Division 10 - STREAMFLOW PROTECTION STANDARDS

California Public Resources Code — §§ 10000-10005

Sections (6)

Added by Stats. 1982, Ch. 1478, Sec. 1.

The Legislature finds and declares as follows:

(a)A substantial increase has occurred in the number of requests to appropriate water from the various streams and watercourses of this state, especially for the purpose of generating electric energy.

(b)These requests, if approved without due regard for their cumulative effect on streamflows, could adversely affect, to a serious and significant degree, the fish and wildlife resources dependent on those streams and watercourses.

(c)These fish and wildlife resources are important for the entire state and are inextricably linked to the continued economic viability of industries, such as the fishing industry, which are desirable and important components of the state’s economy.

§ 10001

Added by Stats. 1982, Ch. 1478, Sec. 1.

The Director of Fish and Game shall identify and list those streams and watercourses throughout the state for which minimum flow levels need to be established in order to assure the continued viability of stream-related fish and wildlife resources. The director shall include in this identification list those streams and watercourses the director determines are significant, along with a statement of findings as to why that stream or watercourse was selected. The identification list required by this section shall rank the streams and watercourses beginning with those where the need for establishing minimum flow levels is the greatest. The director, at his discretion, may revise the list and may add or delete streams or watercourses as circumstances require. The initial identification list required by this section shall be completed no later than January 1, 1984.

§ 10002

Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 352, Sec. 482. (AB 1317) Effective September 26, 2013. Operative July 1, 2013, by Sec. 543 of Ch. 352.

The Director of Fish and Game shall prepare proposed streamflow requirements, which shall be specified in terms of cubic feet of water per second, for each stream or watercourse identified pursuant to Section 10001. In developing the requirements for each stream, the director shall consult with the Director of Water Resources, the Director of Parks and Recreation and with all affected local governments. The Director of Fish and Game may also consult with any private individuals, groups, or organizations as the director deems advisable. Upon completion of the proposed streamflow requirements for any individual stream or watercourse, the Director of Fish and Game shall transmit these proposed requirements to the State Water

Resources Control Board. The State Water Resources Control Board shall consider these

requirements within a stream as set forth in Section 1257.5 of the Water Code. The Director of Fish and Game shall complete the preparation of proposed requirements for the initial streams not later than July 1, 1989.

The Department of Fish and Game may contract for temporary services for purposes of preparing the proposed streamflow requirements.

§ 10003

Amended by Stats. 1985, Ch. 1259, Sec. 2.

The Director of Fish and Game, on his or her own motion or at the request of the State Water Resources Control Board, may review any streamflow requirement and may propose revision or modification thereof. The proposed revision or modification shall be transmitted to the State Water Resources Control Board.

§ 10004

Added by Stats. 1985, Ch. 1259, Sec. 3.

The Department of Fish and Game shall initiate studies to develop proposed streamflow requirements for those streams or watercourses in each fiscal year for which funds are appropriated and shall complete studies on each stream or watercourse within three years. It is the intent of the Legislature that the department develop a program that will initiate studies on at least 10 streams or watercourses in each fiscal year.

§ 10005

Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 401, Sec. 12. (AB 1520) Effective January 1, 2026.

(a)The Department of Fish and Wildlife shall impose and collect a filing fee of eight hundred fifty dollars ($850) to defray the costs of identifying streams and providing studies pursuant to this division.

(b)The filing fee shall be proportional to the cost incurred by the Department of Fish and Wildlife and shall be annually reviewed and adjustments recommended to the Legislature in an amount necessary to pay the costs of the Department of Fish and Wildlife as specified in subdivision (a).

(c)Any user of water, including a person or entity holding riparian or appropriative rights, shall pay the filing fee to the Department

of Fish and Wildlife upon application to the State Water Resources Control Board for any permit, transfer, extension, or change of point of diversion, place of use, or purpose of use, if there is a diversion of water from any waterway where fish reside. No permit, or other entitlement identified in this section, is effective until the filing fee is paid. The State Water Resources Control Board shall, every six months, forward all fees collected to the Department of Fish and Wildlife and provide the location for each entitlement for which a filing fee has been collected.

(d)The fee imposed by this section shall not be imposed on the following applications filed with the State Water Resources Control Board:

(1)Registrations submitted pursuant to Article 2.7 (commencing with

Section 1228) of Chapter 1 of Part 2 of Division 2 of the Water Code.

(2)The first application for an extension of time for an individual permit if no change in point of diversion, place of use, or purpose of use is included in the application.

(3)Water applications that, in the opinion of the Department of Fish and Wildlife, are filed for administrative and technical clarification purposes only.

(4)Water applications or petitions, the primary purpose of which is to benefit fish and wildlife resources. The determination of the benefit to fish and wildlife shall be made, in writing, by the Department of Fish and Wildlife in order to be exempt from the fee.

(e)If an applicant or petitioner files multiple applications or petitions for the same appropriation, transfer, extension, or change, and the State Water Resources Control Board reviews and considers the applications or petitions together, only one filing fee is required for those applications or petitions.