Directory of Water Agencies and Organizations

The Army Corps of Engineers' stated mission is to deliver vital engineering solutions, in collaboration with their partners, to secure the Nation, energize the economy, and reduce disaster risk.  The Army Corps' nexus with California's freshwater resources is through their civil works programs, which include flood control, navigation, recreation, infrastructure, environmental stewardship, and emergency response.  The Army Corps is part of the Department of Defense.

The California-Great Basin Region of the Bureau of Reclamation encompasses two-thirds of California, the Klamath Basin, and most of Nevada.  The California-Great Basin Region operates the Central Valley Project and the Klamath Project, which includes more than 40 major dams and reservoirs, water for over 3 million acres of farmland,  a portion of the water supply for more than 6 million people, and 41 recreation sites.

The Bureau of Reclamation's Lower Colorado (LC) Region encompasses southern Nevada, southern California, most of Arizona, a small corner of southwest Utah and a small section of west-central New Mexico.  The Region acts as Watermaster of the lower Colorado River, primarily focusing on the Lower Colorado River from Lee’s Ferry in northern Arizona to the border with Mexico.

Reclamation's Upper Colorado Region encompasses Utah, New Mexico, western Colorado, northeastern Arizona, southwestern Wyoming, west Texas, and small portions of Nevada and Idaho.

The EPA regulates drinking water through the Safe Drinking Water Act, and works to protect surface water and watersheds through enforcement of the Clean Water Act. The EPA provides funding for infrastructure, water research, data, and tools.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or FERC, is an independent agency that regulates natural gas and hydropower projects, as well as the interstate transmission of natural gas, oil, and electricity. FERC's nexus with California freshwater management is through licensing and relicensing of hydropower dams.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS or NOAA Fisheries) is the federal agency responsible for the stewardship of the nation's ocean resources and their habitat.  The main nexus of NMFS with California's freshwater systems are anadromous fish, such as Central Valley salmon and steelhead.

The Pacific Southwest Division of the US Fish and Wildlife Service is responsible for fish and wildlife management in California, Nevada, and the Klamath Basin in southern Oregon.

The USGS works with partners to monitor, assess, conduct targeted research, and deliver information on a wide range of water resources and conditions including streamflow, groundwater, water quality, and water use and availability.  Nationwide, there are 27 Water Science Centers plus 1 integrated Science Center as of September 2019 that contribute valuable water science to all 50 States.

The California Natural Resources Agency oversees and supports many water-related departments, conservancies, and commissions, including the Department of Water Resources and the California Water Commission, and spearheads many water-related initiatives. 

The Department of Conservation has programs that affect land use and in turn, water. The Department's Cal GEM division provides oversight of California's oil and gas industries.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) manages California’s diverse fish, wildlife, and plant resources and the habitats upon which they depend.  This includes implementing the CA Endangered Species Act, habitat restoration and planning, fish hatcheries and species management, and issuing grants.

The Department of Water Resources is charged with managing the state's water resources. The Department operates the State Water Project, regulates dams, provides flood management and emergency operations, implements the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), and provides grants and technical assistance to local agencies.

The California Water Commission provides a public forum for discussing water issues, advises the Director of the Department of Water Resources on matters within the Department’s jurisdiction, approves rules and regulations, and monitors and reports on the construction and operation of the State Water Project.  The California Water Commission also administers the Water Storage Investment Program funded by Prop 1.

The Central Valley Flood Protection Board (CVFPB) is the State regulatory agency responsible for ensuring that the flood control system in the Central Valley is maintained to appropriate standards.  The Flood Board issues encroachment permits, enforces the removal of problematic encroachments, and works with other agencies to improve flood protection structures.

The Delta Protection Commission works to protect, maintain, and, where possible, enhance and restore the overall quality of the Delta environment consistent with the Delta Protection Act.  The goal of the Commission is to ensure orderly, balanced conservation and development of Delta land resources and improved flood protection.

The Delta Stewardship Council develops the Delta Plan, an enforceable long-term plan to manage the Delta’s resources to achieve the ‘coequal goals' of a more reliable statewide water supply and a healthy and protected ecosystem, both achieved in a manner that protects and enhances the unique characteristics of the Delta as an evolving place.

The mission of the Division of Boating and Waterways is to provide safe and convenient public access to California's waterways and leadership in promoting safe, enjoyable and environmentally sound recreational boating.  This includes the management of aquatic invasive species such as quagga and zebra mussels, and aquatic vegetation such as water hyacinth. 

The Fish and Game Commission has a variety of responsibilities, including forming general policies for the Department of Fish and Wildlife, setting limits on hunting and fishing, controlling non-native species, establishing protected lands and waters, regulating use of protecting areas, listing and delisting of threatened/endangered species under California Endangered Species Act, and prescribing terms and conditions for issuance, suspension, revocation of licenses/permits issued by the Department.

The Ocean Protection Council is a state agency that works to ensure that California maintains healthy, resilient, and productive ocean and coastal ecosystems for the benefit of current and future generations. The Ocean Protection Council is committed to basing its decisions and actions on the best available science, and to promoting the use of science among all entities involved in the management of ocean resources.

