2018 Measurement and Reporting Course
Overview
In 2015, California Legislature passed Senate Bill 88 (click here to read) requiring that all water right holders who have previously diverted or intend to divert more than 10 acre-feet per year (riparian and pre-1914 claims), or are authorized to divert more than 10 acre-feet per year under a permit, license, or registration, to measure and report the water they divert. Detailed information on the regulatory requirements for measurement and reporting is available on the State Water Resources Control Board Reporting and Measurement Regulation webpage.
The legislation as written requires for diversion (or storage) greater than or equal to 100 acre feet annually that installation and certification of measurement methods be approved by an Engineer/Contractor/ Professional. Diverters across CA were concerned about this requirement. California Cattlemen’s Association heard from their membership and worked with Assemblyman Bigelow on a bill that would result in a self-certification option. Assembly Bill 589 was passed and became law on January 1, 2018 (click here to read).
This bill, until January 1, 2023, allows any diverter, as defined, who has completed this instructional course on measurement devices and methods administered by the University of California Cooperative Extension, including passage of a proficiency test, to be considered a qualified individual when installing and maintaining devices or implementing methods of measurement. The bill required the University of California Cooperative Extension and the board to jointly develop the curriculum for the course and the proficiency test.
A workshop was held in Taylorsville on August 29, 2018, along with dozens of other courses throughout the state. Thank you to Plumas-Sierra Cattlemen for sponsoring the workshop!
The workshops included:
- Clarification on reporting requirements for ranch;
- Overview on what meters are appropriate for different situations;
- Training to determine measurement equipment accuracy;
- A summary of measurement weirs; and
- Session on learning to calculate and report volume from flow data.
