...
channel into the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, excess flows would roll through the Delta and then be stored in the Central Valley until needed. Construction of the Harvey O. Banks Pumping Plant, located near Tracy, California
Tracy, California
Tracy is the second most populated city in San Joaquin County, California, United States and an exurb of the San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 82,922 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, also began in 1963.
DWR Timeline
| Year | Event(s) |
|---|---|
| 1850 |
|
| 1878 |
Civil engineer A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a... William Hammond Hall William Hammond Hall William Hammond Hall was a civil engineer who was the first State Engineer of California, and designed Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, CA.After serving with the U.S... |
| 1887 |
Wright Act of 1887 The Wright Act of 1887 is a state law of California passed by the legislature on March 7, 1887, that permitted farming regions to form and bond irrigation districts which allowed small farm owners to band together, pool resources, and get water to where it was needed... which enables citizens to create local irrigation districts |
| 1919 |
San Joaquin Valley The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton... and Southern California Southern California Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego... |
| 1929 |
St. Francis Dam The St. Francis Dam was a concrete gravity-arch dam, designed to create a reservoir as a storage point of the Los Angeles Aqueduct. It was located 40 miles northwest of Los Angeles, California, near the present city of Santa Clarita.... disaster, California Legislature creates a dam safety program |
| 1933 |
Central Valley Project The Central Valley Project is a Bureau of Reclamation federal water project in the U.S. state of California. It was devised in 1933 in order to provide irrigation and municipal water to much of California's Central Valley—by regulating and storing water in reservoirs in the water-rich northern... (CVP), but due to dwingling state coffers from the Great Depression Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s... , funding was not enough for the state government to build the project, thus the CVP was turned over to the U.S. federal government |
| 1951 |
|
| 1955 |
|
| 1956 |
Goodwin Knight Goodwin Jess Knight , known as "Goodie Knight", was a U.S. politician who was the 31st Governor of California from 1953 until 1959.-Early life:... calls a special session of the Legislature to create a Department of Water Resources |
| 1957 |
Oroville, California Oroville is the county seat of Butte County, California. The population was 15,506 at the 2010 census, up from 13,004 at the 2000 census... for construction of a dam on the Feather River Feather River The Feather River is the principal tributary of the Sacramento River, in the Sacramento Valley of Northern California. The river's main stem is about long. Its length to its most distant headwater tributary is about . Its drainage basin is about... |
| 1959 |
|
| 1960 |
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is the largest supplier of treated water in the US. The name is usually shortened to the "Metropolitan Water District" or simply "MWD". It is a cooperative of 14 cities and 12 municipal water districts that indirectly provides water to 18... signs up as first contractor for SWP water |
| 1961 |
|
| 1962 |
Oroville Dam Oroville Dam spans the Feather River about northeast of the city of Oroville, California. It forms Lake Oroville, which stores water for irrigation, flood control, municipal water supply and hydroelectricity generation in California's Sacramento Valley. The dam lies in the foothills of the Sierra... |
| 1963 |
|
| 1964 |
|
| 1965 |
|
| 1966 |
Dos Amigos Pumping Plant Dos Amigos Pumping Plant is located 10 miles south of Los Banos, California, on Interstate 5. The plant is the second pumping plant for the California Aqueduct and the South Bay Aqueduct... is completed |
| 1967 |
Oroville Dam Oroville Dam spans the Feather River about northeast of the city of Oroville, California. It forms Lake Oroville, which stores water for irrigation, flood control, municipal water supply and hydroelectricity generation in California's Sacramento Valley. The dam lies in the foothills of the Sierra... is completed |
| 1968 |
North Bay Aqueduct North Bay Aqueduct is part of the California State Water Project. The aqueduct is long all in pipelines and serves Napa and Solano counties, California.... & Napa Turnout Reservoir are completed Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor.... dedicates Lake Oroville and Oroville Dam, initiating beginning of operations of the SWP |
| 1969 |
South Bay Pumping Plant The South Bay Pumping Plant is located 4 miles southwest of the Clifton Court Forebay and 10.3 miles northeast of Livermore, CA. The plant is the only main line pumping plant for the 42.9 mile long South Bay Aqueduct... is completed Banks Pumping Plant The Harvey O. Banks Pumping Plant is located 2.5 miles southwest of the Clifton Court Forebay and 11.5 miles northeast of Livermore, CA. The plant is the first pumping plant for the California Aqueduct and the South Bay Aqueduct... is completed (4 additional pumps are added in 1986) |
