Curtailment temporarily lifted in Scott River watershed—here’s what it means.

On December 27, 2022 the State Water Resources Control Board temporarily suspended the curtailment of water diversion in the Scott River watershed. While this suspension didn’t lift all “emergency” regulations on water use by any means, it does mean that livestock owners with surface stockwater rights are now allowed to divert ten times the minimum daily amount allowed for their livestock (e.g. 15 gallons per head of beef cattle). This diversion amount—150 gallons per head of beef cattle—is measured at the point of diversion, not the point of use. AgWA has received written confirmation from Water Board staff that this amount of diversion into earthen ditches is permissible under the Emergency Drought Regulation.

Despite the fact that 150 gallons per head per day is a very small amount that, in many cases, isn’t likely to actually make it to the livestock it’s intended for, AgWA is encouraging water rights holders to divert as much as they can under the Regulation.

The day the Water Board suspended the curtailment (Dec 27), AgWA had contacted agency staff after three days of the Scott River having exceeded the monthly minimum flow requirement. The Emergency Regulation requires 150 cubic feet per second (cfs) at the USGS gage (river mile 21) for the month of December. On the evening of December 27, flows at the USGS gage on the Scott River were at 2,300 cfs. Water is abundant in the river and tributaries such as Kidder Creek, which is overflowing into fields (as pictured in this blog post. Photo taken on Serpa Lane on 12-27-22).

AgWA argues that all this abundant water should be delivered to higher ground via our irrigation ditches, which will benefit our aquifer by keeping that water in our system longer. This is bound to benefit late-season flows in the river, as well. AgWA is working through various channels to gather data proving these points. We’re also attempting to get plans (“local cooperative solutions) approved to allow more stock water to be diverted into ditches, in keeping with the Emergency Regulation.

See the “permissible” amounts of drinking water by species in this Water Board memo. AgWA has consistently argued that limiting livestock water intake is fundamentally wrong and inhumane. However, the regulation stands.