Overview of California Water Rights

Learn the basic concepts and principles of California water rights law and the diverse types of California water rights. Find out how each type of right is generated or obtained, and what restrictions exist. Discover how groundwater rights and surface water law are interrelated. See how various government entities at the federal, state and local levels have control over the diversion and use of water in California. Explore the concepts of reasonableness and public trust and find out how incredibly powerful these concepts can be in regulating the use of water in California. Find out which rights are often presumed to be valid during title transactions by buyers and sellers, but may have no basis at all. Adjudications and water transfers will be discussed as well as reporting requirements. Anyone who owns or occupies land and diverts from a watercourse or well for use (as opposed to receiving a supply and bill from a local water purveyor) will find this class to be extremely valuable. A diverter must understand the basis of rights under which the water is diverted or possibly be subject to substantial financial penalties, as well as extreme loss in value of the property on which the water is used.