The San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) is a California state planning and regulatory agency with regional authority over the San Francisco Bay, the Bay’s shoreline band, and the Suisun Marsh.

The Commission manages 4 million acres of tide and submerged lands and the beds of natural navigable rivers, streams, lakes, bays, estuaries, inlets, and straits. These lands, often referred to as sovereign or Public Trust lands, stretch from the Klamath River and Goose Lake in the north to the Tijuana Estuary in the south, and the Colorado River in the east, and from the Pacific Coast 3 miles offshore in the west to world-famous Lake Tahoe in the east, and includes California’s two longest rivers, the Sacramento and San Joaquin.

The primary responsibilities of the Wildlife Conservation Board are to select, authorize and allocate funds for the purchase of land and waters suitable for recreation purposes and the preservation, protection and restoration of wildlife habitat. WCB approves and funds projects that set aside lands within the State for such purposes, through acquisition or other means, to meet these objectives.

The California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal EPA) develops and enforces environmental laws that regulate air, water and soil quality, pesticide use and waste recycling and reduction.

The State Water Resources Control Board is the agency that regulates water quality, allocates surface water rights, and regulates drinking water systems. 

The mission of the Department of Pesticide Regulation is to protect human health and the environment by regulating pesticide sales and use, and by fostering reduced-risk pest management.

OEHHA develops health-protective exposure levels for contaminants in air, water, and soil as guidance for regulatory agencies and the public, including public health goals for contaminants in drinking water. 

The California Public Utilities Commission regulates privately owned public utilities in the state of California, including electric power, telecommunications, natural gas and water companies.

The Department of Food and Ag is the state agency charged with protecting and promoting agriculture.

The Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire) is responsible for wildland fire protection in State Responsibility Areas (SRAs), which are primarily privately owned wildlands that encompass about one-third of the state.

The Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, part of the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, is responsible for developing the general forest policy of the state, determining the guidance policies of the Department, and representing the state's interest in federal forestland in California. Together, the Board and the Department work to carry out the California Legislature's mandate to protect and enhance the state's unique forest and wildland resources.

The Sierra Nevada Conservancy is a California state agency established through bi-partisan legislation to initiate, encourage, and support efforts that improve the environmental, economic, and social well-being of the Sierra Nevada region, its communities, and the people of California.

The Tahoe Conservancy was established in 1985 with a mission to lead California’s efforts to restore and enhance the extraordinary natural and recreational resources of the Lake Tahoe Basin.

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy (or Delta Conservancy) is the primary state agency to implement ecosystem restoration in the Delta and support efforts that advance environmental protection and the economic well-being of Delta residents.

The Delta Protection Commission works to protect, maintain, and, where possible, enhance and restore the overall quality of the Delta environment consistent with the Delta Protection Act.  The goal of the Commission is to ensure orderly, balanced conservation and development of Delta land resources and improved flood protection.

The Delta Stewardship Council develops the Delta Plan, an enforceable long-term plan to manage the Delta’s resources to achieve the ‘coequal goals' of a more reliable statewide water supply and a healthy and protected ecosystem, both achieved in a manner that protects and enhances the unique characteristics of the Delta as an evolving place.

The mission of the Delta Science Program is to provide the best possible unbiased scientific information to inform water and environmental decision-making in the Delta. The Delta Science Program does this through funding research, synthesizing and communicating scientific information to policy-makers and decision-makers, promoting independent scientific peer review, and coordinating with Delta agencies to promote science-based adaptive management. The Delta Science Program supports the Delta Plan by promoting adaptive management and the use of best available science.

The Delta Independent Science Board is a ten-member board of prominent scientists from across the nation who evaluate the broad range of scientific programs that support adaptive management of the Delta, and provide oversight through periodic reviews of research, monitoring, and assessment programs. 

The Delta Watermaster is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day administration of water rights in the Delta and to take enforcement actions related to water diversions when necessary. 

The mission of the Division of Boating and Waterways is to provide safe and convenient public access to California's waterways and leadership in promoting safe, enjoyable and environmentally sound recreational boating.  This includes the management of aquatic invasive species such as quagga and zebra mussels, and aquatic vegetation such as water hyacinth. 

The Coastal Commission plans and regulates the use of land and water in the coastal zone, including construction of buildings, divisions of land, and activities that change land use or public access to coastal waters.

The Coastal Conservancy is a non-regulatory state agency established in 1976 to protect and improve natural lands and waterways, to help people get to and enjoy the outdoors, and to sustain local economies along California’s coast.

The Ocean Protection Council is a state agency that works to ensure that California maintains healthy, resilient, and productive ocean and coastal ecosystems for the benefit of current and future generations. The Ocean Protection Council is committed to basing its decisions and actions on the best available science, and to promoting the use of science among all entities involved in the management of ocean resources.

Ocean Science Trust was created by the California Ocean Resources Stewardship Act (CORSA), passed in 2000. Recognizing the value of independent science and the opportunity to better connect the wealth of scientific expertise in academia with policy and management decisions in the state, CORSA mandates the creation of a science trust ‘to seek and provide funding for ocean resource science projects and to encourage coordinated, multiagency, multi-institution approaches to ocean resource science’.

