By the State Water Resources Control Board
Water Code section 1242.1 allows parties to divert for groundwater recharge without a water right if in compliance with certain requirements. On January 31, 2025, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-16-25 to facilitate the use of flood waters to recharge California’s aquifers by suspending certain requirements of Water Code section 1242.1. The suspension only applies to 39 counties (the “Proclaimed Drought Counties”), which include the Sacramento and San Joaquin River basins, the Tulare Lake basin, the Scott, Shasta, and Klamath River watersheds, and the Clear Lake watershed.
The State Water Board (Board) updated its Water Code section 1242.1 Technical Guidance to address Executive Order N-16-25. The revised Technical Guidance is available here: https://www.waterboards.ca.
Please visit the Board’s Flood Recharge Diversions (Water Code section 1242.1) website for more information. https://www.waterboards.ca.
