From the Office of the Delta Watermaster:
Important Dates for 2022
- January 2022 – The State Water Board’s Division of Water Rights mailed reminder notices with user IDs and passwords to primary owners and agents. Annual Water Diversion and Use Reports for the 2021 transition nine-month “stub period” are available on the Report Management System.
- April 1, 2022 – Transitional reporting deadline for Appropriative Rights (Licenses), Stockpond Certificates, Registrations, and Statements.
New Water Reporting Deadlines
- Recent legislation (Senate Bill 155, a budget trailer bill effective September 23, 2021), modifies the water use reporting periods and deadlines. The legislation consolidates all water use reporting periods to the standard water year
(October 1 through September 30). - The new law also consolidates the due dates for all water use reports to February 1 of the ensuing year and provides a protocol for the transition to the new periods and due dates.
Transition Period
- Due April 1, 2022: In 2022, water right holders must report on their water use for the nine-month “stub period” between January 1 and September 30, 2021.
New (and Ongoing) Reporting Deadline
- Due February 1, 2023: Reports of water use during the current water year, October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2022.
- For water years thereafter, all reports of water use are due the following February 1.
|
Reporting Period |
Reporting Deadline |
Water Board Reporting Forms Available |
|
January 1, 2021 – September 30, 2021 |
April 1, 2022 |
January 3, 2022 |
|
October 1, 2021 – September 30, 2022 |
February 1, 2023 |
October 1, 2022 |
|
October 1, 2022 – September 30, 2023 |
February 1, 2024 |
October 1, 2023 |
Tips for Preparing for the Reporting Season
- Plan and gather your information ahead of time. Aim to complete your reporting early. For general information, click on the following link to access the Annual Water Diversion and Use Reporting Help webpage: https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/waterrights/water_issues/programs/water_diversion_reporting/
- If you know your login information, click on the following link to access the Report Management System (RMS): https://rms.waterboards.ca.gov/login.aspx
- If you do not know your login information, please contact Kristi Matal, Office of the Delta Watermaster, by email at: Kristi.Matal@waterboards.ca.gov or by phone at: (916) 319-8264.
- Email reporting questions to: RMS@waterboards.ca.gov.
Timely Filing
Please note that failure to file an annual report by the due date is a violation of the California Code of Regulations 23 CCR §§920, 924, 925 and 929. The Water Code authorizes administrative civil liability (monetary fine) of up to $500/day for each day of delinquency. (Wat.Code §1846.)
By filing accurate reports of diversion and use on or before the applicable deadline, you help the State Water Board maintain an accurate record of the Delta’s actual water use. In an average water year, like 2018, a wet year, like 2019, or dry years like 2020 and 2021, careful reporting of actual use can assist our Office in administration of the water rights system. In a future drought, accurate data on your water use can help us assure that senior water rights are protected.
Assistance
If you have questions or need assistance in accessing the RMS or completing your annual report, please contact your water attorney, your regional Delta Water Agency or Kristi Matal, Communications & Outreach Specialist in our Office, by email at: Kristi.Matal@waterboards.ca.gov or by phone at: (916) 319-8264.
