From the State Water Resources Control Board:
State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board or Board) staff have posted refinements to the methodology for determining water unavailability in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta) watershed (Water Unavailability Methodology or methodology) as well as proposed minor revisions to the emergency curtailment and reporting regulation for the Delta watershed (emergency regulation). Because of continued severe drought conditions, the State Water Board plans to consider readoption of the emergency regulation this summer prior to expiration of the regulation it adopted on August 3, 2021.
In advance of possible readoption of the emergency regulation, the updated Water Unavailability Methodology and proposed minor revisions to the emergency regulation are available for public comment. The draft text of the proposed emergency regulation is posted under the Emergency Curtailment and Reporting Regulation section of the Delta Drought webpage, and the Water Unavailability Methodology refinements are posted under the Methodology Resources section of the Delta Water Unavailability Methodology webpage. The refined methodology will be used to determine curtailments of water rights and claims in the Delta watershed beginning April 26, 2022.
State Water Board staff also plans to hold a technical workshop to receive input on possible further refinements to the methodology and the proposed minor revisions to the emergency regulation text on May 12, 2022. See the notice for further instructions regarding how to participate in the workshop and to submit written comments on the methodology or draft emergency regulation.
If you have any questions, you may send an email to Bay-Delta@waterboards.ca.gov or call the Delta Drought phone line at (916) 319-0960.
051222_workshop_notice