| 1970 |
|
| 1971 |
|
| 1972 |
Clean Water Act The Clean Water Act is the primary federal law in the United States governing water pollution. Commonly abbreviated as the CWA, the act established the goals of eliminating releases of high amounts of toxic substances into water, eliminating additional water pollution by 1985, and ensuring that... is enacted by both houses of the U.S. Congress |
| 1973 |
Pyramid Dam Pyramid Dam is a dam in the West Branch of the California Aqueduct. Its reservoir, Pyramid Lake, stores water for Ventura County and Los Angeles County. The dam and lake are located in northern Los Angeles County, north of Castaic and south of Gorman... and Castaic Power Plant Castaic Power Plant Castaic Power Plant is a seven unit pumped-storage hydroelectric plant, operated by LADWP, which provides peak load power from the falling water on the West Branch of the California State Aqueduct... are completed |
| 1974 |
Castaic Dam Castaic Dam is a dam near the city of Castaic, California. It is an earth-fill dam, though its surfaces are covered with boulders and cobble-sized rocks to prevent erosion. Although located on Castaic Creek and forming Castaic Lake, Castaic Creek provides little of its water. The lake is the... is completed |
| 1975 |
|
| 1982 |
California Aqueduct The Governor Edmund G. Brown California Aqueduct is a system of canals, tunnels, and pipelines that conveys water collected from the Sierra Nevada Mountains and valleys of Northern- and Central California to Southern California. The Department of Water Resources operates and maintains the... West Branch completed |
| 1983 |
|
| 2007 |
California State Water Project The California State Water Project, commonly known as the SWP , is the world's largest publicly built and operated water and power development and conveyance system. The SWP was designed and is operated by the California Department of Water Resources... pumps per the California Environmental Quality Act California Environmental Quality Act The California Environmental Quality Act is a California statute passed in 1970, shortly after the United States federal government passed the National Environmental Policy Act , to institute a statewide policy of environmental protection... . |
Legal and Political Authorization
Though DWR was formed in 1956 with the purpose to build and operate the State Water Project, as a State organization responsible for the development and protection of water resources, the Department has since been subject to numerous legislative, judicial, and administrative orders that dictate how the Department should protect the public trust. Like any other water user, DWR must apply for water rights permits from the State Water Resources Control Board. The water rights decisions of the Control Board limit the amount of water that the Department can provide to communities and also are responsible for many of the legal, administrative, and environmental projects that the Department has adopted. Unlike most other users, the Department also must answer to the Governor's OfficeGovernor of California
The Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced...
and State Legislature. Flood control and local assistance programs often have a basis in DWR's role as a resource trustee, while water supply, environmental mitigation
Environmental mitigation
Environmental mitigation, compensatory mitigation, or mitigation banking, are terms used primarily by the United States government and the related environmental industry to describe projects or programs intended to offset known impacts to an existing historic or natural resource such as a stream,...
, and electricity generation are often related to DWR's role as a water permittee.
Conveyence and Storage Facilities
- Oroville DamOroville DamOroville Dam spans the Feather River about northeast of the city of Oroville, California. It forms Lake Oroville, which stores water for irrigation, flood control, municipal water supply and hydroelectricity generation in California's Sacramento Valley. The dam lies in the foothills of the Sierra...
(1967) - North Bay AqueductNorth Bay AqueductNorth Bay Aqueduct is part of the California State Water Project. The aqueduct is long all in pipelines and serves Napa and Solano counties, California....
- Clifton Court Forebay
- Harvey O. Banks Pumping PlantBanks Pumping PlantThe Harvey O. Banks Pumping Plant is located 2.5 miles southwest of the Clifton Court Forebay and 11.5 miles northeast of Livermore, CA. The plant is the first pumping plant for the California Aqueduct and the South Bay Aqueduct...
(1968) - South Bay AqueductSouth Bay AqueductThe South Bay Aqueduct is an aqueduct located in the eastern part of the San Francisco Bay Area. It conveys water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta through over forty miles of pipelines and canals. It begins in north-eastern Alameda County on the California Aqueduct's Bethany Reservoir serving...
