Temporary Alternative Flow Proposal Approved for Shasta River, Alternative Flows Start Today
The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) is temporarily amending Addendum 4: Reinstatement of Conditional Curtailments for Most Junior Water Rights in the Shasta River Watershed, to authorize alternative flows recommended by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), pursuant to Section 875(c)(2)(D) of the Emergency Regulation. The temporary amendment begins today, August 20, 2025 (Day 1 of the adjusted schedule).
CDFW submitted a letter to the State Water Board requesting implementation of alternative flows over a 15-day period in the second half of August. The proposal includes a range of flows from 40 to 60 cubic feet per second (cfs) as noted in Table 1 below with Day 1 starting today.
Table 1. Alternative flows for the Shasta River.*
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Day 1
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Day 2
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Day 3
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Day 4
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Day 5
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Day 6
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Day 7
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Day 8
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Day 9
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Day 10
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Day 11
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Day 12
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Day 13
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Day 14
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45 cfs/ 40 cfs*
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40 cfs
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40 cfs
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40 cfs
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40 cfs
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45 cfs/ 50 cfs*
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50 cfs/ 55 cfs*
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55 cfs/ 60 cfs*
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60 cfs
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60 cfs
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60 cfs
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60 cfs
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60 cfs
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55 cfs/ 50 cfs*
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* Days with two flows indicate a day of ramping between the two flows indicated. Every attempt shall be made to ramp the applicable flow down in 5 cfs increments over 12 hours per the change in flow.
This temporary amendment expires at the end of the day on September 2, 2025 (or earlier if CDFW notifies the State Water Board that the alternative flows should be suspended due to negative impacts of reduced flow). The flow requirements in the Emergency Regulation shall resume upon expiration of this temporary amendment.
STAY INFORMED
To stay informed on future updates related to the ongoing Emergency Regulation effort in the Scott River and Shasta River watersheds, please:
- Monitor your email if you have subscribed to the “Scott-Shasta Drought & Flow Efforts” email list (you can subscribe to the Scott-Shasta Flows email list at GovDelivery under “Water Rights”); and/or
- Visit our Scott River and Shasta River Watersheds Emergency Regulation website (https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drought/scott_shasta_rivers/). If an email list notice is issued on the weekend, the website will not be updated until the following business day due to limitations on implementing such updates.
If you have questions regarding this email, please contact staff by email to: ScottShastaFlows@waterboards.ca.gov or leave a message at our dedicated Scott River and Shasta River Emergency Regulation phone line at: (916) 327-3113.
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