Scott River Watershed: Reinstatement of Curtailments for All Surface Water Rights (Groups 1-8) – (Addendum 9)
To: Scott River Water Right Holders (sent to water right holders for which the Board has email addresses and to the Scott-Shasta Drought E-mail List)
The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board or Board) is reinstating curtailments for all surface water rights in the Scott River watershed as listed in Attachment A of Order WR 2024-0024-DWR (Order), as authorized under the Scott and Shasta River Watersheds Drought Emergency Regulation (Regulation). This Addendum to the Order requires all surface water diverters to cease all diversions immediately. You may not resume diversions until otherwise informed by the State Water Board.
Curtailments are needed to maintain the minimum flow requirement at the Fort Jones United States Geological Survey (USGS) gage. For reference, the required minimum flows for the Scott River watershed in the coming months are the natural flow of the system up to the amounts listed in the table below, as measured in cubic feet per second (cfs), at the Fort Jones USGS gage.
The Regulation allows for limited diversions under curtailed water rights for specific purposes. More information on these exceptions can be found below.
Pursuant to flow regulations that establish minimum instream flows for fishery protection, which with minor exceptions and changes have been in effect since August 30, 2021, the State Water Board issued a curtailment order (Order WR 2024-0024-DWR) on July 23, 2024. It curtailed all surface water rights in the Scott River watershed, as specified in Attachment A of the Order. Subsequent addendums have been issued to suspend or reinstate curtailments as required to maintain minimum flow requirements established in the Regulation. (The Regulation is available online at: https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drought/scott_shasta_rivers/docs/2025/2025-scott-shasta-emergency-reg-adopted-searchable.pdf.)
Flow measurements were taken in the field on May 14, 2026, and resulted in an upward adjustment to the flow readings at the Fort Jones USGS gage. An additional flow measurement was conducted on May 20, 2026, that resulted in a downward adjustment to the flows at the USGS Fort Jones. As of 10:00 am on May 21, 2026, the flow at the Fort Jones USGS gage was recorded at 145 cubic feet per second. Due to flows substantially falling below the minimum requirement of natural flows up to 150 cubic feet per second for May, the State Water Board is reinstating curtailments that require the immediate cessation of all surface water diversions.
Based on the current flow, the downward trend of flows at the Fort Jones USGS gage, insignificant snowpack, warmer temperature trends, water demand, seasonal drought, precipitation and temperature forecasts, and comparison to flows in recent years with similar snowpack measurements, curtailments are needed to assist in meeting the minimum instream flow requirement of natural flows up to 150 cfs for May. While the lack of snowpack, seasonal forecasts, and historic flows indicate curtailment will be necessary for much of the irrigation season, the State Water Board will continue to monitor flows, flow forecasts, precipitation and temperature forecasts, and watershed conditions regularly to determine if adjustments to the curtailments are appropriate.
Allowances for Continued Limited Diversions
The Regulation has exceptions for certain types of diversions that may continue even after you receive a curtailment order, if the appropriate form(s) is submitted to the State Water Board (see more on this below). These exceptions are:
-
Non-consumptive Diversions. This exception applies if your diversion is not consumptive, meaning that it does not use up water or change the time the water is available to others (e.g., run-of-river hydropower with returns entering the same stream, instream use).
-
Minimum Human Health and Safety Diversions. This exception applies if a curtailed diversion is your only water source for minimum human health and safety purposes, like drinking, cooking, washing, or meeting the state’s critical infrastructure needs. Please note that diversions for firefighting may continue under this exception.
-
Minimum Livestock Watering Diversions. This exception applies if a curtailed diversion is your only source for minimum livestock watering. See section 875.3 in the Regulation for more information on minimum livestock watering.
Reporting, certification, and petition forms previously submitted for the Order are still active and do not need to be resubmitted, unless you are updating your previous submittal. If you want to continue diverting using one of the above exceptions, and you have not submitted information already, you must submit the relevant information to the State Water Board. Please contact us using the information in the Questions section below if you have questions about a prior submittal or need to submit a certification or petition.
Questions and How to Stay Informed
If you believe curtailment is being reimposed in error or have questions regarding this email please contact Board staff immediately using the information provided below.
-
Webpage: Please monitor your email and our Scott–Shasta Drought webpage (https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drought/scott_shasta_rivers/) for future updates.
-
Email Subscription: If you received this notice in a forwarded message and would like to receive future emails related to this and similar efforts, please sign up for the State Water Board’s “Scott-Shasta Drought and Flow Efforts” email subscription list under “Water Rights”. Sign up for an email subscription list online at: https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/resources/email_subscriptions/swrcb_subscribe
Juliet Christian-Smith Deputy Director
Division of Water Rights State Water Resources Control Board
|
|