- California AqueductCalifornia AqueductThe Governor Edmund G. Brown California Aqueduct is a system of canals, tunnels, and pipelines that conveys water collected from the Sierra Nevada Mountains and valleys of Northern- and Central California to Southern California. The Department of Water Resources operates and maintains the...
- West Branch
- East Branch
- Coastal Branch
- O'Neill ForebayO'Neill ForebayO'Neill Forebay is a forebay to the San Luis Reservoir created by the construction of O'Neill Dam across San Luis Creek approximately west of Los Banos, California, on the eastern slopes of the Pacific Coast Ranges of Merced County.-Background:...
- San Luis ReservoirSan Luis ReservoirThe San Luis Reservoir is an off-stream artificial lake in the eastern slopes of the Diablo Range of Merced County, California, approximately west of Los Banos on State Route 152, which crosses Pacheco Pass and runs along its north shore. The reservoir stores water taken from the San...
(1967) - Whale Rock Dam (1960)
- Edmonston Pumping PlantEdmonston Pumping PlantEdmonston Pumping Plant is a pumping station near the south end of the California Aqueduct. It raises the water 1,926 feet to cross the Tehachapi Mountains...
(1971) - Silverwood LakeSilverwood LakeSilverwood Lake is a large reservoir in San Bernardino County, California, United States, located on the west fork of the Mojave River in the San Bernardino Mountains...
- Lake PerrisLake PerrisLake Perris is an artificial lake completed in 1973. It is the southern terminus of the California State Water Project situated in a mountain-rimmed valley between Moreno Valley, and city of Perris in what is now the Lake Perris State Recreation Area. The park offers a variety of recreational...
Flood Control Projects
- Sutter Bypass
- Tisdale Weir
- Tisdale Bypass
- Sacramento Weir
- Yolo BypassYolo BypassThe Yolo Bypass is one of two flood bypasses in the Sacramento Valley located in Yolo and Solano Counties. It protects Sacramento and other riverside communities from flooding through a system of weirs...
Mitigation / Restoration Projects
The following is a list of projects that DWR oversees or contributes to that are designed to mitigateEnvironmental mitigation
Environmental mitigation, compensatory mitigation, or mitigation banking, are terms used primarily by the United States government and the related environmental industry to describe projects or programs intended to offset known impacts to an existing historic or natural resource such as a stream,...
the impacts of the operation of the State Water Project.
- Feather River Salmon and Steelhead Hatchery (1967)
- Thermalito Afterbay (1968)
- Yolo Bypass Wildlife Recreation Area
- Suisun Marsh
- Skinner Fish Facility
- South Delta Improvements Program http://sdip.water.ca.gov/documents/SDIP_brochure.pdf
- South Delta Temporary Barriers Program
List of DWR Directors
| Director | Term | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Harvey Oren Banks Harvey Oren Banks Harvey Oren Banks was an American civil engineer who was appointed State Engineer of California in 1955 and the first Director of the California Department of Water Resources in 1956. Under his direction, DWR completed its first California Water Plan and initiated the first stage of planning of... |
July 5, 1956–December 12, 1960 | |
| William E. Warne | January 1, 1961–December 30, 1966 | |
| Wiliam R. Gianelli | January 1, 1967–April 31, 1973 | |
| John R. Terrink | September 1, 1973–March 3, 1975 | |
| Ronald B. Robie | March 6, 1975–December 31, 1982 | |
| Howard Eastin | January 3, 1983–June 21, 1983 | Interim Director |
| David N. Kennedy | June 22, 1983–December 31, 1998 | |
| Thomas M. Hannigan Thomas M. Hannigan Thomas M. Hannigan served in the California State Assembly from 1978 until he was termed out in 1996. From 1986 through 1995 he was the Majority Floor Leader in the Assembly. He was a Democrat from Solano County. Throughout his political career, Hannigan was a strong supporter of legislation... |
March 1, 1999–June 1, 2003 | |
| Michael J. Spear | June 9, 2003–November 16, 2003 | Interim Director |
| Linda S. Adams | November 17, 2003–February 23, 2004 | |
| Lester A. Snow | February 24, 2004–January 31, 2010 | |
| Mark Cowin | February 1, 2010–Present |