The Bureau of Reclamation's Lower Colorado (LC) Region encompasses southern Nevada, southern California, most of Arizona, a small corner of southwest Utah and a small section of west-central New Mexico.  The Region acts as Watermaster of the lower Colorado River, primarily focusing on the Lower Colorado River from Lee’s Ferry in northern Arizona to the border with Mexico.

The Colorado River Board represents the State of California and its Members in discussions and negotiations with the Colorado River Basin States, federal, state and local governmental agencies and Mexico regarding the management of the Colorado River.

The Lower Colorado Basin includes Arizona, southern Nevada, and southern California. The Regional Office, headquartered in Sacramento, provides Center oversight and support, facilitates internal and external collaborations, and works to further USGS strategic science directions.

Reclamation's Upper Colorado Region encompasses Utah, New Mexico, western Colorado, northeastern Arizona, southwestern Wyoming, west Texas, and small portions of Nevada and Idaho.

The Upper Colorado River Commission (UCRC) is an interstate water administrative agency established by action of five state legislatures and Congress with the enactment of the 1948 Upper Colorado River Basin Compact. The Commission’s role is to ensure the appropriate allocation of water from the Colorado River to the Upper Division States of Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico and to ensure water is released in accordance with the 1922 Colorado River Compact to the Lower Division States of Nevada, Arizona, and California and to the Republic of Mexico.

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Region 7: Upper Colorado Basin includes the States of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. USGS Science Centers in the Region conduct interdisciplinary research and monitoring related to natural resources, ecology, climate, and natural hazards. Data, analyses, and tools developed by USGS staff help stakeholders to make sustainable management decisions.

The U.S. Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission (USIBWC) is a federal government agency which applies the boundary and water treaties of the United States and Mexico and settles differences that may arise in their application.

The California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC), identifies, catalogs, and protects Native American cultural resources -- ancient places of special religious or social significance to Native Americans and known ancient graves and cemeteries of Native Americans on private and public lands in California. The NAHC is also charged with ensuring California Native American tribes’ accessibility to ancient Native American cultural resources on public lands and overseeing the treatment and disposition of inadvertently discovered Native American human remains and burial items.

The Governor’s Office of Tribal Affairs reports directly to Governor Newsom and is responsible for overseeing and implementing effective government-to-government consultation between the Governor’s Administration and California tribes on policies that affect California tribal communities.

DWR's Office of the Tribal Policy Advisor is the central point of coordinated communication and consultation with California Native American tribes to ensure proactive and meaningful consultation. This includes dedicated communication and outreach such as meetings, workshops, and advisory committees.

The State Water Board's Tribal Affairs Office works to accomplish the State Water Board's goal of meaningful engagement with California Native American Tribes, including Tribal consultation.  The Water Boards also designate Tribal beneficial uses for surface waters.

The Department of the Interior's Indian Affairs provides services directly or through contracts, grants, or compacts to 574 Federally recognized tribes with a service population of approximately 2.5 million American Indian and Alaska Natives.  Indian Affairs maintains government-to-government relationships with Indian tribes, and facilitate support for tribal people and tribal governments. 

The Baldwin Hills Conservancy is a state agency whose mission is to acquire open space and manage public lands within the Baldwin Hills area and to provide recreation, restoration and protection of wildlife habitat within the territory for the public's enjoyment and educational experience.

The Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy is a state agency with the mission to mission is to protect the natural and cultural resources of the Coachella Valley: the scenic, wildlife, cultural, geologic, and recreational resources.

The Coastal Conservancy is a non-regulatory state agency established in 1976 to protect and improve natural lands and waterways, to help people get to and enjoy the outdoors, and to sustain local economies along California’s coast.

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy (or Delta Conservancy) is the primary state agency to implement ecosystem restoration in the Delta and support efforts that advance environmental protection and the economic well-being of Delta residents.

The San Diego River Conservancy is an independent, non-regulatory state agency established to preserve, restore and enhance the San Diego River Area. The Conservancy has no power of condemnation or authority over city zoning laws.

The San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy (RMC) was created by the California legislature in 1999 with the mission to preserve open space and habitat in order to provide for low-impact recreation and educational uses, wildlife habitat restoration and protection, and watershed improvements within our jurisdiction.  The Conservancy has no power of condemnation or authority over city zoning laws.

The San Joaquin River Conservancy is a state agency created to develop and manage the San Joaquin River Parkway, a planned 22-mile natural and recreational area in the floodplain extending from Friant Dam to Highway 99. 

The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy is a state agency the mission to strategically buy back, preserve, protect, restore, and enhance treasured pieces of Southern California to form an interlinking system of urban, rural and river parks, open space, trails, and wildlife habitats that are easily accessible to the general public.

The Sierra Nevada Conservancy is a California state agency established through bi-partisan legislation to initiate, encourage, and support efforts that improve the environmental, economic, and social well-being of the Sierra Nevada region, its communities, and the people of California.

The Tahoe Conservancy was established in 1985 with a mission to lead California’s efforts to restore and enhance the extraordinary natural and recreational resources of the Lake Tahoe Basin.